Self-reflection for Activist Engineering.
Many blame politicians, governments, and markets for the technically-driven problems the world faces (think war, climate change, surveillance, disinformation, and so on). But why is it that there are almost always engineers and corporations willing to design and build the technologies that cause tho...
| Published in: | Science & Engineering Ethics Vol. 26; no. 3; pp. 1329 - 1353 |
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| Format: | Article |
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Springer Nature
Jun2020
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| Online Access: | View this record in EBSCOhost |
| fields | @attributes: recordID: 1 pdfLink: plink: https://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=hlh&AN=143699886&site=ehost-live header: @attributes: shortDbName: hlh uiTerm: 143699886 longDbName: Humanities International Complete uiTag: AN controlInfo: bkinfo: jinfo: jid: 13533452 GNI jtl: Science & Engineering Ethics issn: 13533452 maglogo: N pubinfo: dt: Jun2020 vid: 26 iid: 3 pid: 237 pub: Springer Nature artinfo: ui: 143699886 10.1007/s11948-019-00150-y ppf: 1329 ppct: 24 formats: fmt: – @attributes: type: T – @attributes: type: P size: 788KB tig: atl: Self-reflection for Activist Engineering. aug: au: Karwat, Darshan M. A. affil: School for the Future of Innovation in Society, The Polytechnic School, Ira A. Fulton Schools of Engineering, Arizona State University, PO Box 875603, Interdisciplinary B 256D, 1120 S. Cady Mall, 85287, Tempe, AZ, USA su: Introspection Sustainable engineering Engineering education Engineering ethics Social responsibility Ethics education Debate Effect of human beings on climate change sug: subj: Introspection Sustainable engineering Engineering education Engineering ethics Social responsibility Ethics education Debate Effect of human beings on climate change keyword: Activist engineering Environment Justice Peace Praxis Self-reflection ab: Many blame politicians, governments, and markets for the technically-driven problems the world faces (think war, climate change, surveillance, disinformation, and so on). But why is it that there are almost always engineers and corporations willing to design and build the technologies that cause those problems, many times in spite of knowing about the negative consequences of those technologies? I offer in this paper practical guidance on how to engage in activist engineering, the goal of which is to get engineers to step back from their work and be able to ask and have a conversation about the question, "What is the real problem, and does this problem 'require' an engineering solution?" Building on research in the history and philosophy of engineering, and engineering ethics and education, as well as current events—all of which highlight important issues of debate within engineering practice—I provide a list of questions that engineers can start with for self-reflection to better understand their motivations for doing engineering work, and to better understand the implications of their work. The questions relate to considerations engineers must make regarding the social, environmental, economic, and peace implications of their work, and relate to alternative and non-technical interventions to the problem at hand. I believe that each engineer should, in the end, be able to answer the questions: Why am I an engineer? For whose benefit do I work? What is the full measure of my moral and social responsibility? pubtype: Academic Journal doctype: Article src: R language: English refInfo: copyright: @attributes: flag: Y custom: Science & Engineering Ethics is a copyright of Springer, 2020. All Rights Reserved. item: Science & Engineering Ethics holder: Springer Nature dt: @attributes: year: 2020 holdings: @attributes: islocal: N |
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