The Third Asia-Pacific Computing and Philosophy Conference November 2-4, 2007 Chulanlongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

Intercultural Information Ethics: Foundations and Applications Rafael Capurro Rafael Capurro Stuttgart Media University Germany

R. Capurro: IIE 3 Overview  Defining the Field  Origins  Recent Publications  The Foundational Debate  The Impact of ICT on Local Cultures  Special Issues  Conclusion

R. Capurro: IIE 4 Defining the Field Defining the Field  IIE in a narrow sense: deals with the impact of ICT on different cultures as well as on how specific ethical ICT issues are understood from different cultural traditions

R. Capurro: IIE 5 Defining the Field  IIE in a broad sense: deals with ethical questions raised by other (than digital) information and communication media allowing a large historical cross-media comparative view.

R. Capurro: IIE 6 Defining the Field  IIE explores these issues under descriptive and normative perspectives.  Comparative studies can be done at a concrete or ontic level or at the level of ontological or structural presuppositions.

R. Capurro: IIE 7 Origins  The international debate: UNESCO First International Congress on Ethical Legal, and Societal Aspects of Digital Information, Principality of Monaco 1997 (and subsequent conferences)UNESCO First International Congress on Ethical Legal, and Societal Aspects of Digital Information, Principality of Monaco 1997 (and subsequent conferences) WSIS (Tunisia 2003, Geneva 2005)WSIS (Tunisia 2003, Geneva 2005)

R. Capurro: IIE 8 Origins  The academic debate: CATaC Conferences organized by Charles Ess and Fay Sudweeks since 1998CATaC Conferences organized by Charles Ess and Fay Sudweeks since 1998 ETHICOMP Conferences organized by Simon Rogerson since 1995ETHICOMP Conferences organized by Simon Rogerson since 1995 CEPE conferences (since 1997)CEPE conferences (since 1997) ICIE Conference 2004: the first international conference addressing explicitly information ethics from an intercultural perspectiveICIE Conference 2004: the first international conference addressing explicitly information ethics from an intercultural perspective Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics: international conference 2005Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics: international conference 2005

R. Capurro: IIE 9 Recent Publications  Soraj Hongladarom & Charles Ess (Eds.), „Information Technology Ethics Cultural Perspectives“ (2007)  Rafael Capurro, Johannes Frühbauer, Thomas Hausmanninger (Eds.), „Localizing the Internet: ethical aspects in intercultural perspective“ (2007)

R. Capurro: IIE 10 The Foundational Debate  Charles Ess‘ „global information ethics“: avoiding imperialistic homogenization which preserving the irreducible differences between cultures and peopleavoiding imperialistic homogenization which preserving the irreducible differences between cultures and people Western Ethics and Confucian thought: „resonance“ and „harmony“Western Ethics and Confucian thought: „resonance“ and „harmony“ „pros hen“ robust pluralism„pros hen“ robust pluralism Between irreducibility and complementarityBetween irreducibility and complementarity

R. Capurro: IIE 11 The Foundational Debate  Toru Nishigaki: The Western idea of a „coherent self“ and the Buddhist questionning of this idea.The Western idea of a „coherent self“ and the Buddhist questionning of this idea. The Western search for universal values and the „doing away of conventional or universal interpretations of the meanings of words“ in ZEN.The Western search for universal values and the „doing away of conventional or universal interpretations of the meanings of words“ in ZEN. Cognition as representation vs. „enactment“ of the history of actions of a subject in the worldCognition as representation vs. „enactment“ of the history of actions of a subject in the world Ethics as observer-dependent reflection on moral norms („fundamental informatics“).Ethics as observer-dependent reflection on moral norms („fundamental informatics“).

R. Capurro: IIE 12 The Foundational Debate  Terrell Ward Bynum: „flourishing ethics“„flourishing ethics“ Basic principles: freedom, equality and benevolence, minimum infringement of freedom.Basic principles: freedom, equality and benevolence, minimum infringement of freedom. Maximize the opportunities of all humans to exercise their autonomy.Maximize the opportunities of all humans to exercise their autonomy. Different cultures „can provide a conductive context for human flourishing.“Different cultures „can provide a conductive context for human flourishing.“

R. Capurro: IIE 13 The Foundational Debate  Bernd Frohmann: „A philosophical ethos seeks contingencies and singularities rather than universal determinants, which block the aim of getting“ „free of oneself.“„A philosophical ethos seeks contingencies and singularities rather than universal determinants, which block the aim of getting“ „free of oneself.“ Aim of IIE:careful situational analysis and critical appraisal on the way(s) computers control societies.Aim of IIE:careful situational analysis and critical appraisal on the way(s) computers control societies. Develop strategies to become „digitally imperceptible“.Develop strategies to become „digitally imperceptible“.

R. Capurro: IIE 14 The Foundational Debate  Rafael Capurro: IIE between mono- and meta-cultural ethical claims: intertwining „thick“ and „thin“ ethical arguments (Michael Walzer)IIE between mono- and meta-cultural ethical claims: intertwining „thick“ and „thin“ ethical arguments (Michael Walzer) „direct“ and „indirect speech“ in relation to information society„direct“ and „indirect speech“ in relation to information society „hothen“ („from“) approach: the question of the source(s) of ethical norms, particularly the experience(s) of the facticity of the world and human existence„hothen“ („from“) approach: the question of the source(s) of ethical norms, particularly the experience(s) of the facticity of the world and human existence

R. Capurro: IIE 15 The Impact of ICT on Local Cultures  Asia and the Pacific: Grodzinsky/Tavani: the danger of homogenizationGrodzinsky/Tavani: the danger of homogenization Nakada: Japanese three-fold „life world“: „Seken“ (trad. values), „Ikai“ (source of evil) and „Shakai“ (Western values) with regard to ICTNakada: Japanese three-fold „life world“: „Seken“ (trad. values), „Ikai“ (source of evil) and „Shakai“ (Western values) with regard to ICT Takenouchi: critique of „digital reductionism“Takenouchi: critique of „digital reductionism“ Nath: diversity of digital governanceNath: diversity of digital governance

R. Capurro: IIE 16 The Impact of ICT on Local Cultures  Latin America and the Caribbean Pimienta: new social movements based on the InternetPimienta: new social movements based on the Internet Figueroa: collective construction of identity in México:Figueroa: collective construction of identity in México:  Africa First Africa Information Ethics Conference (Pretoria, February 2007)First Africa Information Ethics Conference (Pretoria, February 2007)  Australia: Van der Velden: aboriginal databaseVan der Velden: aboriginal database

R. Capurro: IIE 17 Special Issues  Privacy: China: LÜ Yao-HuaiChina: LÜ Yao-Huai Thailand: Kitiyadisai, HongladaromThailand: Kitiyadisai, Hongladarom Japan and the West: Nakada/TamuraJapan and the West: Nakada/Tamura  Intellectual Property: Burk, Coy  Online Communities: Sützl  Governmentality: Elichirigoity  Gender Issues: Schinzel  Mobile Phones: Chokvasin  Health Care: Stahl, Rogerson  Digital Divide: Kvasny

R. Capurro: IIE 18 Conclusion  IIE is an emerging discipline.  The present debate shows a variety of foundational perspectives with a preference on the narrow view that focuses IIE on ICT.  Comparative studies with other media and epochs are not being considered so far.

R. Capurro: IIE 19 Conclusion  A lot of cultures have not been analized.  I plea for an enlargement of the historical and geographical scope of IIE.  The present debate emphazises the question of privacy but new issues are arising.

R. Capurro: IIE 20 Conclusion  We should deepen the foundational debate on the sources of morality from an IIE perspective.  Ethics understood as the „problematization“ of morality (M. Foucault): this concerns the ontological or structural as well as the ontic or empirical level.

R. Capurro: IIE 21 Conclusion  One important issue in this regard is the question of the universality of values vs. the locality of cultures and vice versa  which is related to the problem of homogenization and hybridization (or „thermocline“) of information cultures and cultural approches to IE.

R. Capurro: IIE 22

R. Capurro: IIE 23 Thanks for your attention! Yong-Seak Oh (Korea): Drama No (Video)