1. Travis Deyarmin Joe Kolenda

2. What We’ll Cover  Overview of Evaluating/Controlling Technology  Impact of Technology  Benefits of Technology  Case Study – Wikipedia

3. Information, Knowledge, Judgment  How do we know the information we’re reading is truthful?  Wikipedia Can we rely on accuracy?  Yahoo Answers Advertising Medical Information

4. Manipulation of Information  Should news organization be able to alter images to entice readers?  Viewers lose faith in media

5. Computer Models  Crash tests Save money Reliable?  Population  Climate  Political

6. Computers and Community  “Americans of all ages, all stations in life, and all types of dispositions are forever forming associations.” Alexis de Toqueville, 1800s  Do computers lead to antisocial individuals, or does the internet bring people together?

7. Wal-Mart Effect  E-commerce can result in lost jobs, kills small businesses  Also provides employment, cheap products Unforeseen consequences

8. The Digital Divide  Created feelings of inequality between poor and wealthy families Not everyone can afford technology  Divide closes as technology gets cheaper

9. Should everyone have free access?  Two philosophies Advocates of universal access see the internet positive right ○ The government is obligated to provide internet Businesses, ISPs, see access as a negative right ○ Violates their liberties by forcing them to provide access ○ It is their negative right to run the business freely

10. Impact of Computer Technology  Cyber crime If there were no computers, there would be no cyber crime  Social skills  Jobs

11. Neo-Luddites  Luddites – Philosophy of opposing modern technology  Criticisms Massive unemployment Create needs Social inequality Dehumanizing Benefit big business, big government Use in schools

12. Accomplishments of Technology  Worldwide Life-expectancy 1900: 30 years 2006: 64 years  Increased Crop Yield  Decreased price of natural resources

13. Making Decisions on Technology  “Prediction is difficult, especially about the future.”  “The telephone is so important, every city will need one!” – Anonymous

14. Making Decisions on Technology  “Prediction is difficult, especially about the future.”  “My personal desire would be to prohibit entirely the use of alternating currents. They are unnecessary as they are dangerous.” –Thomas Edison 1899

15. Making Decisions on Technology  “Prediction is difficult, especially about the future.”  “I think there is a world market for maybe five computers.” – Thomas Watson, IBM 1943

16. Making Decisions on Technology  “Prediction is difficult, especially about the future.”  “Computers in the future may…only weigh 1.5 tons” – Popular Mechanics, 1949

17. Making Decisions on Technology  “Prediction is difficult, especially about the future.”  “There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in their home.” – Ken Olson, 1977

18. Making Decisions on Technology  “Prediction is difficult, especially about the future.”  “The U.S. will have 220,000 computers by the year 2000.” –Official, RCA Corporation, 1966 (The actual number is close to 100 million)

19.  Is it ethical to create technology that could be used for good but has the potential for harm, or to not create it at all and possibly hinder technological advances in the future?  Technological Singularity Should we prevent or embrace?

20. Case Study  Wikipedia Non-profit Organization Operates on Donations  Expectation by community that donations are used responsibly

21. Background  September 2012  Wikipedia Trustee Roger Bamkin Accused of promoting articles for personal gain “Did You Know” page –Bamkin’s LinkedIn page stated he could turn a $81,150 investment into $3,250,000 through advertisements

22. Stake Holders?  Roger Bamkin  Jimmy Wales (Wikipedia Founder)  The Wikipedia community Editors Readers  Any individual with internet access

23. Who has rights?  Bamkin believed he had a negative right Liberty to freely update Wikipedia  Individuals have a positive right to information on Wikipedia Wikipedia is obligated to provide information in a balanced manor “Imagine a world in which every single human being can freely share in the sum of all knowledge. That's our commitment.” “such actions are not for personal gain (except for credit for your work)”

24. Where’s the Wrongdoing? Bamkin took $1.62 million investment from Gibraltar Main page receives 8 million views a day Bamkin made person gains form non-profit organization

25. Philosophical Perspectives  Consequentialism  Deontological  Epistemology  Analogical

26. Conclusion  Technology can be evaluated in different ways  Technology can be difficult to predict  Modern advancements benefit different groups  Wikipedia Scandal – Conflict of Interest

27. Sources  Baase, Sara, A Gift of Fire 3rd ed., Pearson Education, Inc. 2008, ISBN # 0136008488.  Blue, Violet. "Wikipedia Honcho Caught in Scandal Quits, Defends Paid Edits." CNET News. CBS Interactive, 22 Sept. 2012. Web.  "Wikipedia Brand Trust Erodes With PRikpedia, Gibraltarpedia Scandals." Brand Channel. Interbrand, 19 Sept. 2012. Web.