Ethical Behaviour and Rationality in Automation Systems Development

This paper presents a four-factor model of ethical behaviour and explores rationalities underlying automation systems development. These four factors – Existentialist, Humanist, Technocentrist and Industriofatalist – were identified using Q methodology as part of a study into privacy and its role, meaning and value for information systems development. The four-factor model is presented as a holistic model of ethical behaviour and rationality for automation systems development and contemporary society more generally. This paper considers the applicability of the four-factor model for advancing ethical behaviour and rationality in systems development, and argues that the Humanist/Existentialist axis should be promoted to encourage personally empowered and responsible praxis (Existentialist) that is directed towards the protection and advancement of core human values and rights (Humanist). However, the dominance of the diametric Technocentrist/Industriofatalist axis in promoting amoral, instrumentally rational and industrial/economic values to the detriment of substantive human values remains a challenge in this regard