Kismayo university

Faculty of computer stud

Course: computer ethics

lecture9 : ethical dilemma

Presented by: Ahmed Mohamed Elmi

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 Definition of ethical dilemma
An ethical dilemma (ethical paradox or moral dilemma)
is a problem in the decision-making process between
two possible options, neither of which is absolutely
acceptable from an ethical perspective. Although we
face many ethical and moral problems in our life, most
of them come with relatively straightforward solutions.
On the other hand, ethical dilemmas are extremely
complicated challenges that cannot be easily solved.
Therefore, the ability to find the optimal solution for
ethical dilemmas is critical to everyone.
Every person can encounter an ethical dilemma in
almost every aspect of their life, including personal,
social, and professional

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 Individuals in everyday life, whether in personal or
business, face with the necessity to make
decisions. They usually have more than one
alternative available. Consequently, they face with
the dilemma which alternative to choose. The aim
is to choose the best one, but the criterion the best
is different for different individuals, organizations
and countries. Besides, the alternatives are
regularly in conflict, so the decision maker is in a
dilemma which alternative to choose. Basically,
every dilemma contains an ethical dilemma (ED),
i.e. whether the decision is good/bad, fair/unfair,
moral/immoral

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 Judgments are made from the point of view
of those who make the decision (agents),
from the point of view of those who require
decision (principals) and from the point of
view of the most people who do not
participate in decision-making but are
affected by them (the common good or the
general interest). There are different types
of the EDs of which the knowledge is
necessary because different types of the
EDs require different strategies for their
resolving. However, any attempt to find the
4 solution is a process, not a one-time act,5/15/20
kismayo university
 This paper points out the essence and
different types of the EDs, as well as the
characteristics of several strategies for
resolving the EDs. Case studies, old and
new are used, showing that the ED is
continuously present phenomenon. Also,
these case studies show that the way of
thinking in the process of resolving the ED
affects the survival of the ED actors at all
levels. Case studies from the Republic of
Serbia show that this theme is current in
our country, too.
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 Ethical Dilemmas in Teaching Computer and Internet
Security
computer hacking and attacks have shown that there is a
general view that those attacking computers have a
special form of arcane knowledge which is not taught. In
fact, this material is taught; since we need to improve
the knowledge base of all computer graduates to enable
them to construct better and more reliable systems. Such
systems are crucial since computer users, on the other
hand, are not supplied with knowledge that would enable
them to protect themselves from being compromised.
Furthermore, the knowledge necessary to protect against
such attacks on existing systems is rarely included in a
standard computer curriculum, or anywhere else

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 in a standard educational programme. In short, we tend to tell computer
science students much about building new systems but little about
protecting existing ones, which we tell computer users virtually nothing
about either. This paper results from meetings and discussions which were
part of the EPSRC research network in IT Forensics and Data Analysis
hosted by City University in London from 2008 to 2009. The research
network is composed of academics from around the UK research
community and also involves the security services. Meetings of the
research network examined research topics of mutual interest which
included visual or audio analysis, data mining, forensic analysis, computer
and network security and so on. Although the group was constituted
primarily to facilitate research networking, the topic that appeared to be of
most concern to the security services was not research into new criminal
detection techniques, but a concern over the curriculum taught to
computer science students.
The paper does not attempt to thoroughly explore this wide and contentious
topic, but rather to highlight certain issues by way of a quick tour of the
subject and to focus on a couple of specific areas by way of example from
the topics in programming, ebusiness, networking, and security.

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 2 The Issues in Computer Teaching
Software development is a key part of the computer science where the issues
of vulnerabilities due to software flaws arise. Students need to be aware of
these from the programming and engineering perspectives in that students
need to be taught what are common mistakes to make and which ones have
been made in the past. The mechanism of the flaws needs to be explained so
the students can understand why it is an issue, and also how it can be solved.
In initial teaching of computing and software engineering, the focus is more
on the correct implementation of a specification, the crafting of data
structures, algorithms, the design user interfaces and databases. These
subjects do not expose many ethical dilemmas where students could be
taught inappropriate material. When teaching internet and distributed
computing however, the ethical issues begin to appear. The interconnection
of computers with the internet exposes the smallest flaws in computer
software to a severe test, since each application is itself another vulnerable
portal to the computer system as whole. Every networked application or
interactive web page made by a student could potentially compromise a
whole computer system. This is much more of a security vulnerability than
the problems of software development in unconnected systems.

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 How to solve an ethical dilemma?

The biggest challenge of ethical dilemma is that it does not

offer an obvious solution that would comply with ethical
norms. Throughout the history of humanity, people always
faced ethical dilemmas, and philosophers aimed and worked
to find solutions to the problems.
By far, the following approaches to solve an ethical dilemma
were deduced:
Refute the paradox (dilemma): The situation must be
carefully analyzed. In some cases, the existence of the
dilemma can be logically refuted.
Value theory approach: Choose the alternative that offers
the greater good and the lesser evil.
Find alternative solutions: In some cases, the problem can
be reconsidered, and the new alternative solutions may arise.

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 Ethical dilemmas in business
Ethical dilemmas are especially significant in professional life,
as they frequently occur in the workplace. Some companies
and professional organizations (e.g., CFACPA vs CFA®When
considering a career in corporate finance or the capital
markets you will often hear people asking, “Should I get a
CPA or CFA?” and “Which is better?”.  In this article, we will
outline the similarities and differences of the CPA vs CFA
designations and try to steer you in the right direction about)
adhere to their own codes of conduct and ethical standards.
Violation of the standards may lead to disciplinary sanctions.
Almost every aspect of the business can become a possible
ground for ethical dilemmas. It may include relationships with
co-workers, management, clients, and business partners.

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 The people’s inability to determine the optimal solution
for ethical dilemmas in the professional setting may
result in serious consequences for businesses and
organizations. The situation may be common in
companies that value results the most.
In order to solve ethical problems, companies and
organizationsTypes of OrganizationsThis article on the
different types of organizations explore the various
categories that organizational structures can fall into.
Organizational structures should develop strict ethical
standards for their employees. Every company must
demonstrate its concerns regarding the ethical norms
within the organization. In addition, companies may
provide ethical training for their employees.

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 Resolving Moral Dilemmas

1.  Moral clarity

–  Need to know something is wrong!
Do not ignore problem
–  Loyalty to employer,
responsibilities to public and
environment (and complex
relations between these)

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 Resolving Moral Dilemmas…..

2. Know the facts

–  Get hard, documented facts, discuss with
others
–  Competence matters in gathering technical
facts
3.  Consider options
–  Diversity of actions to take?
Evaluate/discuss.
–  Long-term, short-term perspectives,
repercussions?
–  “Creative middle solution”?
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 Resolving Moral Dilemmas…..

4. Make a reasonable decision

–  Weigh all factors, recognize “gray
areas”/compromises
–  An engineering design problem?

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 Example ethical dilemma
Engineer A is employed by a
software company and is involved
in the design of specialized
software in connection with the
operations of facilities affecting the
public health and safety (i.e.,
nuclear, air quality control, water
quality control).

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 Example ethical
dilemma…….
As the part of the design of a
particular software system,
Engineer A conducts extensive
testing and although the tests
demonstrate that the software is
safe to use under existing
standards, Engineer A is aware of
new draft standards that are about
to be released by a standard
setting
kismayo university
organization-standards
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which the newly designed software
 Example ethical
dilemma…….
Testing is extremely costly and the
company’s clients are eager to begin
to move forward. The software
company is eager to satisfy its clients,
protect the software company’s
finances, and protect existing jobs; but
at the same time, the management of
the software company wants to be
sure that the software is safe to use.

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 Example ethical
dilemma…….
A series of tests proposed by Engineer A will
likely result in a decision whether to move
forward with the use of the software. The
tests are costly and will delay the use of
the software by at least six months, which
will put the company at a competitive
disadvantage and cost the company a
significant amount of money. Also,
delaying implementation will mean the
state public service commission utility
rates will rise significantly during this time.

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 Example ethical
dilemma…….
The company requests Engineer A’s
recommendation concerning the need for
additional software testing.
Question: Should Engineer A design the
software to meet the new standards?

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 Analyzing the case…
•  Moral clarity:
– What is wrong? What is the core issue/
question?
– Will the software meet the new standards?
– Why are there new standards?
• Experience shows new failure modes
• New tests designed to test new failure modes
– Engineer’s role in new standards?
• Development of new standards
• Following new standards

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 Analyzing the case,
continued…
•  Know the facts
– It is critical software (health/safety of public)

– New standards to test new failure modes

(that you need to understand)
– Testing is costly, company finances at stake
– Need to protect existing jobs
– Testing will delay release by > 6 months
– Testing will hurt competitive advantage?
– Utility rates will rise
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 Analyzing the case,
continued…
•  Consider options
– Option 1: Ignore the new tests, take risk to
public safety/welfare, save time/money
– Option 2: Conduct the tests, risk jobs, hurt
finances, become certain software will
work, protect safety/welfare of the public
– Option 3: Creative middle of the road
solution: Is there are limited version of full
tests that could be conducted that would
partially test, but save some money/time?

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 Analyzing the case, continued

•  Make a reasonable decision

– Pick Option 2 since safety/health/welfare of
the public is paramount
– If company says no, pick Option 3 and try to
do a limited test for the failure mode (your
competence in coming up with an
economical test is critical here). In this
option, all constraints considered, you try
to protect the safety, health, and welfare of
the public

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 A junior member of staff has just returned to work after
taking special leave to care for her elderly mother. For
financial reasons she needs to work full-time. She has
been having difficulties with her mother’s home care
arrangements, causing her to miss a number of team
meetings (which usually take place at the beginning of
each day) and to leave work early. She is very competent
in her work but her absences are putting pressure on her
and her overworked colleagues. You are her manager, and
you are aware that the flow of work through the practice
is coming under pressure. One of her male colleagues is
beginning to make comments such as “a woman’s place
is in the home”, and is undermining her at every
opportunity, putting her under even greater stress.

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 Analyzing the case…
•  Moral clarity:
– What is wrong? What is the core issue/
question?
– Will the absent is tolered?
– Why are the junior staff is absent?
Junior staff leave to care for her elderly mother.
– manager’s role for solving this problem for his
staff?
•  the manager has ability to solve this problem
to facilitate the pressure for his staff.
• 

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 Analyzing the case,
continued…
•  Know the facts
– the problem faced for a junior staff
– pressure for other staff
– Need to protecting the moral of the junior
staff
– Need to protect the job for the junior staff
– 
– Testing will hurt competitive advantage?
– Utility rates will rise

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 Analyzing the case,
continued…
•  Consider options
– Option 1: Ignore the new tests, take risk to
public safety/welfare, save time/money
– Option 2: Conduct the tests, risk jobs, hurt
finances, become certain software will
work, protect safety/welfare of the public
– Option 3: Creative middle of the road
solution: Is there are limited version of full
tests that could be conducted that would
partially test, but save some money/time?

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 Analyzing the case, continued

•  Make a reasonable decision

– Pick Option 2 since safety/health/welfare of
the public is paramount
– If company says no, pick Option 3 and try to
do a limited test for the failure mode (your
competence in coming up with an
economical test is critical here). In this
option, all constraints considered, you try
to protect the safety, health, and welfare of
the public

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