Software Engineering Ethics

Ethical Issues of Information Systems, 2002

The process of software development is usually described in terms of a progression from the project planning to the final code, passing through intermediate stages such as requirement analysis, system design, coding, system testing, and maintenance. One important aspect of these requirements concerns the reliability of the software. The use of computers for life-critical systems demands extremely high reliability of the computing functions as a whole. The consequences of negative results from unreliable systems and software are becoming public knowledge every day. Since these situations create a negative image for computer professionals and since these episodes create an environment of nontrust for the discipline, a good look at the ethical issues in software engineering is necessary. In this chapter, we look at each of the software engineering steps and the important aspect of their reliability and safety in the analysis, design, and implementation of software. We also examine the ...

2009

The increasing dependence on computers for critical infrastructures essential for the functioning of a society and its economy has given rise to host of ethical, social, and legal issues. The ability to make sound ethical decisions is thus an important part of Computing and Software engineer's professional skills. This paper argues for the significance of teaching professional, social and ethical issues in Software Engineering in a Swedish context and practice. Examples are presented of teaching materials and experiences from the course Professional Ethics in Science and Engineering at Mälardalen University, and the PIFF project for support of Software Engineering Master Theses running at Mälardalen University, Blekinge Institute of Technology and Lund University.

2006

Among the various contemporary schools of moral thinking, consequence-based ethics, as opposed to rule-based, seems to have a good acceptance among professionals such as software engineers. But naïve consequentialism is intellectually too weak to serve as a practical guide in the profession. Besides, the complexity of software systems makes it very hard to know in advance the consequences that will derive from professional activities in the production of software. Therefore, following the spirit of well-known codes of ethics such as the ACM/IEEE's, we advocate for a more solid position, which we call "moderate deontologism", that takes into account both rules and consequences to assess the goodness of actions, and at the same time pays an adequate consideration to the absolute values of human dignity.

Science and Engineering Ethics, 2015

The purpose of this article is to propose an ethical framework for software engineers that connects software developers' ethical responsibilities directly to their professional standards. The implementation of such an ethical framework can overcome the traditional dichotomy between professional skills and ethical skills, which plagues the engineering professions, by proposing an approach to the fundamental tasks of the practitioner, i.e., software development, in which the professional standards are intrinsically connected to the ethical responsibilities. In so doing, the ethical framework improves the practitioner's professionalism and ethics. We call this approach Ethical-Driven Software Development (EDSD), as an approach to software development. EDSD manifests the advantages of an ethical framework as an alternative to the all too familiar approach in professional ethics that advocates ''stand-alone codes of ethics''. We believe that one outcome of this synergy between professional and ethical skills is simply better engineers. Moreover, since there are often different software solutions, which the engineer can provide to an issue at stake, the ethical framework provides a guiding principle, within the process of software development, that helps the engineer evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of different software solutions. It does not and cannot affect the end-product in and of-itself. However, it can and should, make the software engineer more conscious and aware of the ethical ramifications of certain engineering decisions within the process.

The aim of this paper is to show that ethics is required for the successful performance of a computing professional. The increase dependence on computers for critical infrastructures essential for the functioning of a society and its economy has given rise to host of ethical, social, and legal issues. The ability to make sound ethical decision is thus an important part of computer science professional skills. The paper examines the ethical dilemmas computer scientists face and discusses ways to tackle the dilemmas. The author used primary and secondary method of data collection which is questionnaire, interview method and examination of document. The paper concludes with the need for the challenges of ethics in computer science profession need to be tackled. Also the author recommended that since computer science and the discipline's technological artifacts touch nearly every aspect of modern life, that computer scientist must conduct and report their professional skills in an ethical manner.

Computing and Philosophy, Associated International Academic Publishers, 2005

In recent years there has been an increase in the general public awareness of the ethical aspects of technology. The attention given by the media to computer-related disasters in technical systems such as the explosion of the Ariane 5 rocket in 1996 and the Therac-25 computerized radiation machine overdoses has stimulated interest in Computer Ethics.

2018

Conference on Frontiers in Education, 1997

In May of 1993, the Board of Governors of the IEEE-CS established a steering committee for evaluating, planning, and coordinating actions related to establishing software engineering as a profession. In that same year the ACM Council endorsed the establishment of a Commission on Software Engineering. By January of 1994, both societies formed a joint committee "To establish the appropriate set(s)

PREAMBLE The short version of the code summarizes aspirations at a high level of the abstraction; the clauses that are included in the full version give examples and details of how these aspirations change the way we act as software engineering professionals. Without the aspirations, the details can become legalistic and tedious; without the details, the aspirations can become high sounding but empty; together, the aspirations and the details form a cohesive code. Software engineers shall commit themselves to making the analysis, specification, design, development, testing and maintenance of software a beneficial and respected profession. In accordance with their commitment to the health, safety and welfare of the public, software engineers shall adhere to the following Eight Principles:

Science and Engineering Ethics, 2001