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School
Miami Dade College, Kendall *
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Course
3215
Subject
Philosophy
Date
Dec 6, 2023
Type
docx
Pages
2
Uploaded by DeanLeopardPerson1182
Do you agree with the philosophy of technological realism?
Yes. Technological realism admits that technology has reshaped our reality in the political and
social aspects; it accepts that technology has changed the way we see things, but we still have a
say, even if influenced by it.
Technological realism is a middle-ground view of how technology affects our lives. While we
have the freedom to choose whether we want to use technology, technology puts pressure on
our decisions. Technology is part of us now, everything we do involves technological devices
and/or actions. Our freedom is reduced by technology. Everyone carries a cellphone; most
everyone is involved in social media. Society has changed the way it approaches things
depending on technology. For instance, streaming services currently have outperformed cable
and broadcast TV, which did not happen before (npr.org). Society evolves and the way society
approaches things also changes depending on how society changes.
We can choose to implement things, but technology may shape our decisions. As technology
advances, people will adapt to those advances and our viewpoints will change, pushing
technological advancements even further.
Explain the basic elements of Lessig’s framework. What does he mean when he says that in
cyberspace "the code is the law?"
To understand the "code is the law", we must understand Lessig's framework. This framework is
made of four constraints that limit our behavior. These four constraints are law, norms, the
market, and architecture. Laws are imposed by the government and carry a penalty if not
obeyed. Norms are rules derived from the society or community where we are and, although
not enforced, not obeying them is frowned upon; the market regulates us by using prices. If we
want something, we must pay for it. Lastly, architecture, which refers to physical constraints
that are imposed by us (for instance, rooms without windows that we choose to enter).
In cyberspace, the same, or equivalent constraints regulate our behavior, law, norms, the
market, and code. Laws, such as those that regulate privacy or proprietary information, markets,
that could regulate how we interact in cyberspace (paid subscriptions, ads, etc.), norms, that
have to do with our behavior and what is accepted. Norms, in general, come from the society
we live in; while norms and customs depend of said society, norms in cyberspace transcend it.
An example is network etiquette and what is accepted; a person spamming in a social network
could be banned, no matter what country or society the person comes from. Lastly,
architecture. Architecture in cyberspace is made of programs, protocols, "code" that constraint
our activity.
"
Code is the law
" refers to the ways code can limit our access to perform certain activities. Code
creates a complete system of laws designed by the programmers. Code can be used to put
constraints and add a layer of checks to cyberspace. Programmers can affect our freedom in
cyberspace with the constraints created through their programs. Since Code can be a powerful
limiting force, more so than public law, some laws may be ignored in favor of obeying the
private code created and implemented by their programmers.
Explain and critically analyze the essentials of Kant’s moral theory.
Kant stated that "consequences of an action are morally irrelevant and that an action performed
from duty does not have its moral worth in the purpose which is to be achieved through it but
in the maxim by which it is determined."
I understand that to mean that actions have a moral worth when they are done out of a moral
duty and not because they are our duty/job. For example, as a programmer of information
security, I can create secure programs because that is my job. Creating secure programs is my
duty and therefore doing it has no value. On the other hand, if I knew I could install backdoors
in my programs, but nevertheless, I continue to secure the applications as I should, I am acting
because of a sense of duty, and according to Kant, this would have moral worth.
In your estimation, which of the moral frameworks presented in this chapter has the most
promise for dealing with the moral dilemmas that arise in cyberspace?
Utilitarianism because it emphasizes happiness and promotes general good as the foundation of
morality and the definition of right and wrong, which is a great framework to apply to
cyberspace. Utilitarianism shows that the moral end is a balance between good and evil, which
means a rule is right if it produces the best benefits. To me, this seems like the ideal when
focused on cyberspace. Trying to do good for most is a good policy.
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