Ethics: The Impacts of Technology on the Youth and Their Moral Values
Chapter One
Objectives of the Study
The objectives of this research work go beyond posing the above ethical questions to tackling them in a very remarkable, yet, academic way with all the acceptable methodologies of the domiciled discipline.
In the area of topographical studies and language disciplines, it will, directly and indirectly, proffer informed solutions to the problem of how much technology affects language and vice versa. The implication is that legislation upon guiding technology through a better language consideration will have a better backbone. This is a very polarizing issue that has over the centuries catalyzed into crusades and tyrannical inquisitions. So this work aims also at mapping out not only how technology affects the youth ethically but also to design workable guidelines in determining the boundaries between innovation and morality and how the use of these inventions can amount to abuse.
CHAPTER TWO
REVIEW OF RELATED LITERATURE
INTRODUCTION
This chapter reviews literature related to the research. It involves a review of existing books, articles, journals and papers which are related to the research and also entails the interrogation of comments, critiques and issues revised by researchers/scholars on and about Ethics: the Impacts of Technology on the Youths and their Moral Values. It also provides information that are central to effective understanding of the issues which necessitate the undertaking of this research, putting into cognizance the views and postulations of people across various fields of studies. Thus, it deals with a balance of arguments for or against quoted comments and eventual position of the researcher.
CONCEPTUAL CLARIFICATIONS
The Concept of Ethics
Ethics or moral philosophy is a branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct. The term ethics derives from Ancient Greek ἠθικός (ethikos), from ἦθος (ethos), meaning ‘habit, custom’. The branch of philosophy axiology comprises the sub-branches of ethics and aesthetics, each concerned with values.
Ethics seeks to resolve questions of human morality by defining concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, virtue and vice, justice and crime. As a field of intellectual enquiry, moral philosophy also is related to the fields of moral psychology, descriptive ethics, and value theory.
Three major areas of study within ethics recognized today are:
- Meta-ethics, concerning the theoretical meaning and reference of moral propositions, and how their truth values (if any) can be determined.
- Normative ethics, concerning the practical means of determining a moral course of action.
- Applied ethics, concerning what a person is obligated (or permitted) to do in a specific situation or a particular domain of action.
Rushworth Kidder states that “standard definitions of ethics have typically included such phrases as ‘the science of the ideal human character’ or ‘the science of moral duty'”. Richard William Paul and Linda Elder define ethics as “a set of concepts and principles that guide us in determining what behavior helps or harms sentient creatures”. The Cambridge Dictionary of Philosophy states that the word ethics is “commonly used interchangeably with ‘morality’ … and sometimes it is used more narrowly to mean the moral principles of a particular tradition, group or individual.” Paul and Elder state that most people confuse ethics with behaving in accordance with social conventions, religious beliefs and the law and don’t treat ethics as a stand-alone concept.
CHAPTER THREE
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
This chapter is concerned with the methodology used in achieving the objectives of the study. It covers research design, study area, population of the study, sample size, sampling techniques, instrument for data collection, sources of data collection, validity of research instrument, reliability of the instrument, administration of the instrument, method of data analysis and decision rule.
Research Design
This study employed the use of survey research design. The choice of this research design was considered appropriate because of its advantages of identifying attributes of a large population from a group of individuals. The design was suitable for the study as the study sought to examine subject matters using The Ministry of Science and Technology, Akwa Ibom State as a case study.
The Study Area
This study was conducted in The Ministry of Science and Technology, Akwa Ibom State. The choice of this study area was informed by its involvement in the subject matter in the state.
Population of the Study
The population of this study consisted of thirty (30) staff of The Ministry of Science and Technology, Akwa Ibom State.
CHAPTER FOUR
DATA ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
INTRODUCTION
This chapter covers data analysis, interpretation and the mode of presentation to illustrate ethics: the Impact of Technology on Youths and their Moral Values. The various sections below therefore show the analysis and discussion of data collected from various respondents in Ministry of Science and Technology, Akwa ibom State. Respondents comprising of administration and Operations personnel, amounted to Twenty-Eight (28).
CHAPTER FIVE
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS, CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATIONS
SUMMARY OF FINDINGS
The first objective of the study was to influence Technological Advancement Latest Technological Advancement. Findings from the study revealed that Internet, Social Media, Block-Chain Technology, and Mobile Applications, The Introduction of Mobile Phones were major contributors to Latest Technological Advancement. With a significance level of 0.05, hypothesis analysed in the paper revealed that there is a positive relationship between Technology and Youth Moral Values, as majority of the respondents asserted and strongly believed that Technological Advancement influence Latest Technological Advancement.
The second objective of the study was to influence Technology humanitarian levels. Findings from the study revealed that Giving to the Poor and Needy, Donations to Charity Organizations, Provision of Community Service, and Empowerment of the Youths, Provision of Shelter to the Homeless were major contributors to Latest Technological Advancement. With a significance level of 0.05, hypothesis analysed in the paper revealed that there is a positive relationship between Technology and Youth Moral Values, as majority of the respondents asserted and strongly believed that Technology influence humanitarian levels.
The third objective of the study was to influence innovation Technological practices. Findings from the study revealed that Internet Blogging, Social Media Marketing, Electronic chatting, and E-commerce, Emailing and Texting were major contributors to Latest Technological Advancement. With a significance level of 0.05, hypothesis analysed in the paper revealed that there is a positive relationship between Technology and Youth Moral Values, as majority of the respondents asserted and strongly believed that innovation influence Technological practices.
CONCLUSION
The paper relationship between ethics: the Impact of Technology on Youths and their Moral Values. From the responses analysed from the respondents of Ministry of Science and Technology, Akwa ibom State, and previous empirical studies on the subject matter, the researcher was able to clearly point out that there is a relationship between Technology and Youth Moral Values.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Based on the objectives and findings of the research paper, the following are recommendation from the study:
- Restrictions On What Website, Gadgets And Applications should Be Placed And Enforced By Parents On Their Children.
- Youths Growing Up Should Not Be Given Early Access To The Information And Communications Gadgets. This May Have The Tendency To Expose Them To Immoral Practices At Tender Ages.
- Adequate Monitoring Of Youths Should Be Enforced By Both Parents And Guardians
- More Humanitarian Programs That Promote Morality In The Society Shouuld Be Promoted By The Government.
- The Government Should Ban All Media Channels And Internet Sites That Promote Immoral Materials For Youth Consumption In Nigeria.
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