INFO1111 Chap.2 Ethical Theories for Computing Decisions
Ethical Theories for Computing Decisions
This chapter covers the ethical theories taught in Week 2 and shows how to use them in a written answer. It begins with the difference between morals, a personal internal compass, and ethics, the rules of conduct a social group accepts, and with the kinds of conflicts of interest professionals meet in every field.
It then compares teleological theories, which judge actions by outcomes, in their egoist and utilitarian forms; deontological theories, which judge by duty, including Ross's seven prima facie duties; contractarianism, which asks what rules people would agree to for living together fairly; and ethical pluralism, which accepts that several values may matter at once.
The chapter finishes by applying all four lenses to one dilemma about a cheaper solution an employer wants hidden, and explains why professional codes exist to rank duties that the theories leave in tension.
What this chapter covers
- 01
Questions about right, wrong and the workplace
- 02
Morals as personal, ethics as shared
- 03
Conflicts of interest across professions
- 04
Egoism and utilitarianism as outcome-based views
- 05
Duty-based reasoning and Ross's seven duties
- 06
Contractarianism and ethical pluralism
- 07
Applying several lenses to one dilemma
Worked example · free
Weighing a data request with two theories
- +1Utilitarian view: weigh the revenue and jobs it secures against the harm to many users if the data affects their premiums.
- +1Ask who is counted: the users who supplied the data far outnumber the founders and staff who gain.
- +1Deontological view: fidelity covers truthfulness, so using data in a way users would not accept breaks an implied promise.
- +1Conclude: both lenses point against the sale unless users are told and agree, so seek consent or decline.
Key terms
- Teleological Ethics
- An approach that judges whether an action is right mainly by what it leads to.
- Utilitarianism
- The view that the right action is the one producing the most total good, spread over the most people.
- Egoism
- The view that each person should choose what serves their own interests, counting the flow-on effects.
- Deontological Ethics
- An approach that asks which duty, rule or principle applies, rather than predicting outcomes.
- Contractarianism
- A view grounding right action in the rules people would agree to as a fair social contract.
- Ethical Pluralism
- The position that more than one value may matter at once and no single rule settles every case.
- Prima Facie Duty
- One of Ross's duties, such as fidelity or non-maleficence, that binds unless a stronger duty overrides it.
Ethical Theories for Computing Decisions FAQ
What is the difference between morals and ethics?
Morals are personal principles of right and wrong, an internal compass. Ethics are rules of conduct that a group such as a profession accepts, so they can be discussed, shared and applied to other people's conduct too.
Which ethical theories do I need to know?
Teleological ethics with its egoist and utilitarian forms, deontological ethics including Ross's prima facie duties, contractarianism and ethical pluralism. Know what each looks at and what question it raises when applied.
What are Ross's prima facie duties?
Fidelity, reparation, gratitude, justice, beneficence, non-maleficence and self-improvement. They often conflict, and the list itself gives no ranking between them, so an answer has to say which duty wins and why.
Why do I need professional codes if I already have ethical theories?
Theories leave duties in tension and give no priority between them. Professional codes link likely outcomes to duties, give guidance on priorities and attach penalties to breaches.
Is ethical pluralism a way to avoid choosing?
No. It accepts that several values matter at once, but an answer must still rank them for the situation and explain that ranking. Pluralism describes the problem honestly; it does not solve it for you.
Exam move
Build a one-page comparison table with five rows, one for each theory family, and three columns: what it looks at, its decision rule and the question you must answer when you use it. Practise by taking a news story about a technology company and writing four sentences, one per lens, then a conclusion that names the action.
Time yourself: in a two-hour handwritten exam you need to apply a lens in a short paragraph, not an essay. Memorise Ross's seven duties as a list, then pair each with a computing example of your own, such as non-maleficence and a release that might corrupt user files.
When you review, look for the moment in each answer where you stated whose interests count or which duty wins; if it is missing, the answer is a description rather than an analysis.
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