Ethics, Technology, and Engineering

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.

• Acknowledgments xIntroduction 11 The Responsibilities of Engineers 61.1 Introduction 71.2 Responsibility 91.3 Passive Responsibility 101.4 Active Responsibility and the Ideals of Engineers 131.5 Engineers versus Managers 211.6 The Social Context of Technological Development 251.7 Chapter Summary 28Study Questions 29Discussion Questions 302 Codes of Conduct 312.1 Introduction 322.2 Codes of Conduct 332.3 Possibilities and Limitations of Codes of Conduct 432.4 Codes of Conduct in an International Context 542.5 Chapter Summary 61Study Questions 62Discussion Questions 633 Normative Ethics 653.1 Introduction 673.2 Ethics and Morality 703.3 Descriptive and Normative Judgments 713.4 Points of Departure: Values, Norms, and Virtues 723.5 Relativism and Absolutism 753.6 Ethical Theories 773.7 Utilitarianism 783.8 Kantian Theory 893.9 Virtue Ethics 953.10 Care Ethics 1023.11 Applied Ethics 1053.12 Chapter Summary 106Study Questions 107Discussion Questions 1084 Normative Argumentation 1094.1 Introduction 1104.2 Valid Arguments 1134.3 Deductive and Non-Deductive Arguments 1164.4 Arguments in Ethical Theories 1184.5 Fallacies 1274.6 Chapter Summary 131Study Questions 131Discussion Questions 1325 The Ethical Cycle 1335.1 Introduction 1345.2 Ill-Structured Problems 1355.3 The Ethical Cycle 1375.4 An Example 1475.5 Collective Moral Deliberation and Social Arrangements 1555.6 Chapter Summary 157Study Questions 158Discussion Questions 1596 Ethical Questions in the Design of Technology 1616.1 Introduction 1636.2 Ethical Issues During the Design Process 1656.3 Trade-offs and Value Conflicts 1776.4 Regulatory Frameworks: Normal and Radical Design 1906.5 Chapter Summary 194Study Questions 195Discussion Questions 1977 Designing Morality 198Peter-Paul Verbeek7.1 Introduction 1997.2 Ethics as a Matter of Things 2007.3 Technological Mediation 2017.4 Moralizing Technology 2057.5 Designing Mediations 2117.6 Chapter Summary 214Study Questions 215Discussion Questions 2168 Ethical Aspects of Technical Risks 2178.1 Introduction 2198.2 Definitions of Central Terms 2218.3 The Engineer’s Responsibility for Safety 2238.4 Risk Assessment 2258.5 When are Risks Acceptable? 2288.6 Risk Communication 2368.7 Dealing with Uncertainty and Ignorance 2378.8 Chapter Summary 244Study Questions 245Discussion Questions 2479 The Distribution of Responsibility in Engineering 2499.1 Introduction 2509.2 The Problem of Many Hands 2529.3 Responsibility and the Law 2589.4 Responsibility in Organizations 2639.5 Responsibility Distributions and Technological Designs 2679.6 Chapter Summary 272Study Questions 273Discussion Questions 27410 Sustainability, Ethics, and Technology 277Michiel Brumsen10.1 Introduction 27810.2 Environmental Ethics? 28010.3 Environmental Problems 28110.4 Sustainable Development 28310.5 Can a Sustainable Society be Realized? 28910.6 Engineers and Sustainability 29110.7 Chapter Summary 298Study Questions 299Discussion Questions 300Appendix I: Engineering Qualifications and Organizations in a Number of Countries 301Appendix II: NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers 307Appendix III: FEANI Position Paper on Code of Conduct: Ethics and Conduct of Professional Engineers 313Appendix IV: Shell Code of Conduct 315Appendix V: DSM Values and Whistle Blowing Policy 320Glossary 329References 340Index of Cases 351Index 352