The Handbook of Information and Computer Ethics

Book Review Chapter 26:

The Digital Divide: A Perspective for the Future: MARIA CANELLOPOULOU-BOTTIS and KENNETH EINAR HIMMA

Library Reference: N/A

Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Handbook-Information-Computer-Ethics/dp/0471799599/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1232853902&sr=8-1

Quote:  “The global distribution of material resources should bother any conscientious person.”

    I think if everyone even thought of it, including the rich people, they’d be bothered by how this will be affecting not just their lives but as well as the whole world. Actions must be really done to rise from poverty and make this world a better place.

Learning Expectation:

    Based on the chapter itself, I am not really sure though what it means. But I think it has something to do with the division of things like material resources and other materials or things that has a lot to do with the outcome of business and our lives. So basically, what I want to learn is how this division of materials relates to ethics and computers.

Review:

    As you read through the introduction, it talks about the global distribution. Of course, this involves the global distribution of resource materials, and how it affects one’s life. Poverty has also been taken into discussion and as well as developing the world. It has been said that poverty is characteristically “absolute” in the sense that people do not have enough to consistently meet their basic needs. People who are in absolute poverty lack access to adequate nutrition, clean water, health care, and as well as face death in a variety of diseases that are easily cured in nations that have the money. Interestingly, it has also been discussed in this chapter the bidirectional relationship between absolute poverty and the digital information divides, which is actually our main topic for the chapter. So basically, this chapter talks all about the poverty in the world and how it relates to the digital information divides, which is the computers and ethics. And most importantly, how it will benefit the people in poverty, so that thy may rise from it and have a better world.

What I’ve learned:

    I have learned that it is not that easy to develop the world by raising poverty or eliminating poverty in the world. At the end of the chapter, it is very interesting to know that there are certain questions and only if we had answers to those questions, we will be arriving at equally persuasive conclusions on how to approach the problems of poverty to which the digital divide contributes.

Questions:

1.    Will the world ever rise from poverty?

2.    Who is responsible for this?

3.    Is the president or leaders even trying to find ways?

4.    Who can answer the questions?

5.    Should this be a crime?

Citation: (Kenneth Einar E. Himma & Herman T. Tavani, 2008)