Ethics in abstract disciplines (was: Making a better textbook (was Re: The Deitel book))

[Alan Kennedy]

Cameron Laird wrote:

> I don't understand this description.  It
> certainly interests me, though.  I take
> it that "CS" here means the kind of soft-
> ware engineering and technology that's
> typicall taught in college.  And you're
> seriously saying that sections on ethics
> appeared in half of your classes?  Can
> you give a few examples of such content?

When I was studying for Computer Science degree, in each of the 4 years
we had a term (semester) of ethics classes, 1 hour per week. These were
usually given by the same lecturers who gave courses in more technical
Comp Sci matters.

The one that really sticks out in my mind is the following question that
was posed to us in 2nd year (age ~20).

We were asked to imagine ourselves as being asked to perform a
particular task, and to state what would be our course of action in that
situation. We were to select a single answer from a choice of four:-

1. Carry out the task without complaint.
2. Carry out the task under protest.
3. Resign
4. Resign and form a protest group.

We were posed the following scenario: "You are asked to develop a
software simulation of the spread of a chemical warfare agent. The
purpose of the simulation is to maximise the death toll from the use of
that agent".

Not surprisingly, there were very few people who were willing to carry
out the task, and I think those that said they would were saying so more
to play Devil's Advocate than anything else.

But there was one surprising outcome: When asked about developing the
simulation in relation a Russian City (this was before the Berlin Wall
came down), the majority in the class chose option 3: Resign. When asked
about developing the situation in relation to a French City, the
majority of the class selected option 4: Resign and form a protest
group.

I am very glad that I had the opportunity to confront and consider such
important questions in a situation where there were no real ethical or
financial considerations. The debate much clarified my thoughts in
relation to not just the ethics of computer science, but also the
unthinking racism that is often present in otherwise well-balanced
individuals.

> I know of abundant ethical questions spe-
> cific to mathematicians.  I can supply
> plenty of examples of "fudged mathematical
> model[s]", if that'll help.

I think the above question about chemical warfare simulations applies
equally to mathematics: obviously there would be a large mathematical
and statistical input into such simulations.

These days, is there such a thing as a mathematics course that doesn't
involve extensive exposure to Computer Science?

regards,

-- 
alan kennedy
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