This course mainly focused on writing case analysis on different topics. We had to do a total of 7 case analysis with a reflective summary essay at the end of the semester. We also had to read and learn about 7 different tools that we needed to use for each case analysis (you were allowed to use the same tool a maximum of two times). Those tools were basically ideologies like confucianism, ethics of care, and deontology for example. This class was really good to learn about different philosophical principles and incorporate them into real world, cyber security related issues like privacy and whistleblowing.
Course Reflection
This semester taking PHIL 355E, I learned a lot and my perspective on certain topics really changed as I was able to deep dive and better understand a lot of material we’ve gone through. For this reflective paper I’ll look back on the three main topics I learned the most from which were on privacy, professional ethics, and whistleblowing.
The topic on privacy taught me many new things I didn’t even know about privacy before going into this material. What I took from this module is that nowadays, with technology and social media, people are putting their whole lives out on display for the whole world to see. To keep private, you need to learn to not share everything about you out to the world. Privacy is an important right that everybody should have the right to. Unfortunately, now with big tech and the government it’s even harder to stay private than it was 100 years ago. Social media sites like Facebook and Instagram make it super easy for random people to know where you’re at, or what you’re doing at any given time. What’s even scarier is that these companies sell your data for money to third party organizations that can do whatever they want with that data. The key takeaway I got from this topic is that privacy is an essential right to everyone.
The next topic I learned the most on was that of professional ethics. Going into this module I knew how important it was to be professional on the job and uphold good workplace morals, but after going through this module I learned so much more. I now understand that having good code ethics in the workplace is a way to establish trust and connection with clients. Having good professional ethics is important in professions like doctors where a patient’s life is dependent on how well you can carry out your duties. People who carry out good professional ethics are usually more trusted on and have the most clients, better relationships with clients. In a corporate workplace, it is important to follow good professional ethics so that your company is being well represented to the public. You wouldn’t want people not giving a damn and just smoking at their desk or drinking cans of beer because that would be very unprofessional and can lose your company many customers.
The third and final topic I learned the most about this semester is whistleblowing. I honestly didn’t know much about whistleblowing other than it was a way to rat out the company you work for. After this module I learned that there’s much more to it than that and that whistleblowing can be a good thing to. It can be an act of loyalty to whistle blow, like a method of holding a company accountable and having them reconsider their values, morals, ideas or whatever the case may be. People whistle blow for different reasons, some are not as serious as others. The case we looked at about the US military was a very serious case, as it included the loss of innocent people and children that was supposed to be kept under the rug. It’s a good way to bring forward to the public eye what really goes on inside a company or organization.
These are three of the topics I feel I grew the most knowledge on but every module I learned something new from. I will take the valuable lessons each module was able to teach me and apply things into my own life from a different perspective I would’ve never even considered.