Engineering Ethics: Contemporary and Enduring Debates

by Deborah G. Johnson

Overview

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.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780300252798
Publisher:	Yale University Press
Publication date:	05/01/2020
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	224
File size:	509 KB

About the Author

Deborah G. Johnson is Anne Shirley Carter Olsson Professor Emerita in the Science, Technology and Society Program in the School of Engineering of the University of Virginia. She is the author of Computer Ethics, among many other publications.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgments vii

Introduction 1

Part 1 Foundational Issues

1 Can Engineering Ethics Be Taught? 9

2 Do Engineers Need Codes of Ethics? 26

3 How Should Engineers Think about Ethics? 46

Part 2 Employment Relationships

4 Should Engineers See Themselves as Guns for Hire? 73

5 Are Whistleblowing Engineers Heroes or Traitors? 93

Part 3 Engineers, Safety, and Social Responsibility

6 Are Rotten Apples or Rotten Barrels Responsible for Technological Mishaps? 117

7 Will Autonomous Cars Ever Be Safe Enough? 137

8 Is Social Justice in the Scope of Engineers' Social Responsibilities? 156

Conclusion 177

Notes 181

Index 191

Editorial Reviews

Very accessible and well-organized...I hope that many (future) engineers will read this book, so that they will learn to better understand the social and moral responsibility that comes with their chosen profession.”—Lambèr Royakkers, Science and Engineering Ethics

"Johnson’s book is a welcome addition to the suite of engineering ethics texts currently available, especially with respect to those intended for undergraduate engineering students.” —Richard Burgess, Texas Tech University

"Johnson has written a compact, clear, readable, and well-organized textbook for use in Engineering Ethics courses."—Michael D. Jaworski, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley

"Johnson has the perfect touch for elucidating engineering ethics debates. No one understands better the distinctions between individual behavior and organizational culture, microethics and macroethics, and conventional and emerging technologies."—Joe Herkert, North Carolina State University

"This relevant and pragmatic book is especially timely given the accelerated pace of engineering innovation. Engineers of all backgrounds will find this very helpful as they navigate complex sociotechnical issues."—Missy Cummings, Duke University

From the Publisher