Ethics Within Engineering: An Introduction

Exploring key ethical concerns in the engineering industry, this 2nd edition of Ethics Within Engineering is fully revised and updated to educate a new generation of engineers in ethical decision-making. By focusing on critical issues concerning tracking harm, contract work, and collective action, Wade L. Robison provides educational tools and solutions that match the complexity of the engineering landscape today. Two new chapters on the responsibility of the engineer and the ethical issues that arise when teams work together to solve design problems, together with new material on tracking harms in the design process, provide a fuller comprehension of risk and harm in engineering. Robison further enhances this new edition with contemporary examples that highlight the enduring necessity of ethics to engineering. These range from the Boeing 737-MAX to General Motors’ controversial 20-gallon fuel tanks. Using real life examples that bring the theory to life, this student-led textbook encourages students to present, challenge, and work through different engineering problems and solutions with confidence and a strong evidence-based approach. Consistent with the 1st edition’s emphasis on the original design problem which drives ethical questions in engineering, this new edition positions the nascent engineer as its focus for driving positive change in practice, design, and delivery.