Tuesday / Thursday,
Professor
Kevin W. Bowyer, kwb@cse.nd.edu, 631.9978.
This
course seeks to develop a solid foundation for reasoning about the difficult
ethical, professional, and social controversies that arise in the computing
field. Emphasis is placed on identifying the appropriate legal and professional
context and applying sound critical thinking skills in the analysis of a
problem. Topics covered include professional codes of ethics, encryption / privacy
/ surveillance issues, freedom of speech issues, "cracking" and
security of computer systems, development of safety-critical software,
whistle-blowing scenarios, and intellectual property issues. This course relies
heavily on analysis of real-life case studies, both historical and current.
Course Goals:
As a result of
completing this course the student should (a) be aware of the major codes of
ethics relevant to computing professionals, (b) be able to identify
stakeholders and their responsibilities in a given case study, (c) be able to
develop a sound critical-thinking summaries of opposing viewpoints, (d) display
sound judgment in identifying the range of ethical behavior for various
stakeholders, (e) understand the legal basis for rights such as privacy and
free speech, (f) understand the basic elements of patent, copyright, and trade
secret as means of protecting intellectual property, and (g) be able to
identify major factors that complicate the development of safety-critical
software.
Text: class notes
and readings, as announced in class.
Reference:
K. W. Bowyer, Ethics and Computing,
IEEE Press / Wiley, 2000, 0-7803-6019-2.
Grading:
Three papers,
each
Homework 20%
In-class
worksheets and summaries 20%
Presentation 15%
Final Exam 15%
Complete the
assigned readings before class, and to be ready to articulate well-reasoned
conclusions about the issues at hand.
Class participation will be an important element of the learning
process. If you are not in class, you
will not be able to complete the in-class worksheets and summaries, and the
implication is that you would miss 20% of the grade.
Tentative
Syllabus (subject to change – web page will be current)
Knowledge will forever govern
ignorance: and a people who mean to be their own governours,
must arm themselves with the power which knowledge gives. James Madison
Tuesday, January 11: Course goals and
organization.
Thursday January 13: Challenger case
study, part 1.
Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat
it. George
Santayana
NASA site with Rogers Commission report: http://history.nasa.gov/sts51l.html
NASA site with Columbia Accident
Investigation Board report: http://www.nasa.gov/columbia/
USA
Today articles on shuttle program: http://www.keepmedia.com/ShowItemDetails.do?itemID=704881&extID=10030&oliID=226
Newsday.com
article on being better prepared for shuttle problems:
http://www.newsday.com/news/health/orl-asecrescue30013005jan30,0,4888811.story?coll=ny-top-headlines
Article
on shuttle software: http://www.fastcompany.com/online/06/writestuff.html
Article on NASA culture: http://www.usatoday.com/tech/science/space/2005-03-20-nasa-culture_x.htm
Tuesday, January 18: Challenger case
study, part 2.
Thursday January 20: Challenger case
study, part 3.
Tuesday, January 25: Challenger case
study, analysis of roles.
Due (2 points): http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/HomeworkOneSpring2005.htm
Guidelines for class discussion
(summarized from class exercise) –
Be prepared to participate intelligently.
Make an effort to participate.
Make an effort not to over-participate. (Do not monopolize discussion.)
Never interrupt others.
Respect views of others. Respectfully critique views of others.
Avoid digression. Stay on topic.
Thursday January 27: Safety-critical
software, part 1.
Due (1point): http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/HomeworkTwoSpring2005.htm
Definitions of “safety-critical system” –
http://dict.die.net/safety-critical%20system/
http://searchbox.hyperdictionary.com/dictionary/safety-critical+system
http://www.cs.virginia.edu/~jck/publications/knight.state.of.the.art.summary.pdf
Tuesday, February 1: Safety-critical
software, part 2 – “star wars” case study. (essay 1 due)
http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/EssayOneSpring2005.htm
handout: http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/PlagiarismDiscussion.pdf
handout: http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/WritingTips.pdf
Thursday February 3: Safety-critical
software, part 3 – “star wars” case study.
Tuesday, February 8: Safety-critical
software, part 4 – “star wars” case study.
Due (2 points): http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/HomeworkThreeSpring2005.htm
Thursday February 10: Safety-critical
software, part 5 – “star wars” case study.
Due (2 points): http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/HomeworkFourSpring2005.htm
“Frigate on the rocks” article (related to
safety-critical systems):
http://www.news.com.au/story/0,10117,12204297-26618,00.html
Tuesday, February 15: Whistle-blowing,
False Claims Act.
Due (2 points): http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/HomeworkFiveSpring2005.htm
There is no kind of dishonesty into
which otherwise good people more easily and frequently fall than that of
defrauding the government. Benjamin Franklin
Thursday February 17: E-voting, False
Claims Act.
“Diebold knew of
legal risks.” http://www.oaklandtribune.com/Stories/0,1413,82~1865~2095811,00.html
(for more
details, see documents available through links at the end of the above article)
“Judge …”: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/news/archive/2004/02/18/state1839EST0155.DTL
Anti-Diebold
“activist” John March’s web site: http://www.equalccw.com/voteprar.html
Tuesday, February 22: Criteria for
evaluation of system test plans. (essay 2 due)
http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/EssayTwoSpring2005.htm
Recent news item: http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/02/14/missile.defense.ap/index.html
IEEE-CS/ACM Software Engineering Code of
Ethics: http://www.computer.org/tab/seprof/code.htm
Thursday February 24: Privacy / speech
issues, “Harvard dean’s pc” case.
Tuesday, March 1: Free speech in
cyberspace, analysis of Supreme Court decision.
Due (2 points): http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/HomeworkSixSpring2005.htm
Supreme Court ruling on CPPA: http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/CPPA_SC.pdf
Background (long): http://www.law.indiana.edu/fclj/pubs/v55/no1/mota.pdf
Background (shorter): http://www.firstamendmentcenter.org/faclibrary/casesummary.aspx?case=Ashcroft_v_Free_Speech_Coalition
Thursday March 3: Free speech in
cyberspace, “hate speech.”
Tuesday, March 8 and Thursday March 10:
spring break.
Tuesday, March 15: Guest speaker,
Professor Harry Plantinga, on AI and human image.
Due (2 points): http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/HomeworkSevenSpring2005.htm
Background
(physical symbol system hypothesis, materialism, …): http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~cfs/472_html/AI_SEARCH/PSS/PSSH4.html
http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/10041b.htm
http://www.kheper.net/topics/worldviews/materialism.htm
Thursday March 17: Guest speaker, Professor Chuck Huff, on “Good
Computing.”
Tuesday, March 22: Moral decision-making.
Due (2 points): http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/HomeworkEightSpring2005.htm
Thursday March 24: Intellectual property.
UC memo on software piracy: http://www.icompass.ucla.edu/news/software_piracy.htm
SIIA site model software policy: http://www.siia.net/piracy/pubs/CorporateUserPolicies.pdf
SIIA site copyright glossary: http://www.siia.net/piracy/pubs/CopyrightGlossary.pdf
Tuesday, March 29: Software liability issues.
Thursday March 31: Guest speaker – Professor Pat Flynn on
“digital democracy.”
Tuesday, April 5: AI and perspectives
on human image.
Thursday April 7: Essay 3 Due.
http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/TermTopics.htm
Tuesday, April 12: Presentations.
Topic One (April 12) – The
“CONFIRM” System:
http://www.economist.com/business/displayStory.cfm?story_id=3423238
http://sunset.usc.edu/publications/TECHRPTS/1999/usccse99-523/usccse99-523.pdf
http://sunset.usc.edu/classes/cs510_2003/notes/confirm.pdf
http://www.personal.psu.edu/faculty/e/x/exo4/JBE2001.pdf
Topic Two (April 12) – The FBI Software System: Moiani,
http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/
2005-01-13-fbi-usat_x.htm
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A9063-2005Jan14.html
http://www.fbi.gov/congress/congress02/jordan041702.htm
http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/Maderak.ppt
http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/Willoughby.ppt
Thursday April 14: Presentations.
Topic Three (April 14) –
The “UCITA” Case History: Nyerges, Heilman, Petrella.
http://www.ucita.com/
http://iwsun4.infoworld.com/articles/op/xml/01/07/02/010702opfoster.html
http://www.ala.org/ala/washoff/WOissues/copyrightb/ucita/ucita.htm
http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/Nyerges.ppt
Topic Four (April 14) – The Therac-25 Software
Failure: Raeder, Kilway, Ivers.
http://sunnyday.mit.edu/therac-25.html
http://neptune.netcomp.monash.edu.au/cpe9001/assets/readings/www_uguelph_ca_~tgallagh_~tgallagh.html
http://www.cis.ksu.edu/~howell/492s03/MedicalDeviceSafety.pdf
http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/Ivers_Therac25.ppt
http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/Kilway.ppt
http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/Raeder.ppt
Tuesday, April 19: Presentations.
Topic Five (April 19) – The
“Digital Divide” Controversy: Callan, Pruchnik, Leimkuehler.
http://www.pbs.org/digitaldivide/
http://www.ntia.doc.gov/ntiahome/digitaldivide/
http://www.gatesfoundation.org/nr/Downloads/libraries/uslibraries/reports/TowardEqualityofAccess.pdf
http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/Leimkuehler.ppt
Topic Six (April 19) – The
“Nuremburg Files” Web Site: Wenger, Crocker,
http://www.christiangallery.com/atrocity/
http://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2001/113/42.0.html
http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/945898585?ltl=1111000119
http://www.gigalaw.com/articles/2000-all/morris-2000-02-all.html
http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/Crocker.pdf
http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/Fontana.ppt
http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/Wenger.pdf
Thursday April 21: Presentations.
Topic Seven (April 21) – Acacia Patent Controversy:
Garcia, Samaras, Schneider, Sheehan.
http://www.eff.org/patent/wanted/patent.php?p=acacia
http://www.technologymarketing.com/mc/content/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1899661
http://www.streamingmedia.com/patent/
http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/Schneider.ppt
Topic Eight (April 21) –
The Class Action Suit Against Viisage:
Steinhaeuser, Coulter, Gallop.
http://finance.lycos.com/qc/news/story.aspx?symbols=NASDAQ:VISG&story=200503112232_PZN_74328
http://eyewitnessnewstv.com/Global/story.asp?S=3055421
http://www.viisage.com/ww/en/pub/home.cfm
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2005/Mar/1124447.htm
http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/Steinhaeuser.pdf
Tuesday, April
26: Presentations.
Due (2 points): http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/HomeworkNineSpring2005.htm
Topic Nine (April 26) – The
Lexis-Nexis Security Breach: Smith, Sprigg, Shewakramani.
http://www.consumersunion.org/pub/core_financial_services/002053.html
http://www.infoworld.com/article/05/03/09/HNlexinnexisbreach_1.html
http://www.lexisnexis.com/about/releases/0779.asp
http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/Shewakramani.ppt
Topic Ten (April 26) – The ChoicePoint Security Breach: McRoskey,
Malik, McNamara.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4507687
http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/CPResponse.htm
http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/news/world/11142923.htm
http://www.azcentral.com/business/articles/0315choicepoint15-ON.html
Backup Topic: Employee use of company computing resources.
http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/management/2005-03-11-email-usat_x.htm?csp=34
http://www.itsecurity.com/soapbox/corbelli1.htm
http://blog.informationweek.com/001188.html
http://www.cotse.net/privacy/workplace.htm
Example Final Exam Questions: Wednesday, May 4,
Example Questions: http://www.cse.nd.edu/courses/cse475/www/ExampleExamQuestions.htm