TECHNOLOGY AND MUSIC: ETHICAL AND MORAL ISSUES

Abstract

In her article “Technology and music: ethical and moral issues”, Fol focuses on three technological innovations that present moral- vs. ethical value conflicts causing massive changes to the music profession: 1) the ability to send money easily in a fast and reliable way through the internet, with the entire transaction taking no more than a few clicks; 2) the emergence of paid “calls for scores”, announced on easy-to-design simple websites; and 3) reliable online sound file streaming. Fol examines how the fast-paced technological development has allowed for the mental separation of the illegal consumption from its effects – namely the impossibility of professionals to make a living and the consequent decline of the music profession. Fol discusses the issues from different philosophical viewpoints on morality and proposes a moral code for independent professional musicians.

Keywords: ethics, morals, morals vs ethics, justice, fairness, justice vs fairness, technological development, utilitarian-teleological morality, deontological morality, hedonistic morality, ethical consumption