The Ethical Engineer

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

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

An "ethics construction kit" places engineering in a new light.

The planet was called Pyrrus...a strange place where all the beasts, plants and natural elements were designed for one specific purpose: to destroy man.The settlers there were supermen...twice as strong as ordinary men and with milli-second reflexes. They had to be. For their business was murder

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.

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

Prolific science fiction dynamo Harry Harrison is perhaps best remembered as the creator of the story upon which the cult classic Soylent Green was based. His popular Deathworld series is also regarded as a masterwork of golden-era science fiction. In the volume The Ethical Engineer, which was also published under the title Deathworld 2, protagonist Jason dinAlt is kidnapped and attempts a daring escape among a primitive civilization for which time seems to have run backward.

This text, first published in 1998, examines the ethical responsibilities of engineers for the environment - of interest to all engineers.