"Why is Ethical Competence Important to all Computer Scientists?"

by Thomas Olsson

Abstract: With great power comes great responsibility. It’s become most evident that we who envision, design and engineer computational systems have great power over people, organisations and even nation states. But do we have what it takes to bear the responsibility? This talk outlines my journey of ethical awakening over the past decade and pinpoints cross-disciplinary concepts and resources to help anyone with a CS background to become more sensitised to the moral and political questions pertaining to technology development.

Thomas Olsson is a Full Professor in Human-Centred Design at Tampere University, Finland. He specializes in sociotechnical systems, seeking to understand the diverse interconnections between emergent information technology and complex social processes. Recently, Olsson has investigated sociotechnical applications from the perspectives of environmental and social sustainability, long-term and indirect repercussions, and design responsibility. This talk also builds on his recent curriculum development work on Sustainable Design, aiming to steer the praxis of designing digital services towards a culture that prioritizes sustainability.