Computer Ethics in the Computer Science Curriculum - Technology and Human Values - The Research Center on Computing & Society

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Terrell Ward Bynum

Technology and Human Values

Ideally, new technology will advance, enhance and support human values. But of course this is not an ideal world. The effects of technology are mixed. For example, the “agricultural revolution” and the “industrial revolution” brought many benefits to human beings: food for the hungry, effective medical care for the sick, relief from heavy labor, rapid and comfortable transportation, and so on. Nevertheless, problems were generated: overpopulation, world-threatening weapons, pollution, terrible accidents that killed many people, etc.

Too often, new technology develops with little attention to its impact upon human values. The mass production of automobiles, for example, had profound effects upon cities, travel, entertainment, nature, the environment, even sexual mores. Many of the consequences were unforeseen – even unimagined – by those who created the technology.

Let us do better! In particular, let us do what we can in this era of “the computer revolution” to see that computer technology advances human values.

True enough, we could argue endlessly over the meanings of terms like “privacy,” “health,” “security,” “fairness,” or “ownership.” Philosophers do it all the time – and ought to. But people understand such values well enough to desire and even to treasure them. We do not need absolute clarity or unattainable unanimity before we do anything to advance them.

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