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The amazing transformation of society brought about by the wide
dispersion of computers has given rise to new moral dilemmas. With
the rapid development of this technology, the impact of computers
on privacy, personal identity, intellectual property, and the form
and practice of democracy is becoming more apparent every day.
Inevitably, this penetration of computer technology into our
private and social lives has a moral dimension, which raises
questions about our conduct and requires moral reflection and
decision-making. The twenty-six groundbreaking essays collected in
this insightful anthology define the nature of this new moral
landscape and offer thoughtful answers to the ethical questions
raised by the interaction of people and computers.
Divided into five sections, the volume begins with a definition of
cyberethics. There is general agreement with James H. Moor's basic
definition of the field as "the formulation and justification of
policies for the ethical use of computers." Next the issues of
anonymity and personal identity are considered. Computers provide
individuals with a unique opportunity to create personae for the
virtual world that are quite distinct from their normal identities.
What are the moral dimensions of creating virtual
personalities?
Perhaps the most pressing ethical issue is addressed in the next
section on privacy. The ability of computers to store vast amounts
of information on any individual raises the harrowing specter of a
Big Brother society in the not-too-distant future. How should
information be used and how might it be abused? What safeguards are
needed to protect privacy as information technology becomes ever
more sophisticated?
In the fourth section, questions concerning ownership of
intellectual property and copyright law are considered. How can the
rights of authorship be protected in the context of the
internet?
Finally, the fifth section explores the debate now taking place
regarding the impact of computers on democracy. Do computers offer
new possibilities for enhancing democracy or will this prospect
turn out to be a myth?
This is a much needed anthology of thought-provoking articles on
the critical moral issues facing our "brave new world."
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