Trolleys, veils and prisoners: the case for accessibility from philosophical ethics

Those who want to make accessible websites, will likely have to convince others in their organisation. One reason to make our websites as accessible as we can, is that doing so is the right thing. For centuries, doing the right thing has been a concern for the field of philosophical ethics. In this talk, some notable philosophical thought experiments are applied to the world of web accessibility. With some practical examples, this talk makes a refreshing case for web accessibility, which people can use to advocate for more inclusive websites.

Transcript

1. Trolleys, veils and prisoners VJGECUGHQTCEEGUUKDKNKV[
 HTQORJKNQUQRJKECNGVJKEU Hidde de Vries 16-11-2017 #id24 / @hdv
2. Hi, I'm Hidde #id24 / @hdv
3. #id24 / @hdv
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8. #TIWOGPVU HQTC[ #id24 / @hdv
9. technical #TIWOGPVU HQTC[ #id24 / @hdv
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12. #TIWOGPVU HQTC[ #id24 / @hdv
13. technical #TIWOGPVU HQTC[ #id24 / @hdv
14. technical legal #TIWOGPVU HQTC[ #id24 / @hdv
15. technical legal business #TIWOGPVU HQTC[ #id24 / @hdv
16. technical legal business moral #TIWOGPVU HQTC[ #id24 / @hdv
17. 9JCV KUGVJKEU! #id24 / @hdv
18. how to live 9JCV KUGVJKEU! #id24 / @hdv
19. how to live what to do 9JCV KUGVJKEU! #id24 / @hdv
20. how to live what to do how we want our world shaped 9JCV KUGVJKEU! #id24 / @hdv
21. #id24 / @hdv
22. #id24 / @hdv
23. #id24 / @hdv
24. #id24 / @hdv how to live what to do how we want our world shaped 9JCV KUGVJKEU! #id24 / @hdv
25. Virtue ethics Duty ethics Utilitarianism 'VJKECN VJGQTKGU #id24 / @hdv
26. #id24 / @hdv
27. #id24 / @hdv There's no fixed set of
 moral rules, it's about
 learning character traits
28. #id24 / @hdv honesty moderation generosity friendliness courage
29. #id24 / @hdv You don't get virtuous by chance, it is hard work and a bit like acquiring a skill.
30. #id24 / @hdv HGCT EQPHKFGPEG courage
31. #id24 / @hdv HGCT EQPHKFGPEG courage OGCP
32. #id24 / @hdv HGCT EQPHKFGPEG courage OGCP
33. #id24 / @hdv HGCT EQPHKFGPEG courage OGCP
34. Finding the mean in any given situation is not a mechanical or thoughtless procedure, but requires a full and detailed acquaintance with the circumstances. Richard Kraut, Aristotle's Ethics 
 (in: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy) “ #id24 / @hdv
35. #id24 / @hdv Give thought to the
 circumstances and 
 find the best mean.
36. h1 h2 h3 h4 h5 h1 h2 h3 h4 h5 h1 h2 h3 h4 h5 h6 h1 h2 h3 h4 h5 h1 h2 h3 h4 h5 h6 h1 h2 h3 h4 h5 h1 h2 h3 h4 h5 h6 h1 h2 h3 h4 h5 1 2 3 4 h5 #id24 / @hdv “Don't skip header levels”
37. “Use semantic markup” <fieldset> <legend>Favourite film <label for="titanic">Ti <input id="titanic" /> <label for="lebowski"> ski" />
40. #id24 / @hdv Let's regard finding the mean accessible solution as a skill, too.
41. #id24 / @hdv
42. #id24 / @hdv people as 
 rational beings
43. #id24 / @hdv categorical imperative
44. Act only according to that maxim by which you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law. Immanuel Kant, Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals “ #id24 / @hdv
45. #id24 / @hdv 6JGRTQEGUU
46. #id24 / @hdv 1. Make a rule 6JGRTQEGUU
47. #id24 / @hdv 1. Make a rule 2. Would you like turn this into legislation that applies to all of humanity? 6JGRTQEGUU
48. #id24 / @hdv morality vs prudence
49. #id24 / @hdv
50. #id24 / @hdv The greatest happiness principle
51. #id24 / @hdv Does my action increase the world's total happiness?
52. #id24 / @hdv Does my action increase the world's total happiness?
53. #id24 / @hdv What is an
 increase in 
 happiness?
54. #id24 / @hdv Make changes that
 increase happiness, 
 avoid those that don't
55. #id24 / @hdv
56. #id24 / @hdv
57. #id24 / @hdv
58. #id24 / @hdv
59. #id24 / @hdv Does my action increase the world's total happiness?
60. #id24 / @hdv Does my action increase the website's total accessibility?
61. It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be a little bit better than yesterday. Léonie Watson “ #id24 / @hdv
62. #id24 / @hdv
63. The trolley problem #id24 / @hdv
64. Jesse Prinz / subcortex.com #id24 / @hdv
65. #id24 / @hdv
66. #id24 / @hdv Jesse Prinz / subcortex.com
67. #id24 / @hdv
68. This is about making the right choices #id24 / @hdv
69. #id24 / @hdv Footer at bowers-wilkins.com
70. lots of subtle shades of grey lots of contrast #id24 / @hdv
71. #id24 / @hdv
72. set focus styles to
 outline: none; design a prettier focus indicator #id24 / @hdv
73. As a digital team, you have a lever to pull #id24 / @hdv
74. The veil of ignorance #id24 / @hdv
75. #id24 / @hdv
76. #id24 / @hdv ` original position
77. Amongst the essential features of this situation is that no one knows his place in society, his class position or social status, nor does any one know his fortune in the distribution of natural assets and abilities, his intelligence, strength and the like. John Rawls, A theory of justice “ #id24 / @hdv
78. principle of 
 equal liberty 8GKNQH KIPQTCPEG #id24 / @hdv
79. difference principle 8GKNQH KIPQTCPEG #id24 / @hdv
80. Consider new 
 features from the 
 original position #id24 / @hdv
81. #id24 / @hdv
82. #id24 / @hdv
83. #id24 / @hdv
84. #id24 / @hdv
85. The prisoner's dilemma #id24 / @hdv
86. #id24 / @hdv
87. #id24 / @hdv Wikipedia
88. conflicting 
 interests 2TKUQPGT U FKNGOOC #id24 / @hdv
89. #id24 / @hdv front-end dev designer
90. #id24 / @hdv ň.GV UMGGR VJGHQEWU KPFKECVQTKP RNCEGʼn front-end dev designer
91. #id24 / @hdv ň.GV UMGGR VJGHQEWU KPFKECVQTKP RNCEGʼn ň0CNQQMU WIN[PQV IQQFHQT O[RQTVHQNKQʼn front-end dev designer
92. #id24 / @hdv SEO expert a11y nerd
93. #id24 / @hdv ň2NGCUGOCMG
 CNNVJGVJKPIU
 J ʼn SEO expert a11y nerd
94. #id24 / @hdv ň2NGCUGOCMG
 CNNVJGVJKPIU
 J ʼn ň'JDWVQWT WUGTUPGGFC UGPUKDNGJGCFGT UVTWEVWTGʼn SEO expert a11y nerd
95. #id24 / @hdv front-end dev CEO
96. #id24 / @hdv ň.GV UURGPF UQOGVKOG QPOCMKPI VJCVECTQWUGN OQTGKPENWUKXGʼn front-end dev CEO
97. #id24 / @hdv ň.GV UURGPF UQOGVKOG QPOCMKPI VJCVECTQWUGN OQTGKPENWUKXGʼn ň+ FTCVJGT URGPFVJG DWFIGVQP QWT68CFʼn front-end dev CEO
98. Line up interests to
 get more people 
 care about accessibility #id24 / @hdv
99. Make the business case. #id24 / @hdv
100. #id24 / @hdv https://vimeo.com/145138872
101. #id24 / @hdv
102. #id24 / @hdv
103. #id24 / @hdv #id24 / @hdv
104. #id24 / @hdv %QPENWUKQP #id24 / @hdv
105. #id24 / @hdv make good choices %QPENWUKQP #id24 / @hdv
106. #id24 / @hdv make good choices think beyond your own privilege %QPENWUKQP #id24 / @hdv
107. #id24 / @hdv make good choices think beyond your own privilege line up interests %QPENWUKQP #id24 / @hdv
108. #id24 / @hdv (WTVJGT TGCFKPI #id24 / @hdv https://plato.stanford.edu
109. #id24 / @hdv (WTVJGT TGCFKPI #id24 / @hdv http://justiceharvard.org
110. #id24 / @hdv (WTVJGT TGCFKPI #id24 / @hdv
111. Thanks for listening! 
 hidde@hiddedevries.nl @hdv #id24 / @hdv