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Friday, December 23, 2005 Legislation governing computer use


Although, there are already laws on specific fields or services of computer, I still find having a form of legislation to be enforced on computer use not necessary and will not be effective.

It is not necessary because computer usage is global, dynamic or changing. As I view it, computer use is more on our personal behavior and obligation. Computer use is a challenge to our own personal views or reflection than an obligation of the state/country to formulate laws or to have ordering principle. For me, it is more on education that we improve our human behavior and ethical views.

It will not be effective since computer use cannot be quantified and poses many significant technical challenges. Example, when a programmer creates an application for commercial use. The vendors of the application will not provide the source code to the buyers so it will be impossible for the buyers to verify that the application does what was suppose to do. So when failure occurs it will be impossible to assign the blame to the programmer. And also the failure can be blamed to the operating system or the libraries installed on the system.

Posted by Gadget Guy :: 9:50 PM :: 0 comments

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Three precepts on computer use



“Thou shalt not use a computer to harm other people.”

I think the ethical theory that underpins this precept is Ethical Absolutism. Ethical Absolutism state that there should be fixed or rigid factors in evaluating actions. Fixed factors are universal, constant and therefore unchanging reasons for judging an action as good or bad, right or wrong, just or unjust, among others. Doing harm to other people is universal or a fixed/rigid factor that can be used to evaluate an action.

“Thou shalt not use a computer to bear false witness.”

Moral law underpins this percept. Moral law dictates what sort of behavior or conduct that may or may not be expressed. It is the realm of generally recognized and desirable ethical norms and principles that control and rule the human conduct. Honesty, integrity and respect are moral conducts.

“Thou shalt not use a computer to steal.”

Utilitarianism underpins this precept. Utilitarianism states that actions that bring happiness are considered morally right while actions that inhibit happiness are considered morally wrong. Stealing is an action that inhibits happiness or stealing will result to pain or the reverse of happiness.

Posted by Gadget Guy :: 9:04 PM :: 0 comments

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Thursday, December 22, 2005 Most Predominant Theory


I think Immanuel Kant’s Categorical Imperatives is predominant in the computing world. As Kant‘s philosophy goes,

Nothing in the world – indeed nothing even beyond the world – can possibly be conceived which could be called good without qualification except in good will.

I think in the computing world there are ethical norms and laws that computer users are to recognize. We, as computer users and rational beings are able to discern and decide whether to obey these laws or norms. The will and the reason that make us obey these norms is the one that is good.

Posted by Gadget Guy :: 9:45 PM :: 0 comments

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Monday, December 12, 2005 Which Finalist Theories Appeals to you Most?

The so called Virtue Ethics is the most appealing finalist theory for me because in center on Virtue. Virtue is the ideal measurement of righteousness and it is the central concept in Aristotle’s ethics. The rationality of human being is the foundation of Nicomachean theory, the supreme end or happiness is the human notion of good life (Albacea, 2003) can be achieved only by living a life of reason. “Life of reason is happiest”. As a Christian and god centered human being, doing goof things to others is the way to achieve happiness in life.

Posted by Gadget Guy :: 8:05 PM :: 0 comments

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Saturday, December 03, 2005 Two Laws Governing Computer Use.

List down the two laws governing computer use and explain what types of non-jural law seem to underpin these two laws.

In RA 8792 also known as Electronic Commerce Law Section 33 (Penalties) states that

a) Hacking or cracking which refers to unauthorized access into or interference in a computer system/server or information and communication system; or any access in order to corrupt, alter, steal, or destroy using a computer or other similar information and communication devices, without the knowledge and consent of the owner of the computer or information and communications system, including the introduction of computer viruses and the like, resulting in the corruption, destruction, alteration, theft or loss of electronic data messages or electronic document shall be punished by a minimum fine of one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) and a maximum commensurate to the damage incurred and a mandatory imprisonment of six (6) months to three (3) years;

The above law underpins to Law of Nature. In Nature Law, we must observe and adhere on the actions towards the common good of every individual. It promotes the righteousness, justice, equity, and fairness.


b) Piracy or the unauthorized copying, reproduction, dissemination, distribution, importation, use, removal, alteration, substitution, modification, storage, uploading, downloading, communication, making available to the public, or broadcasting of protected material, electronic signature or copyrighted works including legally protected sound recordings or phonograms or information material on protected works, through the use of telecommunication networks, such as, but not limited to, the internet, in a manner that infringes intellectual property rights shall be punished by a minimum fine of one hundred thousand pesos (P100,000.00) and a maximum commensurate to the damage incurred and a mandatory imprisonment of six (6) months to three (3) years; c) Violations of the Consumer Act or Republic Act No. 7394 and other relevant or pertinent laws through transactions covered by or using electronic data messages or electronic documents, shall be penalized with the same penalties as provided in those laws; d) Other violations of the provisions of this Act, shall be penalized with a maximum penalty of one million pesos (P1,000,000.00) or six (6) years imprisonment.

The above paragraph underpins the Moral Law. It states that dishonesty in Intellectual Property Rights and unauthorized distribution of copyrighted products does not fall to moral norms that itemized in our module.

References:
Philippine Army. The E-Commerce Law. Retrieved November 30, 2005, from Philippine Army Website: http://www.army.mil.ph/miscellaneous/e_commerce.html

Albacea, E.A., Payongayong, MT, Pinpin, AV (2003). Computer Ethics. UP Open University


Posted by Gadget Guy :: 11:18 PM :: 0 comments

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Concept of Law & Computer Ethics

What relevance, if any, does the study of the concept of law, in general, have in computing and your study of computer ethics?

In computer ethics, we are bound to understand the standards, our responsibilities while using a computer. While the law is the basic foundation of ethics, what the law defines, is where we say that it is ethical or unethical. Ethics sets standards for morality as well as the law. They must exist side by side because the basis of one another is based on the definition of the other.

Posted by Gadget Guy :: 11:12 PM :: 0 comments

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