Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!clyde.concordia.ca!uunet!munnari.oz.au!metro!grivel!gara!pmorriso
From: pmorriso@gara.une.oz.au (Perry Morrison MATH)
Newsgroups: comp.society.futures
Subject: Re: New Book in Computer Ethics
Keywords: Ethics, Professional Standards:
Message-ID: <3264@gara.une.oz.au>
Date: 20 Aug 90 01:05:07 GMT
References: <3217@gara.une.oz.au> <9008171738.AA01165@world.std.com> <1990Aug19.230355.22506@syd.dit.CSIRO.AU>
Reply-To: pmorriso@gara.UUCP (Perry Morrison MATH)
Organization: Uni. of New England, Armidale, NSW.
Lines: 38

In article <1990Aug19.230355.22506@syd.dit.CSIRO.AU> reynolds@syd.dit.CSIRO.AU (Chris.Reynolds) writes:

In relation to notice of publication of my book: Computer Ethics: Cautionary
Tales and Ethical Dilemmas in Computing (MIT Press and Basil Blackwell, 1990).

>I would have thought that any book on ethics should include a significant
>section on professional standards. The subject is almost totally absent,
>and never taken seriously.
>
>I consider the title of this book is so misleading as to be verging on
>the unethical.
>
>Chris Reynolds

Gee Chris, why are you so vindictive?

Perhaps I should explain to the net that Dr. Reynolds has already refused to
review our book for New Scientist, basically because he completely misreads
its aims and intentions. 

Our book is a sourcebook of casestudies and anecdotes to
stimulate classroom discussion. From bitter experience we have found that
you can cite professional standards and ethical theory until you are blue in
the face and CS undergrads simply go comatose. They need practical, real
and imagined situations that demonstrate the applicability of ethical thought.
Any good instructor should be able to build on that to include current versions
of professional standards.

We have already written to the editor of New Scientist to voice our concern over
Dr. Reynolds decision- especially when the book has received very good reviews 
and massive publicity to date. 

All I can say is that I'm perplexed by Dr. Reynold's need to continually
sabotage the success of our book. I understand that his prospects at an
Australian institution were recently thwarted and I can only surmise that 
this has something to do with it.

Perry Morrison