Schedule for CS 4001B: Computing, Society, & Professionalism, Fall 2006

Week Date Topic Readings Assignment Due
1 8/22 Welcome & Overview    
  8/24 Case Study: Therac-25 "Medical Devices: The Therac-25" by Nancy Leveson  
2 8/29 Reading Arguments WA 1 & 2  
8/31 Utilitarianism Q Chapter 2, through end of 2.7
3 9/5 Deontology & Social Contract Theory Reread Q2.5; Q2.8-end of chapter Reading the Argument of a Current Article
9/7 Feminine Ethics

"In a Different Voice by Carol Gilligan, pp. 25-39
(electronic reserve)

 
4 9/12 Writing Arguments WA 3  
9/14 Professional Ethics

Q9

Article "Using the New ACM Code of Ethics in Decision Making" by Anderson et al (electronic reserve)

 
5 9/19 Intellectual Property Q4 through end of 4.6, pp. 155-184 Applying Ethical Frameworks to a Dilemma I
9/21 Software as Intellectual Property Q4.7-end of chapter, pp. 184-205
Browse Open Source Licensing: Links and Resources"
 
6 9/26 Structure of Argument WA 4 & 5  
9/29 Social Issues & the Internet Q3  
7 10/3 Term Paper Ideas

Term Paper Proposals

  10/5 Using Evidence WA 6
8 10/10 Midterm
  10/12 Case Studies in Using Evidence: The Cholera Epidemic & The Challenger Disaster Tufte Visual and Statistical Thinking  
9 10/17 Fall Break (no class)  
  10/19 Privacy Q5
10 10/24 Privacy, continued Term Paper Outline
  10/26 The Patriot Act The Patriot Act (read Title II; glance over the rest)
EFF Analysis of the Patriot Act
11 10/31 Writing for an Audience WA 7 & 8  
11/2 Privacy & Security for Kids & Teens Online
12 11/7 eVoting
  • Q6.5
  • Pick an article about eVoting (that no one else has picked yet), list it on the CoWeb here, and come to class prepared to spend two minutes summarizing it for the class.
 
11/9

The Power of Simulation

"Seductions of Sim" by Paul Starr  
13 11/14 Term Paper Discussion   Term Papers
11/16 Term paper discussion, continued  
14 11/21 Software Reliability Q7
  11/23

Happy Thanksgiving!
(no class)

   
15 11/28 Wealth and Globalization Q8
11/30 Internet Censorship in China & Other Nations Wikipedia article on Internet Censorhip in China Applying Ethical Frameworks to a Dilemma II
16 12/5 The Changing Face of Work

"Christmas Unplugged" by Amy Bruckman

12/7 Final Exam Review Revised Term Papers (optional)

Readings and assignments are subject to change.