The Third Asia-Pacific Computing and Philosophy Conference November 2-4, 2007

The Third Asia-Pacific The Third Asia-Pacific Computing and Philosophy ConferenceComputing and Philosophy Conference

November 2-4, 2007November 2-4, 2007Chulanlongkorn University, Bangkok, ThailandChulanlongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

Intercultural Information Ethics: Intercultural Information Ethics: Foundations and ApplicationsFoundations and Applications

Rafael CapurroRafael CapurroStuttgart Media UniversityStuttgart Media University

GermanyGermany

R. Capurro: IIER. Capurro: IIE 33

OverviewOverview Defining the FieldDefining the Field OriginsOrigins Recent PublicationsRecent Publications The Foundational DebateThe Foundational Debate The Impact of ICT on Local CulturesThe Impact of ICT on Local Cultures Special IssuesSpecial Issues ConclusionConclusion


Defining the FieldDefining the Field IIE in a narrow sense: deals with the IIE in a narrow sense: deals with the

impact of ICT on different cultures as impact of ICT on different cultures as well as on how specific ethical ICT well as on how specific ethical ICT issues are understood from different issues are understood from different cultural traditionscultural traditions


Defining the FieldDefining the Field IIE in a broad sense: deals with IIE in a broad sense: deals with

ethical questions raised by other ethical questions raised by other (than digital) information and (than digital) information and communication media allowing a communication media allowing a large historical cross-media large historical cross-media comparative view.comparative view.


Defining the FieldDefining the Field IIE explores these issues under IIE explores these issues under

descriptive and normative descriptive and normative perspectives.perspectives.

Comparative studies can be done at Comparative studies can be done at a concrete or ontic level or at the a concrete or ontic level or at the level of ontological or structural level of ontological or structural presuppositions.presuppositions.


OriginsOrigins The international debate:The international debate:

• UNESCO First International Congress on UNESCO First International Congress on Ethical Legal, and Societal Aspects of Ethical Legal, and Societal Aspects of Digital Information, Principality of Digital Information, Principality of Monaco 1997 (and subsequent Monaco 1997 (and subsequent conferences)conferences)

• WSIS (Tunisia 2003, Geneva 2005)WSIS (Tunisia 2003, Geneva 2005)


OriginsOrigins The academic debate:The academic debate:

• CATaC Conferences organized by Charles Ess CATaC Conferences organized by Charles Ess and Fay Sudweeks since 1998and Fay Sudweeks since 1998

• ETHICOMP Conferences organized by Simon ETHICOMP Conferences organized by Simon Rogerson since 1995Rogerson since 1995

• CEPE conferences (since 1997)CEPE conferences (since 1997)• ICIE Conference 2004: the first international ICIE Conference 2004: the first international

conference addressing explicitly information conference addressing explicitly information ethics from an intercultural perspectiveethics from an intercultural perspective

• Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics: Oxford Uehiro Centre for Practical Ethics: international conference 2005international conference 2005


Recent PublicationsRecent Publications Soraj Hongladarom & Charles Ess Soraj Hongladarom & Charles Ess

(Eds.), „Information Technology (Eds.), „Information Technology Ethics Cultural Perspectives“ (2007)Ethics Cultural Perspectives“ (2007)

Rafael Capurro, Johannes Frühbauer, Rafael Capurro, Johannes Frühbauer, Thomas Hausmanninger (Eds.), Thomas Hausmanninger (Eds.), „Localizing the Internet: ethical „Localizing the Internet: ethical aspects in intercultural perspective“ aspects in intercultural perspective“ (2007)(2007)


The Foundational DebateThe Foundational Debate Charles Ess‘ „global information Charles Ess‘ „global information

ethics“: ethics“: • avoiding imperialistic homogenization avoiding imperialistic homogenization

which preserving the irreducible which preserving the irreducible differences between cultures and peopledifferences between cultures and people

• Western Ethics and Confucian thought: Western Ethics and Confucian thought: „resonance“ and „harmony“„resonance“ and „harmony“

• „„pros hen“ robust pluralism pros hen“ robust pluralism • Between irreducibility and Between irreducibility and

complementaritycomplementarity


The Foundational DebateThe Foundational Debate Toru Nishigaki:Toru Nishigaki:

• The Western idea of a „coherent self“ and the The Western idea of a „coherent self“ and the Buddhist questionning of this idea.Buddhist questionning of this idea.

• The Western search for universal values and The Western search for universal values and the „doing away of conventional or universal the „doing away of conventional or universal interpretations of the meanings of words“ in interpretations of the meanings of words“ in ZEN.ZEN.

• Cognition as representation vs. „enactment“ of Cognition as representation vs. „enactment“ of the history of actions of a subject in the worldthe history of actions of a subject in the world

• Ethics as observer-dependent reflection on Ethics as observer-dependent reflection on moral norms („fundamental informatics“).moral norms („fundamental informatics“).


The Foundational DebateThe Foundational Debate Terrell Ward Bynum:Terrell Ward Bynum:

• „„flourishing ethics“ flourishing ethics“ • Basic principles: freedom, equality and Basic principles: freedom, equality and

benevolence, minimum infringement of benevolence, minimum infringement of freedom.freedom.

• Maximize the opportunities of all Maximize the opportunities of all humans to exercise their autonomy.humans to exercise their autonomy.

• Different cultures „can provide a Different cultures „can provide a conductive context for human conductive context for human flourishing.“flourishing.“


The Foundational DebateThe Foundational Debate Bernd Frohmann:Bernd Frohmann:

• „„A philosophical A philosophical ethosethos seeks contingencies and seeks contingencies and singularities rather than universal singularities rather than universal determinants, which block the aim of getting“ determinants, which block the aim of getting“ „free of oneself.“„free of oneself.“

• Aim of IIE:careful situational analysis and Aim of IIE:careful situational analysis and critical appraisal on the way(s) computers critical appraisal on the way(s) computers control societies.control societies.

• Develop strategies to become „digitally Develop strategies to become „digitally imperceptible“.imperceptible“.


The Foundational DebateThe Foundational Debate Rafael Capurro:Rafael Capurro:

• IIE between mono- and meta-cultural ethical IIE between mono- and meta-cultural ethical claims: intertwining „thick“ and „thin“ ethical claims: intertwining „thick“ and „thin“ ethical arguments (Michael Walzer)arguments (Michael Walzer)

• „„direct“ and „indirect speech“ in relation to direct“ and „indirect speech“ in relation to information societyinformation society

• „„hothen“ („from“) approach: the question of hothen“ („from“) approach: the question of the source(s) of ethical norms, particularly the the source(s) of ethical norms, particularly the experience(s) of the facticity of the world and experience(s) of the facticity of the world and human existencehuman existence


The Impact of ICT on Local The Impact of ICT on Local CulturesCultures

Asia and the Pacific:Asia and the Pacific:• Grodzinsky/Tavani: the danger of Grodzinsky/Tavani: the danger of

homogenizationhomogenization• Nakada: Japanese three-fold „life world“: Nakada: Japanese three-fold „life world“:

„Seken“ (trad. values), „Ikai“ (source of „Seken“ (trad. values), „Ikai“ (source of evil) and „Shakai“ (Western values) with evil) and „Shakai“ (Western values) with regard to ICTregard to ICT

• Takenouchi: critique of „digital Takenouchi: critique of „digital reductionism“reductionism“

• Nath: diversity of digital governanceNath: diversity of digital governance


The Impact of ICT on Local The Impact of ICT on Local CulturesCultures

Latin America and the CaribbeanLatin America and the Caribbean• Pimienta: new social movements based on the Pimienta: new social movements based on the

InternetInternet• Figueroa: collective construction of identity in Figueroa: collective construction of identity in

México:México: AfricaAfrica

• First Africa Information Ethics Conference First Africa Information Ethics Conference (Pretoria, February 2007)(Pretoria, February 2007)

Australia:Australia:• Van der Velden: aboriginal databaseVan der Velden: aboriginal database


Special IssuesSpecial Issues Privacy:Privacy:

• China: LÜ Yao-HuaiChina: LÜ Yao-Huai• Thailand: Kitiyadisai, HongladaromThailand: Kitiyadisai, Hongladarom• Japan and the West: Nakada/TamuraJapan and the West: Nakada/Tamura

Intellectual Property: Burk, CoyIntellectual Property: Burk, Coy Online Communities: SützlOnline Communities: Sützl Governmentality: ElichirigoityGovernmentality: Elichirigoity Gender Issues: SchinzelGender Issues: Schinzel Mobile Phones: ChokvasinMobile Phones: Chokvasin Health Care: Stahl, RogersonHealth Care: Stahl, Rogerson Digital Divide: KvasnyDigital Divide: Kvasny


ConclusionConclusion IIE is an emerging discipline.IIE is an emerging discipline. The present debate shows a variety The present debate shows a variety

of foundational perspectives with a of foundational perspectives with a preference on the narrow view that preference on the narrow view that focuses IIE on ICT.focuses IIE on ICT.

Comparative studies with other Comparative studies with other media and epochs are not being media and epochs are not being considered so far.considered so far.


ConclusionConclusion A lot of cultures have not been A lot of cultures have not been

analized.analized. I plea for an enlargement of the I plea for an enlargement of the

historical and geographical scope of historical and geographical scope of IIE.IIE.

The present debate emphazises the The present debate emphazises the question of privacy but new issues question of privacy but new issues are arising.are arising.


ConclusionConclusion We should deepen the foundational We should deepen the foundational

debate on the sources of morality debate on the sources of morality from an IIE perspective.from an IIE perspective.

Ethics understood as the Ethics understood as the „problematization“ of morality (M. „problematization“ of morality (M. Foucault): this concerns the Foucault): this concerns the ontological or structural as well as ontological or structural as well as the ontic or empirical level.the ontic or empirical level.


ConclusionConclusion One important issue in this regard is One important issue in this regard is

the question of the universality of the question of the universality of values vs. the locality of cultures and values vs. the locality of cultures and vice versavice versa

which is related to the problem of which is related to the problem of homogenization and hybridization (or homogenization and hybridization (or „thermocline“) of information „thermocline“) of information cultures and cultural approches to IE.cultures and cultural approches to IE.



Thanks for your attention!Thanks for your attention!Yong-Seak Oh (Korea): Drama No 3 2004-2005 (Video)Yong-Seak Oh (Korea): Drama No 3 2004-2005 (Video)

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The Third Asia-Pacific Computing and Philosophy Conference November 2-4, 2007