©2001 Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville All rights reserved.

Today• Professional Ethics• Case of the Killer Robot, pp. 13 – 40

Monday• More Case of the Killer Robot, pp. 41 – 72

CS 321 Human-Computer InteractionCS 321 Human-Computer Interaction

©2001 Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville All rights reserved.

What is Ethics?

The study of moral standards and how they affect conduct

What are moral standards?• A system of principles governing the appropriate

conduct of an individual

What are professional ethics?

©2001 Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville All rights reserved.

Why Study Professional Ethics?

Ethics asks us to live “mindfully”• What is living “mindfully”?

Avoid prejudice decisions• What is prejudice?

Avoid dogmatic decisions• What is dogmatic?

Avoid authority decisions• What is authority?

©2001 Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville All rights reserved.

Moral Behavior Have you made any ethical decisions as a student? What ethical decisions might you make as a computer

science professional?

©2001 Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville All rights reserved.

Case of the Killer RobotArticle: Silicon Valley Programmer Indicted for Manslaughter

FACT: Bart Mathews was killed while operating Robbie CX30

FACT: Randy Samuels wrote the code that caused the robot arm to move in an erratic manner

FACT: Randy Samuels misinterpreted a hand-written formula

©2001 Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville All rights reserved.

Case of the Killer RobotArticle: Silicon Valley Programmer Indicted for Manslaughter

Did Randy Samuels commit malpractice or negligence?• “ A careless programmer should be held accountable

for his or her errors just as someone who accidentally shoots someone else with a fire arm.”

Should there be mandatory certification or licensure for computer professionals?

©2001 Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville All rights reserved.

Case of the Killer RobotArticle: “Killer Robot” Developers Worked Under Enormous Stress

FACT: Ray Johnson, Division Chief, threatened to layoff the entire robotics division

FACT: Ray Johnson announced the “Ivory Snow Theory”

FACT: Anonymous source, “Martha”, leaks inside information to paper

©2001 Southern Illinois University, Edwardsville All rights reserved.

Case of the Killer RobotArticle: “Killer Robot” Developers Worked Under Enormous Stress

What are the ethical implications of Ray Johnson’s actions?

Is the “Ivory Snow Theory” valid under any circumstances?

Under what circumstances would you be a “whistle blower” like Martha?