Synopses & Reviews
From the forefront of news today to your textbook, SOCIETY, ETHICS, AND TECHNOLOGY, Fourth Edition, stresses the latest technological innovations and how these advancements represent new ethical challenges and dilemmas for society as a whole. You gain a strong foundation in theory and applied ethics as you discover how to examine critically the social effects of technology surrounding your daily life. This timely anthology, filled with the latest readings from prominent scholars and leaders, focuses on the most current technology issues and ethical debates. Useful introductions before each selection and Focus Questions help you understand readings within context. Readings, drawn from a variety of contemporary social issues, closely examine technological change and its social consequences from a variety of historical, societal, and philosophical perspectives. The book also delves into what the future holds in areas such as human rights, information technology, biotechnology, energy, and the environment. In addition to highlighting ethical theory, readings help you establish a solid decision-making framework. Detailed coverage examines the impact of specific, recent technological advances, such as artificial intelligence and surveillance, while special historical highlights technology particularly in medieval times and the twentieth century. This update edition now includes information on engineering ethics as well as summaries of recent news events with discussion and writing questions to help focus attention on the related ethical issues.
About the Author
Morton Winston is a professor of philosophy and chairman of the Department of Philosophy, Religion, and Classical Studies at the College of New Jersey. He teaches classes in bioethics, political philosophy, ethical theory, philosophy of technology, environmental ethics, genocide, and human rights. He has published several books and numerous articles on topics related to human rights, applied ethics, and cognitive science. Professor Winston has received three Fulbright Scholarships, to South Africa, Thailand, and Denmark, and has served as the chairman of the board of directors of Amnesty International. Ralph Edelbach is an associate professor of technological studies at the College of New Jersey. He teaches classes on ethics and technology and is president of the College of New Jersey Federation of Teachers, Local 2364, AFT.
Table of Contents
Preface. Introduction. Morton Winston, "Children of Invention Revisited." Part I: PERSPECTIVES ON TECHNOLOGY. David Landes, "The Invention of Invention." Ruth Schwartz Cowan, "Industrial Society and Technological Systems." David Edgerton, "The Shock of the Old." Rosalind Williams, "History as Technological Change."Richard Sclove, "Id Hammer Out Freedom: Technology as Politics and Culture." Langdon Winner, "Artifact/Ideas and Political Culture." Judy Wajcman, "Addressing Technological Change." Sheila Jasanoff, "Technologies of Humility: Citizen Participation in Governing Science." Ian Barbour, "Philosophy and Human Values." Hans Jonas, "Technology and Responsibility: Reflections on the New Tasks of Ethics." Freeman Dyson, "Technology and Social Justice." Deborah Johnson and Thomas Powers, "Ethics and Technology: A Program for Future Research." Part II: CONTEMPORARY TECHNOLOGY AND THE FUTURE. Thomas Friedman, "The World is Flat." Jagdish Bagwati, "In Defense of Globalization." Joseph Stiglitz, "Making Globalization Work." International Forum on Globalization, "What Should be Off-Limits to Globalization." Cass R. Sunstein, "Many Working Minds." Max Boot, "The Consequences of the Information Revolution." Jay Stanley and Barry Steinhardt, "Bigger Monster, Weaker Chains." James S. Taylor, "In Praise of Big Brother." William F. Clocksin, "Artificial Intelligence and the Future." Bill Joy, "Why the Future Doesnt Need Us." Ray Kurzweil, "Nanoscience, Nanotechnology and Ethics." Lee Silver, "A Glimpse of Things to Come." Leon Kass, "Preventing a Brave New World." Michael J. Sandel, "The Case Against Perfection." Claire Hope Cummings, "Trespass."Garrett Hardin, "The Tragedy of the Common." Stephen M. Gardiner, "Ethics and Global Climate Change." Janet L. Sawin and Kristen Hughes, "Energizing Cities." Robert W. Kates, "The Nexus and the Neem Tree." Bibliography. Appendix A: Society, Technology, and Ethics in the News Appendix B: Enginnering Ethics