Ethical Issues In Engineering

This anthology focuses on ethical issues confronting individual engineers and the entire engineering profession.

For most professions, a code of ethics exists to promote positive behavior among practitioners in order to enrich others within the field as well as the communities they serve. Similar to the medical, law, and business fields, the engineering discipline also instills a code of ethical conduct. Contemporary Ethical Issues in Engineering highlights a modern approach to the topic of engineering ethics and the current moral dilemmas facing practitioners in the field. Focusing on key issues, theoretical foundations, and the best methods for promoting engineering ethics from the pre-practitioner to the managerial level, this timely publication is ideally designed for use by engineering students, active professionals, and academics, as well as researchers in all disciplines of engineering.

Global Engineering Ethics introduces the fundamentals of ethics in a context specific to engineering without privileging any one national or cultural conception of ethics. Numerous case studies from around the world help the reader to see clearly the relevance of design, safety, and professionalism to engineers. Engineering increasingly takes place in global contexts, with industrial and research teams operating across national and cultural borders. This adds a layer of complexity to already challenging ethical issues. This book is essential reading for anyone wanting to understand or communicate the ethics of engineering, including students, academics, and researchers, and is indispensable for those involved in international and cross-cultural environments. Takes a global-values approach to engineering ethics rather than prioritizing any one national or regional culture Uses engineering case studies to explain ethical issues and principles in relatable, practical contexts Approaches engineering from a business perspective, emphasizing the extent to which engineering occurs in terms of profit-driven markets, addressing potential conflicts that arise as a result Provides extensive guidance on how to carry out ethical analysis by using case studies, to practice addressing and thinking through issues before confronting them in the world

An exploration of the ethics of practical engineering through analyses of eighteen rich case studies The Ethical Engineer explores ethical issues that arise in engineering practice, from technology transfer to privacy protection to whistle-blowing. Presenting key ethics concepts and real-life examples of engineering work, Robert McGinn illuminates the ethical dimension of engineering practice and helps students and professionals determine engineers’ context-specific ethical responsibilities. McGinn highlights the “ethics gap” in contemporary engineering—the disconnect between the meager exposure to ethical issues in engineering education and the ethical challenges frequently faced by engineers. He elaborates four “fundamental ethical responsibilities of engineers” (FEREs) and uses them to shed light on the ethical dimensions of diverse case studies, including ones from emerging engineering fields. The cases range from the Union Carbide pesticide plant disaster in India to the Google Street View project. After examining the extent to which the actions of engineers in the cases align with the FEREs, McGinn recapitulates key ideas used in analyzing the cases and spells out the main lessons they suggest. He identifies technical, social, and personal factors that induce or press engineers to engage in misconduct and discusses organizational, legal, and individual resources available to those interested in ethically responsible engineering practice. Combining probing analysis and nuanced ethical evaluation of engineering conduct in its social and technical contexts, The Ethical Engineer will be invaluable to engineering students and professionals. Meets the need for engineering-related ethics study Elaborates four fundamental ethical responsibilities of engineers Discusses diverse, global cases of ethical issues in established and emerging engineering fields Identifies resources and options for ethically responsible engineering practice Provides discussion questions for each case

This text has been revised to coincide with the directive by ABET (the Accrediting Board for Engineering and Technology) to expand the ethics for engineering course. Other topics new to this edition include computer ethics, environmental ethics, corporate loyalty and collegiality.

An engaging, accessible survey of the ethical issues faced by engineers, designed for students The first engineering ethics textbook to use debates as the framework for presenting engineering ethics topics, this engaging, accessible survey explores the most difficult and controversial issues that engineers face in daily practice. Written by a leading scholar in the field of engineering and computer ethics, Deborah Johnson approaches engineering ethics with three premises: that engineering is both a technical and a social endeavor; that engineers don't just build things, they build society; and that engineering is an inherently ethical enterprise.

This book is a key introduction to ethics in engineering, providing professionals at all stages of their career with guidance on navigating the increasingly complex world of practising engineering ethically on an international scale. Engineering professionals face a duty to uphold reliable and trustworthy behaviour when working across all disciplines and industries. Accuracy and rigour are essential parts of the modern workplace, and are increasingly of concern to practising engineers. Using case studies to highlight examples of issues within the workplace and how these can be appropriately handled, this book is an accessible tool through which engineers can gain confidence in dealing with ethical dilemmas in the workplace. Touching upon safety, risk, artificial intelligence, autonomous systems, and intellectual property, alongside sustainability and environmental matters, the book focuses on hot topics which are fast becoming day-to-day issues dealt with by engineers. The book will be suitable for engineers of all disciplines, alongside students looking to become professional chartered engineers.