26/11/2015
School of Computer Science
26 November, 2015
Professional Practice CMP2091M
A Warning
• I am purposefully provocative in these lectures
– I will argue with you just to be awkward
– I will attack you (and your beliefs) just to promote
discussion
– I will pick on ‘easy targets’ (watch out Games Students!)
– I may be controversial
– In many cases I will be expressing things in which I have
no personal belief whatsoever
– Your job is to critique what I say and contest my assumptions ACADEMICALLY!
www.lincoln.ac.uk
Morals
• What are morals?
• Where do they come from? • Are they universal?
• Do they change?
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26/11/2015
A simplistic view
• Morality
– What is your moral standpoint on:
• Murder
• Abortion
• Animal experimentation • Homosexuality
www.lincoln.ac.uk
A simplistic view
• Shared (Societal) views
– What are the societal norms on these things
Murder
Abortion
Animal Experimentation Homosexuality
Different in Texas
Is not legal
Depends upon definition of animal Changed 5 times in my lifetime
1967 (2 men aged 21+)
1980 (decriminalised in Scotland) 1982 (decriminalised in NI)
2001 (age of consent)
2003 (more than two participants)
www.lincoln.ac.uk
Ethics & Morality
• Morality
– Judgements about what is right and what is wrong
– Largely insular – define your personal character
– Predominantly unchanging (at least in the short term)
www.lincoln.ac.uk
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26/11/2015
Ethics & Morality
• Ethics
– Reasoning behind those moral judgements
– A social (shared) system by which morals are applied
– Likely to change in context
www.lincoln.ac.uk
Next Week • Ethical Frameworks
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School of Computer Science 26 November, 2015
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