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Computer Ethics and Moral Methodology
Author(s) -
Van Den Hoven Jeroen
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
metaphilosophy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.475
H-Index - 35
eISSN - 1467-9973
pISSN - 0026-1068
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9973.00053
Subject(s) - transparency (behavior) , epistemology , ideal (ethics) , dilemma , reflective equilibrium , moral reasoning , sociology , information ethics , moral dilemma , normative ethics , moral disengagement , moral psychology , computer science , philosophy , law , psychology , social psychology , political science , artificial intelligence
In computer ethics, as in other branches of applied ethics, the problem of the justification of moral judgment is still unresolved. I argue that the method which is referred to as “The Method of Wide Reflective Equilibrium” (WRE) offers the best solution to it. It does not fall victim to the false dilemma of having to choose either case‐based particularist or principle‐based universalist approaches to the problem of moral justification. I claim that WRE also provides the best model of practical moral reasoning available for computer ethics. It does not pretend to provide quasi‐algorithmic procedures for moral decision‐making, but neither does it abandon the regulative ideal of communicative transparency in discursive public justification.