Engineering as a Global Profession: Technical and Ethical Standards

by Michael Davis

Overview

This book looks to establish worldwide technical and ethical standards of engineering as an occupation. The author is the most senior thinker in this field and has spent much of his career developing this thesis.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538155042
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	09/21/2021
Pages:	324
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x 0.88(d)

About the Author

Michael Davis is senior fellow at the Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions and professor emeritus of philosophy, Illinois Institute of Technology. Among his publications are Conflict of Interest in the Professions; Profession, Code, and Ethics; Engineering Ethics; and Ethics and the Legal Profession.

Table of Contents

Preface Part I: Distinguishing Engineering from other Professions 1.Profession 2.Engineering—From Chicago to Shantou 3.Why Architects Are Not Engineers 4.Distinguishing Chemists from Engineers 5.Will Software Engineers ever be Engineers? 6.Engineering and Business Management: The Odd Couple Part II: The Study of Engineering as a Profession 7.Methodological Problems in the Study of Engineering 8.Profession as a Lens for Studying Technology Part III: Professional Responsibility of Engineers 9.“Ain’t No One Here But Us Social Forces” 10.Engineering Ethics, Individuals, and Organizations 11.“Social Responsibility” of Engineers 12.Macro-, Micro-, and Meso-Ethics 13.Doing the Minimum 14.Re-inventing the Wheel: “Global Engineering Ethics” 15.In Praise of Emotion in Engineering Part IV: Engineering’s Globalism 16.The Whistle Not Blown: WV, Diesels, and Engineers 17.Three Nuclear Disasters and a Hurricane: Reflections 18.Ethical Issues in the Global Arms Industry 19.Temporal Limits on What Engineers Can Do Epilogue A Research Agenda

Editorial Reviews

Michael Davis is one of the pioneers in engineering ethics and the philosophy of engineering. This book cogently brings his views together. He argues that engineering is a profession and should not be understood as a derivate of either science or technology. A must-read for anyone interested in the field.

Ibo van de Poel

One practical benefit of philosophy is that it can clarify thought. Davis has spent his career clarifying thoughts about engineering—his own as well as those of others. In this volume, he offers a book-length exploration of what engineering is, what professions are, and why philosophers, engineers, and the public should care about such ideas…. Not an engineering ethics textbook as such, the work nevertheless keeps ethics in the foreground, examining engineering in various contexts, ranging from how engineering ethics is taught to whether software engineering will ever become engineering. Davis disagrees with many commonplace clichés about engineering, yet his statements of disagreement are always illuminating and provide food for deeper thought. Philosophers and thoughtful engineers will find much to ponder in this book. Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates. Graduate students, faculty, and professionals.

Choice

Engineering as a Global Profession is a timely and extremely relevant contribution to our attempts to come to grips with the nature of engineering as an activity and the prominent role and responsibilities of engineers as professionals in the 21st century. Anyone who wants to have a better understanding of engineering is well advised to read  Michael Davis’  wide ranging and well written book. Davis eloquently draws upon a life-long study of the Philosophy of Engineering and provides both the relevant facts and insightful philosophical analysis in a coherent account. A must read.

Jeroen van den Hoven

One practical benefit of philosophy is that it can clarify thought. Davis has spent his career clarifying thoughts about engineering—his own as well as those of others. In this volume, he offers a book-length exploration of what engineering is, what professions are, and why philosophers, engineers, and the public should care about such ideas…. Not an engineering ethics textbook as such, the work nevertheless keeps ethics in the foreground, examining engineering in various contexts, ranging from how engineering ethics is taught to whether software engineering will ever become engineering. Davis disagrees with many commonplace clichés about engineering, yet his statements of disagreement are always illuminating and provide food for deeper thought. Philosophers and thoughtful engineers will find much to ponder in this book. Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates. Graduate students, faculty, and professionals.

Choice Reviews