The Handbook of Information and Computer Ethics

Book Review Chapter 4:

Value Sensitive Designs and Information Systems: BATYA FRIEDMAN, PETER H. KAHN JR., and ALAN BORNING

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:  “There is a growing interest and challenge to address values in design”

    It means that there are more people who want to make ethics deeper that it already is, at least for me. It seems that philosophers want more deeper ethics, which is because I think they haven’t found the right one yet or they want something more.

Learning Expectation:

    I expect to learn more about designs in which has value and also value designs in which are applicable to me. In addition, I would like to learn the purpose of this so-called Value Sensitive Design. Is it sensitive? I guess I’ll find out in just a couple of minutes. This is again the first time I have ever heard of such a thing so I really can’t say much but read.

Review:

    What Value Sensitive Design means or is is that these are designs for making a better ethic. I mean, if you were to create rules or ethics, most importantly, you would design it in such a way that it has value and it is sensitive to the people. Make sure that it makes sense and it will really do well. Creating a Value Sensitive Design is not that easy. There are a lot of measures that are taken place and using various theories, methodologies, and case studies to output a good Value Sensitive Design.  Value Sensitive Design is basically a theoretically grounded approach to the design of technology that accounts for human values in a principled manner all throughout.

What I’ve learned:

    I have learned what Value Sensitive Design means and how it relates or rather apply to Computer Ethics and also people. To add to that, I just learned that things just got even deeper as I read through the book, which is annoying because I am already having a hard time understanding some basic things and now things just got even deeper. Well, I guess I am still getting used to this book.

Questions:

1.    Why can’t there be just one general enough value to explain everything?

2.    Why give so much attention to computer ethics?

3.    Why can’t philosophers be contented with the ethics we have today?

4.    Why is there a need to expand and make ethics deeper in computers?

5.    Can’t philosophers just say the do’s and don’ts rather than making it complicated?

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