Lex Eugene Peregrino

BS – IS

Professional Ethics, Codes of Conduct and Moral Responsibility

Review and Discussion Question: Chapter 4

What is professional ethics?

Professional ethics is the study in the computer ethics issues and other computer related moral and ethic evaluation.

Who is a computer professional?

Computer professional are people who are in charge and have the knowledge in dealing with the computer and other duties that is related with the community that available the code of conduct.

Do computer professionals have special responsibilities that ordinary computer users do not have? If so, what are some of those special responsibilities?

Yes, because in computer professional they are dealing with the community which they will ensure that software or system they made will come up with a good output and help the community.

Why is it useful to limit our discussion of moral issues affecting computer professionals to issues affecting software engineers and engineering teams, computer science instructors, and IT support professionals, as opposed to professionals such as lawyers and accountants who also use computers and who may work for computer corporations?

Because the computer profession because these professional need some action that is violating the rules which is moral issues. They will violate the rules for some reason which benefits the majority.

How do Gotterbarn, Miller, and Rogerson propose that we define the profession of software engineering? Who is included in a software engineering team?

This includes the software quality analysis, software quality analysis, managers and supervisors. These are the person responsible for the analysis, and deployment of the system including development, designing and implementation.

What are professional codes of ethics and what are the functions that this code serves?

These codes explain the attitude which show the requirements to become a person who are in excellent status.

List some of the benefits of professional code of ethics. Describe some of the criticisms of these codes have.

They serve as the inspiration of people. They are responsible in guiding the people who are in the wrong way. The critics in code of ethics says that they come up with the rules which have no teeth  

Why does John Ladd believe that professional codes of ethics rest on a series of errors that are both intellectual and moral? Describe the arguments that he uses to provide his position.

Because he believes that this codes are sequence of misinterpretation of intellectual and moral things. Ethics is an “open ended, reflective, and critical intellectual activity”. This is ethics which have the argument in the beliefs.

Explain Don Gotterbarn’s three-fold distinction: codes of ethics, codes of conduct and codes of practice. Do Gotterbarn’s distinctions help to eliminate any of the criticisms that have been raised against professional codes?

The main goal of the codes of ethics is to motivate the people which give a dream of a profession. This will focus in the professionals approach and also the different activities.

How does IEEE-CS/ACM Software engineering code of ethics and Professional practice (SECEPP) improve on earlier professional codes?

SECEPP is for the code of the people which are in line of computer related people.  

Do computer professionals have a presumed, or prima facie, obligation to loyalty to their employers? Explain.

Yes they need loyalty because this is a deal, and in the business these are the factors and key to achieve the purpose and mission of the business.

Describe the arguments by Ronald Duska and John Ladd regarding employee loyalty.

He says that loyalty appear if there is a connection between the two people, which is special relationship. And John Ladd has a different belief which shows that loyalty is not important because he believe that the goal are the thing needed in the benefits of the employee

What, exactly, is whistle blowing? According to Michael Martin, what are the three general approaches that have been taken in the analysis of whistle-blowing cases?

Whistle blowing is the action which produces difficulty in the company. The general approach is the teamwork base on the power in the company, avoid the problems.

In which ways do Gene James and Kenneth Alpern disagree with De George’s model for whistle-blowing?

His understanding is every people have a different moral duty it is acceptable to blow a whistle but be sure that is for the sake of the community and other people.

Describe John Ladd’s argument in defense of De George’s position on whistle-blowing.

He says that computer professional such as engineers are needed to blow the whistle but it is acceptable in situation that is really important.

Why does Helen Nissenbaum believe that the notion of accountability has been systematically undetermined in the computer age? How does she distinguish between accountability and responsibility?

She believes that accountability is connected to the person which is examine, if you failed with that action this will end in with accountable.

What does Nissenbaum mean by “the problem of many hands” in a computing context?

It means that this is hard to detect if there is a wrong act that is result in hurting one another people.

Why does Nissenbaum believe that it is important to distinguish between moral accountability and legal liability?

This is important because this will help you to determine if it is a non juridical and juridical duty.

According to Don Gotternbarn, what is required for a model of risk analysis to be adequate in the software development process for safety-critical systems?

He said that risk analysis is focusing in cost and effectiveness of the flow of the system,