Technology and the ethics of its role in shaping our social reality

• Main Author: Tay, Scarlett Xiao Ni
• Other Authors: Li Chenyang
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: Nanyang Technological University 2023
• Subjects: Humanities::Philosophy
• Online Access: https://hdl.handle.net/10356/165402
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

With the growth of technology leading to widespread use of the internet and the introduction of social media, technology is now constantly shaping our social reality, from people we interact with to the relationships we form. This paper will examine the ethical implications of technology on our social reality through the lens of three ethical theories: Utilitarianism, Virtue Ethics, and Deontology. The theory of Utilitarianism will find that technology’s impact is ethical, while the theories of Virtue Ethics and Deontology will find that it is not ethical, and I will provide possible solutions based on the latter two theories. Ultimately, this paper will conclude that the best solution to the ethical implications of technology on our social reality is a combination of solutions derived from Virtue Ethics and Deontology.