Computer Ethics assignment

“Look who’s Talking” (Rheingold)

Value of Community

 Sociologists see humans existing in and being influenced by vital social structures extending throughout the spectrum from small scale to large scale.

Family—Kin/Informal groups—Community—Formal organization—Society

Community as a crucial mid-level structure:

1.    not too insular and not too impersonal

2.    provides bridge between local and regional/national

3.    many communities entail some degree of heterogeneity, and serve as a crucible for living in a pluralist society-- give examples of each and how electronic media has changed them.

a.     age

b.    gender

c.     religion

d.    politics

Necessary elements in a community:

                   Members

                  Culture

                 Boundary

                 Power Mechanism

                 Commitment

               Trust

Virtual Community

 For sociologists three key questions regarding on-line or “virtual” communities as they relate to traditional communities:

1. Do members of on-line communities receive the same level of personal benefits?

• Deep or superficial relationships?

• Trust and reciprocity? 

2. Does devotion to on-line community (or on-line activities) diminish participation in traditional community?

• Bowling alone (Putnam)

• Diminishment of civic responsibility in a democracy (de Toqueville)

3.  Are on-line communities more homogenous and, if so, do they fail to promote the mechanisms and aptitudes necessary for promoting a pluralist society?

https://www.ted.com/talks/sherry_turkle_alone_together

Techno-selectivity

 Amish

1. The Amish community is against using new technology and devices for their own needs. Would you be able to last without having a cell phone, television, or computer at your disposal?

2. Amos is an Amish craftsman who gets his electricity from a generator or batteries. He claims that: “It’s a way on controlling our use of electricity. We try to restrict things that would lead to us losing that sense of being separate, to put the brakes on how fast we change.” Does he have a point? Should we try and limit our use of technology all together?

3. If we decided to put the community and society first, how would we use technology differently? Would technology have less of an impact than it does now?

Preserving community for the sake of community.

Techno-selectivity: A state of awareness for our times.  (Similar to food awareness, advertisement awareness.)

Technical communities:  What are the characteristics of each?  Which are the more enduring communities?

· Blogs

· Twitter

· Facebook

· Linked In

· SnapChat

· Instagram

· Massively multi player on line games :  World of Warcraft, Second Life

· Gold Farming and Economies   Tavani p. 348

Are these real communities according to our definition?  Do they exhibit these characteristics?

· Members: socialization of new members

· Culture:  shared beliefs and values

· Boundary:  allows some controlled movement between inside and out

· Power mechanism: to encourage conformity

· Commitment to the Community

· Trust