Ethics, Technology, and Engineering: An Introduction

There are many tough ethical questions at the crossroads of engineering and technology –– ones that are raised on a surprisingly regular basis. For instance, who is responsible for the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion? Do new information systems endanger our privacy? Should new energy technologies be sustainable? Engineers have to deal with such consequential issues not just as private citizens but as highly trained professionals as well. Ethics, Technology, and Engineering teaches engineering students the relevant moral skills for dealing with ethical issues inherent in engineering practice. Featuring a unique systematic approach to dealing with ethical problems known as the ′ethical cycle,′ the book utilizes an abundance of real–life case studies from the U.S., Europe, and across the world to shed important light on the ethical issues that arise in the daily practice of engineers. Topics include ethical issues that arise in engineering design, hazards and risks of technology, organizational settings, sustainability, and others. Also considered are some of the more ′macro–ethical′ issues such as atomic power and nanotechnology. Ethics, Technology, and Engineering provides a wealth of enlightening insights into the consideration of ethical issues related to the interplay of engineering with our increasingly technological global society.

Acknowledgments. Introduction. 1 The Responsibilities of Engineers. 1.1 Introduction. 1.2 Responsibility. 1.3 Passive Responsibility. 1.4 Active Responsibility and the Ideals of Engineers. 1.5 Engineers versus Managers. 1.6 The Social Context of Technological Development. 1.7 Chapter Summary. 2 Codes of Conduct. 2.1 Introduction. 2.2 Codes of Conduct. 2.3 Possibilities and Limitations of Codes of Conduct. 2.4 Codes of Conduct in an International Context. 2.5 Chapter Summary. 3 Normative Ethics. 3.1 Introduction. 3.2 Ethics and Morality. 3.3 Descriptive and Normative Judgments. 3.4 Points of Departure: Values, Norms, and Virtues. 3.5 Relativism and Absolutism. 3.6 Ethical Theories. 3.7 Utilitarianism. 3.8 Kantian Theory. 3.9 Virtue Ethics. 3.10 Care Ethics. 3.11 Applied Ethics. 3.12 Chapter Summary. 4 Normative Argumentation. 4.1 Introduction. 4.2 Valid Arguments. 4.3 Deductive and Non–Deductive Arguments. 4.4 Arguments in Ethical Theories. 4.5 Fallacies. 4.6 Chapter Summary. 5 The Ethical Cycle. 5.1 Introduction. 5.2 Ill–Structured Problems. 5.3 The Ethical Cycle. 5.4 An Example. 5.5 Collective Moral Deliberation and Social Arrangements. 5.6 Chapter Summary. 6 Ethical Questions in the Design of Technology. 6.1 Introduction. 6.2 Ethical Issues During the Design Process. 6.3 Trade–offs and Value Conflicts. 6.4 Regulatory Frameworks: Normal and Radical Design. 6.5 Chapter Summary. 7 Designing Morality ( Peter–Paul Verbeek ). 7.1 Introduction. 7.2 Ethics as a Matter of Things. 7.3 Technological Mediation. 7.4 Moralizing Technology. 7.5 Designing Mediations. 7.6 Chapter Summary. 8 Ethical Aspects of Technical Risks. 8.1 Introduction. 8.2 Definitions of Central Terms. 8.3 The Engineer′s Responsibility for Safety. 8.4 Risk Assessment. 8.5 When are Risks Acceptable? 8.6 Risk Communication. 8.7 Dealing with Uncertainty and Ignorance. 8.8 Chapter Summary. 9 The Distribution of Responsibility in Engineering. 9.1 Introduction. 9.2 The Problem of Many Hands. 9.3 Responsibility and the Law. 9.4 Responsibility in Organizations. 9.5 Responsibility Distributions and Technological Designs. 9.6 Chapter Summary. 10 Sustainability, Ethics, and Technology ( Michiel Brumsen ). 10.1 Introduction. 10.2 Environmental Ethics? 10.3 Environmental Problems. 10.4 Sustainable Development. 10.5 Can a Sustainable Society be Realized? 10.6 Engineers and Sustainability. 10.7 Chapter Summary. Study Questions. Discussion Questions. Appendix I: Engineering Qualifications and Organizations in a Number of Countries. Appendix II: NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers. Appendix III: FEANI Position Paper on Code of Conduct: Ethics and Conduct of Professional Engineers. Appendix IV: Shell Code of Conduct. Appendix V: DSM Values and Whistle Blowing Policy. Glossary. References. Index of Cases. Index.

Ibo van de Poel is Associate Professor in Ethics and Technology at Delft University of Technology. He is an associate editor of the Handbook of Philosophy of Technology and the Engineering Sciences (2009) and co–editor of Philosophy and Engineering (2010). Lambèr Royakkers is Associate Professor in Ethics of Technology at Eindhoven University of Technology, and Associate Professor in Military Ethics at Netherlands Defense Academy. He is also Project Leader of the research programme Moral Fitness of Military Personnel in a Networked Environment, sponsored by the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research.