Document Type : Original Article
Authors
National Research Institute for Science Policy
Abstract
Information technology makes possible the relationship between people around the world. Hence, the information ethics theorists, such as Charles Ess, are trying to propose a global ethical theory. Ess believes that this global theory in the field of meta-ethics requires some kind of pluralism, in the name of interpretive pluralism, and in the normative field of care ethics, virtue ethics and confucian ethics. This paper, by using library research method and conceptual analysis, while introducing the view of Charles Ess, illustrates some of the most important theoretical gaps in his project. His interpretive pluralism does not solve the problem of relativism in relation to ethical judgment about “the other”. Also, his defense of interpretive pluralism based on two incorrect assumptions. First, he has supposed that cultural differences necessarily entail ethical differences; secondly, he argues that pluralism is an accepted theory in all ethical approaches of the world. In the normative field, the defense of the ethics of care, virtue and Confucius, in contrast to consequentialism and deontologism, is not justified. The critiques do not falsify the whole project, proposing a global information ethics; these clarify the future paths of research to strengthen it.
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