Reflective Writing Assignment

Before this course I was not aware of the moral theory. It was interesting to learn about them throughout this course. The three moral theories that I found interesting are Utilitarism, virtue ethics, and contractarianism. With the help of these theories, I was able to gain a new perspective on a lot of things in life. One of them being my future career in cybersecurity and how moral theory can influence the way people decide.

Utilitarianism

In one of topics from my assignment about Reynolds and Leon, I learned about utilitarianism moral theory. “Utilitarianism is the more specific claim that the consequences of an action are good exactly when the consequences increase the total amount of happiness or pleasure in the world” it not about whether the action is right or wrong, it is about what action results in maximum amount of happiness and least amount of suffering. I found it interesting because before I never thought about looking at things from this perspective. Things were either right or wrong for me. However now, I understand the importance of looking at the overall outcome of the action and how it impacts the parties involved. This point of view is essential in cybersecurity because even a small decision can cause harm or greatest good for users.

Takeaway: The takeaway I learned from this moral theory is to always think about whether my decision has positive or negative impact on maximum amount of people that are involved.

Virtue Ethics

In another assignment about the topic “Girl in Wave: Wave in Girl” I learned about the virtue ethics moral theory. “Morality, for virtue ethics, means doing the right thing in the right situation for the right reasons” it was amazing how alia learned to be a virtuous person through melody. Virtue ethics analyze the person through their personal character rather than focusing on specific action they performed. I was surprised to learn that “Fake it till you make It” works on virtue ethics. If you practice virtuous behavior such as courage, kindness, empathy, and wisdom every day and pretend that you are a virtuous person until it becomes habit, it is very possible to be a virtuous person.

Takeaway: I will continue practicing virtuous behavior until they become a part of my character.

Contractarianism

In my assignment about “The Evening and the Morning and the Night,” I was able to learn about the Contractarianism. It is “a moral theory that claims that morality is based in an unspoken social contract between all members of society”. With the help of Rawls’s veil of ignorance, I gained a new perspective on how people with DGD should be treated by society. Behind Rawls’s veil of ignorance, no one would know their position in society which asks us to think about whether the rules created are fair. I learned that people that are at a disadvantage require more, treating everyone same would be unfair to them. Vulnerable groups of people should be treated with more protection and care.

Takeaway: I want to always remember to put myself in someone else’s shoes before making a decision. Especially in cybersecurity, Would I still think it’s a good decision?

Conclusion

Overall, I learned a lot about the perspectives and theory thanks to this course. These theories and topics really help me develop as person, forcing me to think about situations in life that could be approached in different ways. Instead, if seeing things in black and white I have learned to consider the consequences of action, importance of virtues and thinking about fairness. I will remember to use these perspectives while making any kinds of decisions regarding data, protection, people and security as I continue to pursue a career in cybersecurity field.