Deck 13: Ethics and Technology: Issues for the Twenty-First Century

Question 1

With respect to technology and society, which of the following choices is the truest statement?

A) Technology has had little impact on how people do their jobs.
B) Technology has caused major changes to the way people do their work.
C) Technology has created mainly economic benefits, more so than social ones.
D) Technology has been responsible for an increase in unethical workplace behavior.

Answer 1

Technology has caused major changes to the way people do their work.

Question 2

Which of the following choices represents a benefit of technology in industry?

A) Technology has enabled companies to drastically reduce their workforces.
B) Technology has enabled companies to gain control of single markets.
C) Technology has created economies of scale, resulting in lower prices for consumers.
D) Technology has reduced instances of serious workplace accidents.

Answer 2

Technology has created economies of scale, resulting in lower prices for consumers.

Question 3

Which of the following choices represents a benefit of economies of scale created by technology?

A) Fewer goods are manufactured, which represents a more sustainable approach.
B) More people can afford more goods, which at one time they would not have been able to afford.
C) Instances of waste in the workplace have been dramatically decreased.
D) Companies can produce a wider variety of products and charge more money, thus increasing revenues.

Answer 3

More people can afford more goods, which at one time they would not have been able to afford.

Question 4

Which of the following choices most accurately describes Moore's law?

A) Moore's law describes a relationship between power and affordability.
B) Moore's law relates to companies achieving economies of scope.
C) Moore's law speaks to how people can use technology to get ahead in the workplace.
D) Moore's Law relates to the inverse relationship between computing power and benefit to firms and employees.

Question 5

Which of the following statements is true relating to digitization?

A) Digitization has only helped firms in established industries.
B) Digitization has helped firms in a variety of industries reach more customers.
C) Digitization has really been beneficial only to firms in IT-related industries.
D) Some of the most successful companies have avoided digitization.

Question 6

Which of the following choices best describes a common ethical problem with technology?

A) Technology can be used for malevolent purposes, such as feeding false information to people.
B) Technology can be utilized by big firms to make them more competitive.
C) Technology can be leveraged by big firms to outcompete smaller firms.
D) Technology can be used to attract more investors to a firm that may not always remain profitable.

Question 7

Which of the following choices most accurately describes the echo chamber?

A) The echo chamber is used by most firms in the United States and relates to a firm's ability to repeat an advertising message.
B) The echo chamber relates to ensuring that viewers receive factually correct information.
C) The echo chamber speaks to a firm's ability to ensure customers make repeat purchases.
D) The echo chamber speaks to being surrounded only by information that agrees with one's viewpoint.

Question 8

Research indicates that the older generation of Americans are best described by which one of the following choices

A) generally do not trust Internet sources as factually correct information
B) tend to receive much of their information from the TV
C) are much less likely to trust radio and printed newspapers
D) are much more likely to correctly determine when information is incorrect

Question 9

Which of the following choices most accurately describes the digital divide?

A) This refers to the ability of certain groups to access password-protected sites.
B) This relates to varying levels of technological access, based on socioeconomic status.
C) This refers to an individual's ability to determine what digital information sources are factually correct.
D) This relates to the varying levels of technological proficiency across different generations.

Question 10

Which of the following choices best describes one of the central issues associated with the digital divide?

A) people being fed incorrect information and making poor decisions as a result
B) the prohibitive cost of digital access for all groups in the United States
C) creation of varying levels of knowledge, enabling some people to get ahead and others to struggle
D) the lack of broadband Internet access in the United States, compared to other countries

Question 11

Which one of the following choices represents a positive benefit of technology?

A) Efficiency has increased for individuals both in the workplace and at home.
B) Companies have been able to be more competitive, which has caused consumer prices to remain relatively stable.
C) Firms have been able to hire fewer people due to automation, enabling higher returns for their investors.
D) Individuals across all generations are now able to access factually correct information on demand.

Question 12

Which one of the following statements related to technology and efficiency is accurate?

A) Technology has enabled efficiency through decreased wait times.
B) Technology has allowed individuals to remove financial barriers in their personal and professional lives.
C) Technology has removed inefficiencies from all areas of business, allowing costs to be driven down.
D) As technology gets cheaper, its efficiency generally decreases.

Question 13

One of the benefits of technology and efficiency is best described by which one of the following choices?

A) People can spend more time doing other, higher-value activities.
B) Individuals in the workplace can choose which jobs to work on.
C) Automation of all routine and mundane tasks will be automated.
D) Individuals will have more time away from work to focus on personal growth.

Question 14

One of the benefits of a more efficient life is best described by which one of the following choices?

A) An individual can focus on learning new skill sets that can benefit them personally and professionally.
B) An individual may spend more time socializing with coworkers in the workplace.
C) An individual may apply for more jobs and make more money.
D) An individual has more time to focus on their career and pursuit of material interests.

Question 15

An individual may choose to learn new skills in his or her free time

A) because in so doing, it will help them to become indispensable to their employer, and less likely to be let go
B) because it may help them gain satisfaction in their personal life or be more competitive in their field
C) to ensure that they can always outperform their peers and friends in the workplace and personal lives, respectively
D) to try and remain the most popular in social group settings

Question 16

Which of the following choices correctly describes the benefit of a strong network?

A) A strong network will allow an individual to get a new job very easily.
B) A strong network will allow firms to easily check up on employees outside the workplace.
C) A strong network helps individuals to benefit from the knowledge and resources of others.
D) A strong network ensures that individuals' and firms' values are exactly aligned.

Question 17

Which one of the following choices best describes why technology has been positively associated with culture?

A) People have been able to travel and experience other cultures.
B) Individuals now understand more about their workplace competitors in other countries.
C) All cultures have benefitted equally from technological advances.
D) Technology has eliminated all cultural misunderstandings, leading to smoother business interactions and dealings.

Question 18

Which of the following choices correctly describes the term anomie?

A) This term describes how technology has caused people to mistrust each other.
B) This term is related to how technology has caused a rise in individualism.
C) This term focuses on how larger firms have been more effective at leveraging technology for their business needs.
D) This term relates to people's innate desire to engage with other people in their immediate lives.

Question 19

The rise of technology is best described by which one of the following choices?

A) It has enabled people more time to spend building personal relationships with those in their immediate vicinity.
B) It has allowed the breaking down of barriers that previously had caused people to rarely interact effectively with each other.
C) It has been associated with a decrease in person-to-person interaction.
D) It has caused a huge decrease in the cost of communication, which has served to make people more effective personal communicators.

Question 20

Economies of scale relates most closely to which of the following choices?

A) Goods can be produced and purchased more cheaply when they are mass produced.
B) Mass production allows a greater breadth and variety of goods to be manufactured and purchased.
C) Small firms can compete effectively with larger firms through specialization.
D) Different firms place different markups on products to achieve profitability targets.

Question 21

The emergence and proliferation of technology throughout the world have

A) caused an increase in wealth and access to products and markets unseen previously
B) caused a deeper divide between the upper and middle class than ever before
C) benefitted only individuals and firms living and operating in developed countries
D) been associated with a decrease in individualism

Question 22

Which one of the following choices best describes why technology has helped to drastically improve life expectancy?

A) By allowing people better access to communications software
B) By improving medical research and access to health technologies
C) Through ensuring individuals make better and healthier lifestyle choices
D) By ensuring that all individuals have access to the latest medical research and treatments

Question 23

Better access to education and knowledge for individuals

A) was driven by the Industrial Revolution in England and has accelerated since then
B) existed before the advent and proliferation of the Industrial Revolution
C) has generally only been available to individuals in developed countries
D) is still a major concern and challenge that technology must overcome

Question 24

Individuals who subscribe to the Kantian ethical philosophy

A) would tend to view education and knowledge as rights of individuals
B) tend to place less focus on the acquisition of knowledge and educational advancement
C) believe that the attainment of knowledge and education is a moral imperative
D) would view education and knowledge attainment as both virtuous and ethical

Question 25

A subscriber to the Rawlsian framework would

A) view the attainment of education and knowledge as a moral imperative for all individuals
B) generally disregard knowledge and education as unimportant
C) view the spread of knowledge among a large number of people as beneficial
D) be skeptical of knowledge diffusion because of the opportunity for knowledge to be spread unevenly

Question 26

Which of the following choices correctly describes how technology helped the Arab Spring uprisings?

A) Increased access to technology helped broadcast the message of those wanting change.
B) Technology helped people to coordinate targeted actions against local and national governments.
C) Technology helped individuals to remain anonymous and avoid being caught for spreading antigovernment sentiments.
D) Governments in the affected countries were able to effectively leverage technology to catch dissenters.

Question 27

Which of the following statements about technological development is accurate?

A) Technological development has mainly been associated with negative societal developments.
B) Technological development has caused people to focus more on building personal relationships with others.
C) Technological development, despite accelerating after the Industrial Revolution, has stagnated in recent years.
D) The advent and proliferation of technological developments can often be both good and bad for society and the individual.

Question 28

Which of the following statements is true regarding income inequality?

A) Despite the Industrial Revolution and technological developments, this is still a challenge.
B) Income inequality was largely solved by the Industrial Revolution because of increased access to technology.
C) Income inequality still exists despite the proliferation of technology, but only in developing countries.
D) Research indicates that income inequality is associated with technology proliferation.

Question 29

Modern technology can be associated with and attributed to

A) the Gutenberg printing press, which sparked the technological boom and Industrial Revolution
B) the Industrial Revolution in England, which contributed to an economic boom that spread throughout the world
C) the rise of steam power, which started in England and spread throughout the world and caused mass automation and decreases in wages and standards of living
D) a decrease in demand for the services of skilled laborers, which drove down wage rates

Question 30

Which of the following statements is correct regarding the Industrial Revolution?

A) The Industrial Revolution benefitted the rich and the poor directly and indirectly.
B) The Industrial Revolution sparked a change in technology that is still in force today.
C) The Industrial Revolution mainly benefitted the poor, working class because of large increases in wages and standards of living.
D) The Industrial Revolution only benefitted the rich, as they were able to exploit the working class for personal gain.

Question 31

Which of the following choices correctly describes an economic benefit of technology?

A) People across the world now all have access to the Internet of things, improving efficiency and convenience.
B) Technology has helped connect buyers and sellers in a way that has not previously been seen.
C) Technology has caused people to become more connected on an individual level.
D) People across the world now have greater access to goods, which have increased in price.

Question 32

Which of the following statements pertaining to technology is accurate?

A) Technology has enabled people to gain knowledge in a quicker and more convenient manner.
B) Technology has only benefitted middle- and upper-class individuals in developed countries.
C) Technology has driven increases in price on goods because of new markets opening across the globe.
D) Technology has caused people to spend more time on daily tasks such as paying bills and running errands.

Question 33

Which of the following choices most accurately describes an example of the echo chamber?

A) An individual relies on the Facebook newsfeed for information about an upcoming election.
B) A firm uses Twitter to attract and advertise to potential new customers.
C) A firm deletes all reviews and comments from their website after fourteen days.
D) A firm uses a celebrity to advertise and promote their brand and products.

Question 34

Which of the following choices correctly describes one of the problems of biased information?

A) Biased information will always cause individuals to make poor and incorrect decisions.
B) Biased information is used to extort individuals and make large sums of money.
C) Biased information is often manipulative and treats individuals as a means rather than an end.
D) Biased information typically causes people to look elsewhere for sources of information.

Question 35

Which of the following choices most accurately describes the concept of "the digital divide"?

A) This concept is associated with the discrepancy in access to information among people of different socioeconomic statuses.
B) The digital divide relates to how some people use Apple products and experience problems accessing certain technology as a result.
C) The digital divide focuses on how the wealthy have leveraged technology to help the poor.
D) The digital divide relates to how many people have lost interpersonal communication skills as a result of technology.

Question 36

Which one of the following choices best describes a negative outcome often associated with the digital divide?

A) The unwillingness of the wealthy to try to bridge this divide
B) The increasing lack of access to technology by individuals in developing countries
C) The ever-present gap between people who can afford technology and those who cannot
D) The opportunity for companies and marketing firms to exploit poorer people

Question 37

Which of the following choices correctly describes the issue with the digital divide in the workplace?

A) The digital divide has allowed poorer people to get promoted at work faster than wealthier people.
B) The digital divide has given more highly educated people access to better opportunities.
C) The digital divide has forced companies to be more transparent about their financial status and corporate responsibility programs.
D) The digital divide has depleted employment and growth opportunities for individuals living in rural areas.

Question 38

Which of the following choices most accurately describes the notion of technological solutionism?

A) Mankind can use technology to solve all the problems that exist in the world.
B) Increasing competition between technological companies will continue to drive down prices for end consumers.
C) Technology simply cannot offer solutions to problems that exist in today's world.
D) The solution to the spiraling cost of new technology can be decreased via mass production.

Question 39

Which of the following statements is correct regarding technology?

A) Technology can solve all problems faced by mankind in today's world.
B) Technology may be able to help solve some problems but may also cause others.
C) The advent of technology has created the digital divide, which has helped increase poverty.
D) The proliferation of technology throughout the world has solved issues such as world hunger.

Question 40

Which one of the following choices best describes how humans can effectively leverage technology?

A) to help solve some of the problems and challenges the world faces, such as poverty and hunger
B) to help increase their amount of free time, which can then be used to create better technologies
C) by ensuring that access to the latest technologies is limited to certain people in certain classes
D) by mankind determining how to eliminate all negative side effects of technology

Question 41

Which of the following statements correctly describes a problem with the idea of technological solutionism?

A) Individuals are generally very skeptical about technology's use as a problem-solving tool.
B) Technological solutionism is flawed in the sense that it has created problems while helping with others.
C) The solutions that technology offers and proposes are typically prohibitively expensive.
D) Individuals who turn to technology to solve their problems are usually disappointed with the results.

Question 42

Which of the following choices is associated with a negative outcome of technology?

A) The cost of technology continues to increase, pricing many poorer individuals out of the market.
B) The advent of technology has seen a huge increase in associated pollution around the globe.
C) Technology has enhanced the spread of factually incorrect information.
D) Technology is often misused by people because they do not understand how to use the technology properly.

Question 43

When considering the accuracy and reliability of a news source, which of the following choices is true?

A) An individual should seek to determine if the information can be independently corroborated by reliable sources.
B) It is safe for an individual to assume that if it is posted online, the information has already been independently fact-checked.
C) The government regulates all news outlets and sources, whether online or offline.
D) The individual should consider comparing the source to other similar sites to see if the information matches.

Question 44

Which of the following choices most accurately describes the idea of confirmation bias?

A) Confirmation bias is a problem that tends to be experienced more in the developing world than the developed world.
B) Individuals may decide on what they believe is true and then only look to sources that confirm what they believe to be true.
C) Confirmation bias relates to the idea that individuals are typically open to conflicting points of view in order to help them make an unbiased decision.
D) Confirmation bias is caused when people blindly stick to one brand, such as Apple, when better products might exist on the market.

Question 45

When it comes to the quality and reliability of information

A) all information posted online is required to be fact-checked before posting
B) sources in the "middle" politically will always provide the most factual, unbiased information
C) reliable sources often include academic, peer-reviewed journals
D) individuals should rely on print publications such as newspapers only, as these are always more reliable

Question 46

Which of the following statements about technology is accurate?

A) The majority of the benefit from technology has flowed to companies.
B) Most of the benefits of the advent and proliferation of technology have flowed to individuals.
C) People who embraced technology early on have been able to vastly enrich themselves.
D) Technology has had a bigger positive impact on individuals in developing nations.

Question 47

How has technology enabled individuals to benefit from higher wages?

A) Technology has helped increase incomes around the world through increased opportunities for buyers and sellers to connect.
B) Technology has caused firms' efficiency to vastly increase, meaning higher prices and margins on products.
C) Firms are now able to pay their employees much more money because technology has automated the majority of work functions previously done by employees.
D) Technology has enabled employees to work remotely, meaning they can now work more than one job and thus increase their income.

Question 48

Which of the following statements is true regarding the positive impact of technology on society?

A) Technology has helped increase the standard of living in developing countries to the same level as developed countries.
B) Technology has helped businesses to be much more efficient than before, helping firms to offer more products at higher prices.
C) Technology has enabled many people to automate the more trivial parts of their life, such as paying bills.
D) Technology has allowed firms to leverage technology for conferencing, thus helping decimate industries such as the airline and other travel industries.

Question 49

The benefits of the advent and proliferation of technology

A) have helped lower-income individuals and families the most
B) have mainly flowed to wealthy individuals and families
C) have been seen more in the private sector than in the public sector
D) are reflected in cost reductions for services in all areas

Question 50

A benefit of the increased efficiencies gained by technology is

A) that individuals can spend less time working and more time on leisure activities
B) that individuals have more free time to practice and master new skills
C) seen by the dramatic increase in individuals' interpersonal and social skills
D) that companies are able to earn even greater profits on selling their products

Question 51

Which of the following choices most accurately describes a reason for using professional networks such as LinkedIn?

A) Individuals who effectively utilize such networks tend to earn higher wages and get promoted faster than their peers.
B) Such professional networks enable individuals to stay in contact with their friends and ensure they get the jobs when openings arise.
C) Individuals may be able to leverage such networks to gain access to the knowledge and skills of other people.
D) These networks are generally free to use and thus, those individuals seeking to further their career should take advantage of them.

Question 52

Which of the following choices most accurately describes the benefits of international travel?

A) International travel can be used to extend the length of employees' vacations.
B) International travel opens an individual to new cultural experiences and customs.
C) International travel has been effectively promoted by certain industries in order to profit from demand.
D) International travel allows firms to make large sums of money in developing countries that have less stringent health and safety standards than developed nations.

Question 53

Which of the following choices describes a common problem with social media sites such as Facebook?

A) Individuals often receive a distorted picture of how others' lives are being lived.
B) These sites often sell personal information to third parties without the user's consent.
C) Individuals can typically access only basic features; expensive memberships are required to access any substantive features.
D) They are often sued by foreign governments and other private companies due to their size and power.

Question 54

Which one of the following choices best describes a benefit of international travel?

A) Its ability to help enrich the shareholders and stakeholders of firms providing travel services, such as airlines
B) Its ability to help people understand and appreciate people they otherwise would have never met
C) Its ability to help people spread their way of living and doing things around the world
D) Itallows people to take nicer and longer vacations that they can post on social media

Question 55

Individuals who have learned how to properly harness and leverage technology

A) will never again experience issues with negative aspects of technology
B) have learned how to make large sums of money by training others to do the same thing
C) avoid all negative interactions with technology by using it only for certain things
D) understand that technology has both positive and negative aspects and are careful to understand both

Question 56

Which of the following correctly describes a potentially negative outcome of technology?

A) Technology may be used malevolently to take advantage of other individuals.
B) As technology becomes cheaper and more accessible, individuals will find ways to block others' access.
C) Technology may not be able to solve world problems quickly enough to really be effective.
D) Technology has really substantially benefitted only poorer people in developing countries.

Question 57

Which of the following statements is true regarding technology proliferation around the world?

A) The rate of technology proliferation has slowed in recent years due to the increased cost of newer technologies.
B) Technological increases and advances have allowed individuals to be more responsive in both their personal and professional lives.
C) Firms have used the advent and proliferation of technology worldwide to profiteer and price gouge in overseas markets.
D) Individuals in developed countries have attempted to slow the spread of technologies in developing countries.

Question 58

Which of the following is a true statement concerning the use of technology around the world?

A) Governments around the world have used technology to build weapons of mass destruction.
B) Generally speaking, all of the outcomes associated with technology proliferation have been positive.
C) Developing countries have generally limited or denied access to emerging technologies for developed countries.
D) As technology continues to rapidly increase, the cost of delivering technology also is increasing.

Question 59

A negative outcome that has been associated with technological developments is the

A) lack of predicted cost savings brought about by economies of scale
B) fragmentation of the family unit and increased individualism
C) withholding of vital technologies by developed countries
D) spiraling cost of delivering such technologies

Question 60

Which of the following choices correctly describes an issue associated with individuals becoming atomized?

A) They tend to be more aware than ever before of foreign cultures and practices.
B) They tend to get promoted faster in the workplace due to their selfish nature.
C) They tend to focus more on themselves, even at the expense of others.
D) Individuals who become atomized tend to focus more on the family unit and not on their careers.

Question 61

Which of the following choices most accurately describes the concept of anomie?

A) Individuals who experience anomie are more likely to form long-lasting bonds with their family and peers.
B) Anomie speaks to the destruction of collectivism and cooperation among individuals.
C) People try to avoid anomie wherever possible because it is typically bad for their careers.
D) Anomie is generally seen only in developing nations and cultures.

Question 62

Which one of the following choices best describes a common issue observed in today's society around the world?

A) The ever-increasing cost of smartphones and other technology
B) The preoccupation of people with their smartphones and the digital world
C) Developed countries deliberately withholding access to technologies from developing countries
D) The increasing weaponization of technologies, which can be used to spy on friends and peers

Question 63

Which one of the following choices best describes one of the downsides of the advent and proliferation of technology?

A) The shifting focus of individuals to the transitory, away from the permanent
B) The rapidly escalating cost of technology usage
C) The way that developed countries have withheld technology from developing nations
D) The loss of efficiency individuals are experiencing in their personal lives

Question 64

Which one of the following choices best describes the rise of technology and its increasingly prominent usage?

A) Technology is extremely beneficial for mankind, both collectively and individually.
B) Technology has not benefitted mankind because of individuals becoming so isolationist.
C) Technology has been at the expense of developed nations that have lost ground to developing countries.
D) Technology has slowed down in recent years because of prohibitive costs and slower supply chains.

Question 65

Which of the following statements concerning the echo chamber is true?

A) Echo chambers help individuals to surround themselves with positive and like-minded people.
B) An echo chamber represents a great mechanism to serve as a sounding board for different ideas.
C) One of the negatives associated with echo chambers is the reinforcement of often incorrect information.
D) The easiest way to avoid being drawn into echo chambers is to simply deactivate all social media.

Question 66

Which one of the following choices is the best description of technological tools such as smartphones?

A) should be avoided wherever possible, due to their addictive nature
B) should be carefully regulated by individuals, who should educate themselves on the dangers of overuse
C) should be encouraged because it is important for individuals in societies to be as well informed as possible
D) should generally be restricted to individuals' personal lives only and should not be used in the workplace

Question 67

Which of the following statements concerning technology and its relationship to society is true?

A) Overall, technology such as smartphones should be viewed as negative due to its addictive nature.
B) Technology is routinely abused by firms that extract large profits from consumers via its leverage.
C) Technology has caused people to have more free time to come together and form deeper, longer-lasting bonds.
D) Technology such as smartphones should ideally be viewed as tools, with individuals ensuring that the technology does not take them over

Question 68

Which of the following statements concerning technology and people is true?

A) Individuals routinely report that they have found a healthy balance between technology usage and time away from technology.
B) People often find themselves spending increasing amounts of time on devices such as smartphones at the expense of other productive activities.
C) Technology outside the workplace should be treated with suspicion because of its ability to destroy and degrade the family unit.
D) If people wish to lead happier, more productive lives, they should avoid the use of technology to the greatest extent possible.

Question 69

Which of the following choices describes a prudent approach and strategy to smartphone usage?

A) Individuals should set clear boundaries when it comes to smartphone usage.
B) Individuals should avoid using smartphones outside work and instead focus solely on interpersonal relationships with others.
C) Smartphones should be used frequently to ensure an individual is abreast of and up to date with all the latest information.
D) Individuals should encourage their friends and family members to form social networks online so that time spent using smartphones is as fulfilling as possible.

Question 70

Research into mankind's increasing use of technology indicates

A) higher levels of personal and professional fulfillment associated with technology
B) that technology and people's preoccupation with it might be harming personal relationships with others
C) that individuals who spend more time using technology generally take longer to get promoted in the workplace
D) that use of technology is far greater in developing countries than in developed countries

Question 71

With respect to social media outlets, the echo chamber

A) has been shown to be associated with negative benefits, such as driving people apart
B) is widely credited with providing individuals with different and conflicting viewpoints
C) is generally regarded as ineffective in helping individuals make up their mind about important issues
D) relates to ensuring that only factual information is disseminated to online audiences

Question 72

Explain and discuss some of the positives related to how technology has changed people's lives.
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Question 73

Explain and discuss some negative ways that technology has impacted society.
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Question 74

Discuss how technology has helped individuals to become more efficient in both their personal and work lives.
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Question 75

Explain and discuss the concept of anomie as set forth by the French sociologist Emile Durkheim. How is this concept related to the proliferation of technology?
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