Ethics and ICT

A fascinating area, and one we are morally bound to explore, is the issue of ethics and ICT. As a forerunning academic, Krystyna Gorniak-Kocikowska argued, "the computer revolution has a global character and that Computer Ethics should be therefore a global ethics."

But given that even Australian states can't agree about something simple and practical such as a standard gauge for railway tracks (hence, a train cannot travel across the border from NSW to QLD or vice versa: the railway tracks are different distances apart), getting the world as a whole to agree on global ethics seems to be an optimistic but elusive dream. But that doesn't mean we should avoid the topic.

Start your exploration of the topic by reading and discussing Dr Gorniak-Kocikowska's paper "From Computer Ethics to the Ethics of Global ICT Society"

Dr Gorniak-Kocikowska makes some very strong arguments. But is it achievable? Read and discuss Professor Luciano Floridi's wonderfully strong social-justice commentary called "Information Ethics: An Environmental Approach to the Digital Divide". It's powerful stuff. (If you're interested in his views on business ethics and information ethics, with especial notice on the concept of 'profit', read this article.)

The excellent Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy has a good overview article on Computer and Information Ethics. If you're interested in delving deeper into various perspectives, I can recommend "Phenomenological Approaches to Ethics and Information Technology".

ICT: future developments

One of the developments in ICT that I have seen around me over the years is a shift from seeing ICT simply as a means of delivering pure text more efficiently ("books but better", "newpapers but better"), to the increased use of imagery ("photos, but then better") and now an emphasis on the use of sound. I wonder what the future will hold: which of the (intellectual) senses will ICT stimulate?

These thoughts were provoked by viewing (listening to!!) this excellent advertisement.

Sawasdee ka!

Sawasdee ka! I have arrived in Bangkok and very much look forward to meeting my Naresuan University cohort this evening.

Yesterday I went to visit my favourite temple in Bangkok, the wonderful Wat Po temple. Of course I paid my respects to the Reclining Buddha, and I admired the beautiful murals all around the walls. The beauty and the artistry is incredible.

“I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.”

--Thomas Watson, chairman of IBM, 1943.

It may sound ridiculous now, but the prediction was actually true for about ten years after it was made. Almost every forecaster would settle for a ten year limit on the testing of their forecasts. Of course, by the 1980s and the advent of the PC, such a statement looked plain daft.

Some example strategic ICT plans

Here are three strategic information technology plans, freely available on the web but collected here for your benefit:

University of Wollongong Information Technology Strategic Plan (6 pages)

Department of Immigration and Citizenship Information Communication Technology Strategic Plan 2009 - 2012 (16 pages)

NSW Health Information and Communication Technology Strategic Plan 2006 - 2011 (50 pages)

You can find many similarities between them, which indicate that those aspects are usually included in an ICT strategic plan. Each of them has strengths and weaknesses. Personally I'm disappointed at the lack of attention to Human Resources, development and training (humanware!!) in some of them but overall they're very good to look through to give you some ideas for your third assignment. You can also consider how they've approached structure and layout.