A Gift Of Fire Social, Legal, And Ethical Issues For Computing Technology 5th Edition

A Gift of Fire: Social, Legal, and Ethical Issues for Computing Technology, Fifth Edition by Sara Baase and Timothy M. Henry — Published by Pearson

Designed for courses in Computer Ethics and Computers and Society, this text presents a balanced and objective exploration of the social, legal, philosophical, ethical, political, constitutional, and economic implications of computing and the controversies they raise. Approaching the subject from a computer scientist's perspective and grounding many topics in historical context, the authors cover the issues readers will encounter both as members of a technological society and as professionals in computer-related fields.

A primary goal of the book is to develop computer professionals who understand the full implications of what they create and how their work fits into society at large. Rather than guiding students to predetermined conclusions, the text encourages independent thinking about the ethics and philosophical direction behind each topic. A problem-solving approach structures the discussion by first describing what is happening in a given area, then exploring why concerns arise and what new challenges exist, before offering commentary and potential solutions.

The Fifth Edition contains updated material on emerging topics, removes outdated content, and reorganizes several key areas, with new coverage of trending subjects such as drones and autonomous vehicles. Sara Baase is Professor Emeritus of Computer Science at San Diego State University, a recipient of outstanding teaching awards, and the author of widely translated computer science textbooks. Timothy M. Henry serves as IT Graduate Director at the New England Institute of Technology, where he has developed and taught courses spanning programming, cybersecurity, ethics, and software engineering. Together, they bring both academic rigor and real-world relevance to one of the most important conversations in technology education.