I found the lecture course on Engineering ethics in the undergraduate engineering course at Oxford one of the most interesting and thought-provoking parts of the course as it portrayed how engineering integrates in to society. It is particularly intriguing how the field has evolved in the last few decades, sadly accelerated in reaction to a series of tragic events such as the Space Shuttle disaster and Bhopal gas tragedy. It is for this reason I would like to introduce engineering ethics as one of the central topics of this blog. To begin, I aim to share a short summary of the few interesting things I learned during my undergraduate course but seek to expand further with more depth in the future.
The Importance of Engineering Ethics
The importance of ethics in the decision making of engineers is often underplayed despite the severity of the consequences that may arise from unethical decisions made in the profession. This has been evident to us on numerous occasions in our history, more than ever in the last few centuries. This corresponds with the exponential increase in technological development which has sometimes occurred without looking at the potential future ramifications of new designs whilst being blinded by potential profits. A profound quote from my first engineering ethics lecturer, Dr Bulte: “While a doctor may be responsible for the life of one individual during surgery, an engineer’s decision at one instance can potentially affect a countless number of lives.”
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