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From: ACSJEC@SEMASSU.BITNET (Jim Cusson)
Newsgroups: comp.society
Subject: Re: Ethics in Computer Science
Message-ID: <444@limbo.Intuitive.Com>
Date: 22 Feb 90 19:10:15 GMT
Sender: taylor@limbo.Intuitive.Com
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Approved: taylor@Limbo.Intuitive.Com

It seems that everybody responding to this topic is overly concerned
with students cheating on programs.  While this is definitely an ethical
concern, I feel the main point is a bit broader.  Where is the student
exposed to the effects, or possible effects, his/her software may have?
How much thought is given to the idea of 'spitting out missile code', as
on professor here puts it?

And of course, there's always the effects of VIRUS's, especially on
systems that are vital to our well being.  What happens if the hospital
database gets infected, and the fact that the patient is allergic to
penicillin is no longer evident?  If that patient gets treated with
penicillin it could have disasterous effects.  And what about TRW's
credit database?  What happens to our credit if this 'comprehensive
consumer credit' database gets infected and all the data is lost?  Or
how about the simple question of whether or not I should have access 
to the data they have on me.  Shouldn't I be able to tell them their
information is wrong?  The system probably isn't even set up for quick
and easy modifications.

However, maybe these question should be addressed to the ETHICS-L list
as suggested by Ken Mueller.  But the answers to these question have a
significant impact on society, and isn't that what *this* list is about
too?  It seems to me that the code we generate, or the systems we design
once we graduate can have a very large effect on society, and ethical
issues raised in this respect should be examined, discussed and students
exposed to them.

Jim Cusson