Environmental Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
However, it is not always (immediately) clear what is and is not ethical. There are
often trade-offs between different interests and the benefi ts and disadvantages to
different groups of people, as well as confl icts of loyalties.
There is also the well-known means and ends argument. Is it justifi able or ethical
to do something (slightly) wrong/unethical in order to achieve a greater good? Is it
possible to achieve ethical aims by unethical means? How can ethical decisions be
made when you do not know what their consequences will be? Or is ethics only
about good/right actions rather than consequences? Is a particular decision or action
always right in all circumstances? Or do the circumstances make a difference?
This chapter will discuss these issues and present some of the theories and
techniques that can be used to support ethical decision making. Many of the examples
are based on assistive technology. In addition to raising ethical issues, it is an exam-
ple of the application of engineering to benefi t end-user groups who are frequently
marginalised. It therefore raises ethical issues which are important to international
stability.
Ethical questions are sometimes phrased in terms of 'should', 'ought', 'right' and
'wrong'. They include the following:
• What should I do if I realise that the fi rm I am working for is carrying out activities
that are damaging to the environment or proposing to distribute a product before
carrying out suffi cient tests of its safety?
• Should I accept money from a tobacco company/the military to develop a new
assistive device? Does this depend on the type of device? Other available sources
of funding? The benefi ts to the tobacco company/military? Whether there will be
any restrictions on publishing freely?
• What should I do if I suspect my line manager is bullying and harassing colleagues?
How much evidence do I need before taking action? What should I do if I refer
this issue to the head of the company, but they do not take any action?
• I am working on an engineering project in a majority world (developing) country
with a collective approach to ethics. My home organisation requires me to obtain
signed informed consent forms from individuals, but the people I am working
with consider this insulting. What should I do?
• Devices have been developed which can be used to lock the front door and
prevent elderly people with dementia going out at night. Is this ethical? Who
should make this sort of decision? What about confl icts between the wishes of
the person with dementia and their friends and relatives. What if it is not possible
to determine the views of the person with dementia?
• I am working on a project with a very limited budget. Is it more ethical to travel
to project meetings and conferences by train or plane? Travelling by plane is
more damaging to the environment, but train travel is more expensive and uses
up too much of my small budget.
The ethical answers to many of the above questions are not immediately obvious.
Some people will fi nd the issues controversial and they could lead to heated debate.
The answers given by different individuals will depend on a number of different
factors, including the information available to them; their own ideological, political,
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