Ethics PreFi Flashcards
is a branch of ethics that focuses on the moral principles governing collective human behavior within groups, institutions, policies, and systems that structure and govern society.
Social and Political ethics
It evaluates the fairness, justice, and moral responsibilities of these elements in shaping society and the lives of individuals.
Social and Political ethics
is the principle of fairness, equality, and moral rightness in the treatment of individuals and the distribution of resources, rights, and duties within a society.
Justice
It is a foundational concept in legal, political, and ethical systems that seeks to ensure that individuals are treated with fairness, given what they are due, and protected from harm or discrimination.
Justice
ROLES OF JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS
- Foundations of Political Legitimacy
- Social Contract and Civic Duty
- Equality and Rights
- Conflict Resolution and Social Harmony
- Global Justice and Fairness
- Social Justice Movements
- Legitimacy: A government perceived as just gains public support, while unjust systems face unrest.
- ____: Fair distribution of resources and opportunities is essential for stability.
-Rule of Law: Consistent and fair application of laws ensures procedural justice.
Foundations of Political Legitimacy
- Distributive Justice
-Political Authority: __ theories emphasize justice as a foundation for legitimate governance.
-Fair Representation: Democratic systems require equal participation; unfair practices undermine trust.
-Social Obligations: Justice involves individuals respecting others’ rights and fulfilling civic duties.
Social Contract and Civic Duty
_ Social contract
-Equal Treatment: Justice demands equality, rejecting discriminatory policies.
-____: Addressing economic inequalities through progressive policies enhances fairness.
Equality and Rights
- Redistributive Justice
-___: Focuses on repairing harm rather than punishment, fostering community reconciliation.
-Fair Decision-Making: Inclusive processes build trust and prevent division.
Conflict Resolution and Social Harmony
Restorative Justice
-Global Inequality: Disparities in wealth and resources call for fairer international policies.
-Human Rights: Protecting universal rights is essential for global justice.
Global Justice and Fairness
-___: Advocates seek to address systemic inequalities and promote fair wealth distribution.
-___: Ensures vulnerable communities are not disproportionately harmed by environmental issues.
Social Justice Movements
-Economic Justice
-Environmental Justice
___, such as utilitarianism, deontological ethics, and virtue ethics, offer systematic ways to evaluate moral actions and decisions. They provide guidelines on what is considered right or wrong, influencing
legal and social norms.
Ethical Theories
___ are moral entitlements inherent to all individuals, emphasizing dignity, freedom, and equality. They serve as a universal standard that protects individuals from abuses and ensures their participation in society.
Human rights
- ____: ____ inform the creation of laws that protect human rights, such as freedom of speech and due process.
Influencing Laws: Ethical theories
- ___: ___helps shape policies that maximize overall well-being while respecting individual rights.
- Balancing Interests: Utilitarianism
- ___: __ emphasize the duty to uphold and protect human rights, ensuring fair treatment for all.
- Moral Obligations: Ethical theories
- ___: ___ leverage ethical principles to combat discrimination and promote equality.
- Advocacy for Rights: Social movements
THEORIES OF JUSTICE AND FAIRNESS
- John Rawl’s Theory of Justice
- Robert Nozick’s Libertarian View
- Egalitarian Vs. Libertarian Approaches To Justice
- Amartya Sen’s Capabilities Approach
Developed his theory in his seminal work, A _ (1971), which revolves around the idea that justice should be grounded in fairness.
John Rawl’s Theory of Justice
_ emphasizes the importance of societal structures and how they should be designed to ensure fair treatment for all citizens.
John Rawl’s Theory of Justice
the 2 Main Principles Of Justice
The Liberty Principle
The Difference Principle
Every person has an equal right to a set of basic liberties that are compatible with similar liberties for others. These basic rights include freedom of speech, conscience, personal property, and the right to vote.
- The Liberty Principle
- _____: Social and economic inequalities can exist but must be arranged so that they benefit the least advantaged in society.
- The Difference Principle
_ introduces a thought experiment called the “___,” where individuals imagine themselves in a hypothetical original position behind this veil.
- Here, they do not know their own social status, wealth, abilities, or characteristics.
Veil of Ignorance
- This _ forces them to choose principles of justice impartially, as they have no personal bias.
ignorance
- The _ ensures that people design fair societal rules, knowing they could end up in any position within society.
veil
In his work Anarchy, State, and Utopia (1974), _ critiques Rawls’ idea of redistributive justice.
Robert Nozick’s Libertarian View
__ argues that the primary concern of justice is the protection of individual rights, particularly property rights, and that justice should be about how individuals acquire and transfer resources rather than how they are distributed by the state.
Robert Nozick
How people first come to own property or resources (e.g., through their labor or appropriation of
unowned resources).
- Justice in Acquisition
How people exchange or transfer property voluntarily (e.g., trade, gift-giving).
- Justice in Transfer
Property Rights and Entitlement Theory
- Justice in Acquisition
- Justice in Transfer
- Rectification of Injustice
How to correct past injustices in acquisition or transfer (e.g., returning stolen property).
- Rectification of Injustice
__ argue that justice requires equality.
- Everyone should have access to the same level of resources and opportunities, and any social inequalities must be eliminated or reduced.
- ___ often involve redistributive measures like progressive taxation and universal welfare systems to ensure a more equal society.
Egalitarian Views on Justice
Egalitarians
Egalitarian policies
- Emphasize individual freedom over enforced equality.
- For ___, forced redistribution (e.g., through taxes) is an infringement on personal liberty.
- Justice is about protecting individuals’ rights to acquire and retain property, not ensuring everyone has equal resources.
Libertarian Views on Justice
libertarians
_ critiques traditional resource-based theories of justice (like Rawls) and argues that justice should be about enhancing people’s capabilities, i.e., what they are actually able to do or be.
- In his view, justice is not simply about distributing resources but about expanding the real opportunities available to individuals.
Amartya Sen’s Capabilities Approach
Amartya Sen
- Capabilities: These include basic needs like health and education, but also the ability to participate in society and pursue personal goals.
- __ emphasizes the importance of individual agency, arguing that people should have the freedom to choose the kind of life they want to lead.
- Simply providing resources without ensuring people can use them effectively does not lead to justice.
Sen
Everyone has the same chances to succeed.
Equality of opportunity
Ensuring everyone achieves similar results, no matter their starting point.
Equality of outcome
examines how resources such as wealth, healthcare, and education are allocated in society.
Distributive Justice
emphasize equality of outcome through extensive social welfare programs. They use high taxes on the wealthy to fund universal healthcare, free education, and other public services. These systems aim to reduce income inequality and provide a safety net for all citizens.
Scandinavian Welfare States
emphasizes personal freedom and equality of opportunity, with a more market-driven approach to resource allocation. This results in greater income inequality and a focus on individual responsibility. Programs like Medicaid and food stamps exist, but they are less comprehensive than in Scandinavian countries.
United States
Punitive Justice (Criminal Justice System)
2 MAIN CONCEPT:
- Retributive Justice
- Restorative Justice
- encompasses the mechanisms through which society responds to wrongdoing.
- It generally includes two main concepts: retributive justice and restorative justice.
Punitive justice
- This approach emphasizes punishment for wrongdoing, based on the idea that offenders deserve to be punished for their actions.
- The focus is on ensuring that the punishment is proportionate to the crime.
- Critics argue that this system can lead to mass incarceration and does not address the root causes of criminal behavior.
Retributive Justice
- seeks to repair the harm done by crime through reconciliation between the offender, the victim, and the community.
- This approach focuses on healing and making amends rather than simply punishing the offender.
- Restorative justice practices can include victim-offender mediation, community service, and restorative circles..
Restorative Justice
Philosophical Foundations
1.Natural Rights
2.Legal Rights
Philosophers like __ and __ argue that human rights are inherent and not granted by any authority.
Natural Rights
John Locke and Jean-Jacques Rousseau
are universal and stem from human nature itself, emphasizing the rights to life, liberty, and property.
- Locke’s view on the social contract posits that governments must protect these natural rights; failure to do so justifies rebellion.
Natural Rights
- are those granted and protected by laws.
- They can vary significantly across different jurisdictions and are often codified in statutes and constitutions.
Legal Rights
Distinction Between Rights
1.Negative Rights
2.Positive Rights
- These rights require others (typically the state) to abstain from interfering with individual actions (e.g., the right to free speech, right to privacy).
Negative Rights
They emphasize freedom from interference and are often associated with civil and political liberties.
Negative Rights
These rights entail obligations on others (especially the state) to provide certain benefits or resources (e.g., the right to education, healthcare, and social security).
Positive Rights
- Adopted by the United Nations General Assembly in 1948, the _ was a response to the atrocities of World War II and aimed to establish a common standard for all nations regarding human rights.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
They focus on ensuring individuals have the means to live with dignity.
Positive Rights
- It represents a global consensus on the basic rights and freedoms to which all individuals are entitled.
Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR)
- ___: Articles __ address the rights to work, to just and favorable conditions of work, and
the right to education.
Right to Work and Education
23–26
- ___: Articles ___ emphasize the inherent dignity of every person and the protection of their life and freedom from torture or degrading treatment.
Right to Life, Liberty, and Security
3-5
- ___: Articles _ highlight the importance of individual expression, belief, and opinion.
Freedom of Thought and Expression
18–19
- Application of scientific knowledge.
- Designed for practical purposes.
Includes tools, machines, and systems. - Aims to solve problems or improve processes.
- Examples: Computers, smartphones, medical devices
Technology
- Invention: Developed by __ in the 15th century.
- Impact: Revolutionized information access and dissemination.
- Features: Enabled mass production of books and documents.
- Effect: Drastically increased literacy rates and educational opportunities.
Ethical Implications:
== Increased Access
== Effects on Literacy
== Control and Censorship
== Information Spread.
Printing Press
Johannes Gutenberg
- Invention: Evolved from __ in the 1960s to global network.
- Transformation: Revolutionized communication, commerce, and information sharing.
- Features: Instant access to vast amounts of data, global connectivity.
- Impact: Facilitated social networking, e-commerce, and remote work.
Ethical Implications:
== Data Privacy
== Information Dissemination
== Digital Footprint
== Surveillance
Development of the Internet
ARPANET
Ethical Considerations In Modern Technology
- Privacy – Data Collection
- Cambridge Analytica Scandal
- Artificial Intelligence
- Deep Fakes
- AI Generated Art and Music
- Over-Automation
- Privacy and GPS
- Surveillance – Government and Corporate
- Unauthorized access to Facebook user data.
- Personal data of millions harvested without consent.
- Data was used for targeted political advertising.
- Raised global awareness about data privacy issues.
Cambridge Analytica Scandal
How Companies Collect Personal Data:
* __: Online forms, cookies, tracking apps, social media.
* __: Purchase history, browsing behavior, location data.
– Data Security
– User Consent
– Data Ownership
Privacy – Data Collection
Methods
Sources
____
* AI systems can reflect human biases.
* Biases in training data can perpetuate or amplify existing inequalities.
* Examples: Discriminatory hiring practices, biased law enforcement algorithms.
Artificial Intelligence - Issues
== Algorithmic Fairness
== Transparency
== Accountability
Artificial Intelligence
AI and Bias
- Context: Use of AI for resume screening and candidate selection.
- Technology: Algorithms analyze resumes and predict job fit.
- Issue: Potential for reinforcing existing biases.
== Bias in Algorithms
== Impact on Job Applicants
== Mitigation Strategies
AI in Hiring Process
- Definition: Synthetic media generated using AI techniques.
- Technology: Deep learning algorithms create convincing audio and video.
- Applications: Used for entertainment, satire, but also for deception.
__ - Issues::
= Misinformation:
* Spread of False Information
* Impact
= Consent:
* Unauthorized Use
* Privacy Violations
= Potential for Abuse:
* Fraud
* Manipulation
= Mitigation Strategies:
* Detection
* Regulation
Deep Fakes
- Technology: Machine learning models generate visual art, compositions, and designs.
- Applications: Used in various fields from entertainment to advertising.
__ - Issues:
= Ownership
= Originality
= Creator Rights
= Regulatory Considerations
AI Generated Art and Music
- Definition: Over-reliance on automated systems and technologies to perform tasks.
- Scope: Includes manufacturing, customer service, and decision-making processes.
___ - Issues:
= Impact on Jobs
=Impact on Decision-Making
=Mitigation Strategies
Over-Automation
___
Use of __
* Function: __ technology tracks real-time location through satellites.
* Applications: Navigation, location-based services, and emergency response.
* Devices: Smartphones, wearable tech, and vehicles.
___ - Issues:
= Constant Tracking
= Privacy Concerns
Privacy and GPS
GPS Data
GPS
_______
* Security Needs: Surveillance for national security, crime prevention.
* Individual Freedoms: Privacy rights and personal autonomy.
= Government Surveillance
* Scope
* Concerns
* Regulations
= Corporate Surveillance
* Scope
* Concerns
* Transparency
= Impact on Privacy
* Chilling Effect
* Data Security
Surveillance – Government and
Corporate
- System: A nationwide surveillance and rating system.
- Technology: Uses data from social media, financial records, and public behavior.
- Purpose: Assigns scores based on individuals’ behavior and compliance with regulations.
= Implications for Privacy
* Surveillance
* Data Collection
* Privacy Concerns
= Implications for Social Control
* Behavioral Influence
* Penalties and Rewards
* Social Manipulation
China’s Social Credit System
- Purpose: Preventing threats, crime, and terrorism.
- Tools: CCTV, data monitoring, and intelligence gathering.
- Concerns: Potential overreach and infringement on civil liberties.
Surveillance for Security
- Rights: Protection of personal information and freedom from unwarranted intrusion.
- Impact: How extensive surveillance can lead to a loss of privacy and autonomy.
- Balance: Finding a middle ground between necessary security measures and privacy protection.
Privacy vs. Security – Challenges
= Effectiveness vs. Intrusiveness
* Security Measures
* Privacy Preservation
= Regulatory and Ethical Considerations
* Legal Frameworks
* Ethical Guidelines
Individual Privacy
Crimes Committed via Digital Means
* Definition: Criminal activities carried out using computers and the internet.
* Types: Hacking, identity theft, online fraud, cyberstalking.
* Methods: Exploiting vulnerabilities, phishing, malware.
__ - Issues
= Impact on Society
* Financial Losses
* Privacy Violations
* Psychological Harm
== Role of Technology in Crime
* __: Technology enables and amplifies cybercriminal activities.
* ___: Development of security measures to combat cyber threats.
* ___: Balancing security measures with privacy and civil liberties.
= Prevention and Response
* Education
* Legislation
* Technology
Cybercriminality
* Facilitator
* Countermeasures
* Ethical Dilemmas
- Definition: Disparity in access to digital technologies and internet connectivity.
- Factors: Geographic location, socioeconomic status, education level.
- Consequences: Unequal opportunities and resources.
___ - Issues
= Equity in Technology Access
= Impact on Education
= Impact on Opportunity
= Addressing the Divide
* Policy Initiatives
* Community Programs
Digital Divide
- Definition: Approach to managing risks where scientific evidence is lacking or uncertain.
- Principle: If an action or policy has the potential to cause harm to the public or environment, in the absence of scientific consensus, the burden of proof falls on those advocating for the action.
__ - Application:
= Emerging Technologies
* Examples: Genetic Engineering, AI, Climate Engineering
___ - Benefits
* Protects Public Health
* Preserves Environmental Integrity
* Promotes Responsible Innovation
Precautionary Principle
- Definition: Use of technologies to enhance physical, cognitive, or emotional abilities.
- Types: Genetic modification, prosthetics, cognitive enhancers.
- Goal: Improving quality of life, extending lifespan, and increasing overall capabilities.
___ - Issues
= Equity
= Fairness
Human Enhancements
Ethical Theories and Technology
- Utilitarianism
- Deontological Ethics
- Virtue Ethics
Utilitarianism
- Tech Dilemmas: Ensuring technologies respect individual rights and ethical rules.
Examples:
* Privacy concerns in data collection and ensuring data protection according to established rules.
* Regulations requiring companies to obtain explicit consent before collecting personal data.
Deontological Ethics
- Tech Dilemmas: Focusing on the character and intentions of those developing and implementing technologies.
Examples:
* Ethical behavior in tech development, like honesty in AI algorithms and transparency in tech companies.
* Tech companies fostering a culture of integrity and responsibility in AI development.
Virtue Ethics
