This is a formal outline of ethical theories. It is included more as reference material. Student should be encouraged to read about these theories and apply as needed.
| Ethical Theory | Key Originator(s) | Core Idea | IT Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| Duty-Based (Deontology) | Immanuel Kant | Actions are inherently right or wrong based on rules/duties, regardless of the consequences. | Refusing to install spyware on user devices because spying violates the universal rule of respecting user autonomy and privacy. |
| Utilitarianism (Utility) | Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill | An action is good if it maximizes overall happiness, well-being, or “utility” for the greatest number of people. | Implementing a predictive algorithm that slightly reduces privacy for a few but accurately predicts and prevents large-scale cybersecurity breaches for millions. |
| Virtue Ethics | Aristotle | Morality is driven by character, habits, and integrity rather than strict rules or outcomes. “What would a good person do?” | A software engineer voluntarily mentoring junior devs and practicing extreme honesty about system bugs, striving to be an excellent and honorable professional. |
| Social Contract Theory | Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau | Morality is based on a collective agreement (contract) to follow rules for mutual benefit and social order. | Adhering to GDPR or data privacy laws, acknowledging that tech companies must respect societal rules to maintain public trust and operate in a stable economy. |
| Care Ethics (Additional) | Carol Gilligan | Focuses on relationships, empathy, and protecting vulnerable individuals rather than abstract principles. | Designing an app with robust accessibility features (for visually or hearing-impaired users), prioritizing the real needs and inclusion of a vulnerable user group. |
| Just Consequentialism (Additional) | James Moor | A hybrid framework created specifically for IT that filters options by duty (do no harm) and ranks the remaining choices by utility. | Developing an AI system by first ensuring it does not violate human rights (duty), then tweaking it to maximize the efficiency of public transport (utility). |
