factual support for discussions with collegues, e.g. regarding the justifiability of certain actions
knowledge base and key insights for work related decisions
provide a pool of experience to everyone that finds his or her way into the profession aims to counterbalance the profit-oriented messages and incentives with insights that usually develop over time
legal form
at first non-binding; no legal consequences; iterate on the idea and see where it goes
at one point it might be an option to do something that is simliar to what already exists for doctors and accountants
insincere attitudes are not only found at VW but in the (car) industry as a whole
a related topic: software licenses that forbid e.g. military use
make transparent what companies, that students like to work at (Google, Amazon, Facebook, and alike), actually do, and what
company goals
strategies they use to achieve their goals
effects their actions have on our daily lifes and society as a whole
make something like "information technology and society" a compulsory subject in computer science studies
discuss typical problem cases and how to handle them responsibly
see also "professional ethics" lectures
Joseph Weizenbaum on assuming responsibility
assuming final responsibility for what can be done with one's work
"a woman will be raped this night ... and if I don't do it, somebody else will" ... as a response to "It does not matter if I don't do that dirty work, because somebody else will do it anyway. Therefore it is okay for me to do it."
how society adapts to the digital transformation
"arbeitsfrei statt arbeitslos", i.e. "holidays not unemployment"
see also the book written by Constanze Kurz and Frank Rieger with the same name
From every type of work, that influences society and is important to oneself, usually follows political interest/ commitment, since one's creation can always be abused.
Take up the idea, carry it further, and continuously update it.
e.g. via open discussions regarding the question "Do we need professional ethics?" ... just like this evening in the context of "lean Mate"
next steps
How do we want to approach this broad topic?
look at other crafts
look what other people allready did regarding sw-dev ethics
look into philosphy (with the help of educated friends)
How should we document and share our thoughts---among us and with others?
random thoughts
I guess that almost everybody thinks of themself as a generally good person and therefore justifies "bad" actions with good intentions and good/ important purposes. It may even be so, that those with the best intentions are the most relentless/ ruthless, because they "know" they are doing the right thing.
2.2. (security) "with the intent to cause harm" needs to apply to all of the items before. Security researchers can develop exploits, but not in order to cause harm.
Which of the rules would have prevented Dieselgate?
I'm missing something like "I swear to use my craft for the betterment of society and humanity as a whole"
