Grasp the ethical boundary of the algorithm
June 29, 2021 09:21 Source: "China Social Sciences", June 29, 2021, Issue 2196 Author: Wang Jialiang

The algorithm is the core operation logic of the computer,It is a set of data processing instructions based on design purposes。Its main feature is,Through standardized input,Obtain the corresponding output results through the algorithm。Early early development of computer technology,The algorithm is mainly used to improve the operating efficiency of computer software。With the rapid development of Internet technology, especially mobile Internet and the Internet of Things,The business model in the computer field is no longer simply selling software use rights,Instead, gain profits through deep intervention in the work and life of users。The operation object of the algorithm gradually changes from objects to people,The internal value attributes gradually appear,The ethical specifications on it also become urgent。

  bet365 best casino games When a person becomes an operation object of the algorithm,The algorithm will take people as an analysis object for profit or other "rational" purposes,People will be labeled "sorting" in this process。For example,Differential pricing of similar products and services based on "user portrait"、The resume of the hired staff is differentiated after the computer is screening, etc.。In this relationship, the user’s toolization,This discrimination originated from people caused by the improving the efficiency of seizing profit under the algorithm。The discrimination of algorithms has its hiddenness,Because "algorithm black box" will not announce to the outside world,And even if it is announced, it cannot let most people understand。Due to the service and goods provided more and more personalized,Different individuals influenced by the algorithm,It is not easy to find problems through comparison。So,It will appear due to mobile phone brand、History purchase frequency、Different users of variables such as residential areas,Different prices displayed when buying the same service and product,Even refuse to serve specific users by displaying "selling out" and other methods。Except for consumption discrimination,Discrimination of algorithms will also identify and exacerbate the generation of social unfairness,Even if this unfair effect may not be reflected or found at the moment。For example,Some resume screening systems of some American universities will automatically correspond to the students' category according to the existing source.,This will hinder the change of social structure in a more fair direction。Another point requires us to be alert: the algorithm is not always able to run in the direction of its designer's hope。With the continuous strengthening of machine learning ability,Its screening standard will become more and more complicated。But no matter what the standard,It is impossible for us to send hope that machines can identify and process data with the values ​​of human beings -this will make the world that deepen the algorithm in the future full of obscure value nihilism。

 2. Algorithm control.Internet enterprise,Especially the business logic of large platform companies attaches great importance to the number of active users、Data such as the total amount of goods transactions,This makes it improved user stickiness、Get user data portrait as an important goal of algorithm design。First, strengthen the existing social control。If an office information system,Employees linking employees around the weather through communication software and process management software,To improve production efficiency。Now Internet platform companies are gradually involving public services,Help the administrative department to improve management efficiency。For example,The commonly used software -related software now、Public release platform、Access to the public expense payment system, etc.。Second is to create a new control system。This is mainly to excavate human natural needs,and amplify this demand with higher efficiency to generate path dependencies。Social、Consumption、Learning、Information retrieval、Navigation positioning、Film and Television, Game Entertainment, etc.。Among them, many of them use losses to meet people's needs。For example,Maintenance of social software requires higher costs,The purpose of its design is to cultivate larger user bases and use habits。Different behaviors of people using explicit laws and regulations with administrative units,Platform is efficient、Dependent and addictive control users。Users are in a substantial power weakness in front of large platform companies,Therefore, it is deeply embedded in the industrial link to generate an invisible non -free。Discussion on ethical issues of such technologies,It has become more important and necessary。

  3. Fitness feeding.Internet information dissemination has experienced the one -way display phase of the portal、User's active retrieval phase,At present, it has entered the stage of actively providing personalized information based on the algorithm。Harvard University Professor Cass R. Sunstein proposed in the book "Internet Republic","Information Cocoon Room" means that people are habitually guided by their interests in the information field,Therefore, phenomenon in the "cocoon room" like a cocoon。and currently the algorithm based on the principle of "what they are good",greatly improved the efficiency of "making cocoons self -binding"。The diverse integration of people's imagination often does not appear,Instead, more polarization phenomena appeared。Early development in the Internet,The academic community generally believes that the efficient flow of information can take care of the personalized preferences of different groups,Promoting the mutual communication of multiple civilizations。With the development of the early Internet,Especially after the portal media and search engines appear,The collision of culture has been evolving in the direction of mutual integration。But with the continuous evolution of the algorithm,We found that diversifiedism has not flourished worldwide today,Instead, some deeper social splitting appears instead,and show acceleration trends。In the past, people took the initiative to seek groups and cultural identity,In the process of searching, I will constantly contact new information and values,Gradually present as an open value system。The current algorithm is to actively classify people and push the convergence of people with high efficiency,Therefore, the "information cocoon room" has greatly accelerated the rate of polarization。Multi -culture needs soil with the same deposit difference,More means that you can constantly accept new things,and draw nutrients from a diversified environment,Continuously enrich and develop itself,Its inner logic should be complicated preferences that are satisfied and cared at the same field at the same field。And now the logic of the algorithm,is to allow different users to be satisfied in different fields。This is not diversified,but multi -pole,The final result is social splitting at the cultural level。

Life Ethicsist H. Tristram Engelhardt, jr.) In the book "The Basis of Life Ethics", the concept of "moral alien people" was proposed,Refers to those who have a different moral premise that are different from us,They live in different moral communities,There will be a basic value bet365 live casino games orientation conflict when cooperating with them,Including but not limited to the application of the program、understanding of good、allocation of justice, etc.,This will cause dialogue difficulties。The Outline of Ethics is proposed,Public rationality should be established、Improve modern social morality (first of all, modern external ethics order),to make modern content match the form of modern public rationality。Because of this,We need to be based on the principle of core value or public rationality that can be recognized by most people,Crediting the ethical boundary of the algorithm。Important results of the progress of modern civilization,It breaks the boundary between different groups,Highlight the dignity of the person itself,Respect the autonomy value as a person itself,Then through culture、Economy、Politics, etc. fusion,Let people understand each other。The ethical boundary of the algorithm,It should be promoted or at least not damaged these results。

Facing various practical problems caused by algorithm development,It is necessary to strictly adhere to discrimination when designing algorithms、User's intangible materiality、Three principles of the irreplaceability of personal choice。Principles of non -discrimination,Refers to the differentiated treatment cannot be implemented according to the "user portrait",What is reflected here is equal value。User's intangible materiality,It means that the algorithm should respect the user's subjectivity,Can't simply "materialize" or "data"。At the same time,Due to the evolution of technology,Algorithm's control of people has begun to develop from the specific time of work to all aspects that are full of people's lives,More fast information flow is already approaching the physiological limit of people,Increased efficiency is also depriving people Bet365 app download of leisure time。The development of technology should bring convenience rather than control,The algorithm should take into account the strong and disadvantaged dominance relationship between the subjects at the beginning of the design,Can't just use technical neutral as a shield,indirectly promoting "Evil Evil"。Unpreparedness of personal choice,refers to protecting the right of information independently,This is the respect and protection of the spirit of human exploration。We cannot use algorithms to judge people’s needs and preferences,Precise "personalized matching" should have more ethical considerations。

The difference between the algorithm and many other technologies is,The generation of many technology is based on the human practice activity of "invention",The algorithm is based on "design" as the presentation method of technology。Invention is a manifestation of the adaptive person,is to bring more convenience to people,Make up or enhance the needs that it is difficult to meet by people's natural attributes。This is a widely circulated interesting sentence from "lazy is the driving force of scientific and technological progress".,Ethics often takes subsequent responses and specifications for inventions,From the perspective of standards or regulatory possibilities,It is difficult to achieve front constraints。From the current practice,Only the medical ethics of the person can achieve a certain degree of pre -constraints。But the design as the preliminary procedure of the algorithm,Ethics intervention in advance for evaluation is feasible。and,The core principle of the current algorithm design is the object of human action,Centered on computer logic。People can adapt to technology in design,You need to use a lot of time and intelligence to learn、Adapted computer。As long as the technical action object is human,So the advanced intervention Bet365 app download of ethics is necessary。With the penetration rate of computer technology, it continues to rise,The continuous deepening of human society's dependence on algorithms is an indispensable trend,This is also an objective law of "technology tree" that is constantly growing in the direction with higher efficiency。Because of this,We should keep the fundamental principle of benefiting human beings,and more in -depth research and discussing the profound and basic ethical problem of "what is the blessing of human beings",The Cyclonus of the algorithm suddenly puts on the reins,Keep the ethical boundary。

  (Author Unit: Research Center of Ethics and Moral Construction of Renmin University of China)

Editor in charge: Zhang Jing
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