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Ethics, Technology and Engineering
  • Level Foundation
  • Duration 19 hours
  • Course by Eindhoven University of Technology
  • Offered by

About

There is an increasing attention to ethics in engineering practice. Engineers are supposed not only to carry out their work competently and skilfully, but also to be aware of the broader ethical and social implications of engineering and to be able to reflect on these. According to the Engineering Criteria 2000 of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) in the US, engineers must have “an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility” and should "understand the impact of engineering solutions in a global and societal context.” This course provides an introduction to ethics in engineering and technology. It helps engineers and students in engineering to acquire the competences mentioned in the ABET criteria or comparable criteria formulated in other countries. More specifically, this course helps engineers to acquire the following moral competencies: - Moral sensibility: the ability to recognize social and ethical issues in engineering; - Moral analysis skills: the ability to analyse moral problems in terms of facts, values, stakeholders and their interests; - Moral creativity: the ability to think out different options for action in the light of (conflicting) moral values and the relevant facts; - Moral judgement skills: the ability to give a moral judgement on the basis of different ethical theories or frameworks including professional ethics and common sense morality; - Moral decision-making skills: the ability to reflect on different ethical theories and frameworks and to make a decision based on that reflection. With respect to these competencies, our focus is on the concrete moral problems that engineers encounter in their professional practice. With the help of concrete cases is shown how the decision to develop a technology, as well as the process of design and production, is inherently moral. The attention of the learners is drawn towards the specific moral choices that engineers face. In relation to these concrete choices learners will encounter different reasons for and against certain actions, and they will discover that these reasons can be discussed. In this way, learners become aware of the moral dimensions of technology and acquire the argumentative capacities that are needed in moral debates with stakeholders (e.g. governments, users, and commercial business departments).

Modules

Introduction

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
Show info about module content

1 Videos

  • What would you do or what should you do?

1 Readings

  • Introduction

Text & questions

    • 1 Videos
    • 4 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 4 Assignment
Show info about module content

4 Assignment

  • Responsibility
  • Active responsibility and the ideals of engineers
  • Whistle-blowing
  • Precautionary principle

1 Discussions

  • At John's party

1 Videos

  • Engineering = Social Engineering

4 Readings

  • Responsibility
  • Active responsibility and the ideals of engineers
  • Whistle-blowing
  • Precautionary principle

Case Challenger

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Discussion
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Challenger

1 Discussions

  • Roger Boisjoly

1 Videos

  • Challenger

Final test

    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Module test

Text & questions

    • 1 Videos
    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 2 Assignment
Show info about module content

2 Assignment

  • Codes of conduct
  • Conflict of interest and loyalty

1 Discussions

  • Loyalty or integrity?

1 Videos

  • The use of codes of ethics

2 Readings

  • Codes of conduct
  • Conflict of interest and loyalty

Case Fundamental Canons of the Code of the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE)

    • 2 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • The first step aside

2 Readings

  • The first step astray
  • The Fundamental Canons of the Code of Ethics of the ASCE

Case Construction fraud

    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Construction fraud

1 Readings

  • The Dutch Construction fraud

Assignment: Delay in Addressing Fire Code Violations

    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Delay in Addressing Fire Code Violations

Final test

    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Module test

Text & questions

    • 1 Videos
    • 4 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 4 Assignment
Show info about module content

4 Assignment

  • Ethics and morality
  • Utilitarianism
  • Kantian theory
  • Virtue ethics

1 Discussions

  • Absolute rules?

1 Videos

  • Applying the ethical theories

4 Readings

  • Ethics and morality
  • Utilitarianism
  • Kantian theory
  • Virtue ethics

The ethics of automated driving

    • 3 Videos
Show info about module content

3 Videos

  • The ethics of automated driving (part 1)
  • The ethics of automated driving (part 2)
  • The ethics of automated driving (part 3)

Case Indian trials

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Informed consent

1 Videos

  • Indian trials and informed consent

Final test

    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Module test

Text & questions

    • 2 Readings
    • 2 Assignment
Show info about module content

2 Assignment

  • Ethical cycle
  • The basic steps

2 Readings

  • Ethical cycle
  • The basic steps

Case Dieselgate

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Dieselgate

1 Videos

  • Dieselgate

1 Readings

  • Introduction

Assignment: Development of Computer Code

    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Development of Computer Code

Text & questions

    • 3 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 2 Assignment
Show info about module content

2 Assignment

  • Ethical issues in the design of technology
  • Trade-offs and value conflicts

1 Discussions

  • Value incommensurability

3 Readings

  • Ethical issues during the design process
  • Trade-offs and value conflicts
  • Value incommensurability

Case: The design of the storm surge barrier in the Eastern Scheldt

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • The design of the storm surge barrier in the Eastern Scheldt

1 Videos

  • The design of the storm surge barrier in the Eastern Scheldt

1 Readings

  • Introduction

Final test

    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Module test

Text & questions

    • 3 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 2 Assignment
Show info about module content

2 Assignment

  • Technological mediation
  • Moralizing technology

1 Discussions

  • Genetic manipulation

3 Readings

  • Technological mediation
  • Moralizing technology
  • Designing mediation

Case: Drone operator

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
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1 Assignment

  • Drone operator

1 Videos

  • Drone operator

1 Readings

  • Introduction

Final test

    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Module test

Text & questions

    • 1 Videos
    • 4 Readings
    • 1 Discussion
    • 4 Assignment
Show info about module content

4 Assignment

  • Definitions
  • Risk assessment
  • When are risks acceptable?
  • Are risks and benefits justly distributed?

1 Discussions

  • Who should decide?

1 Videos

  • The ethics of technological risks

4 Readings

  • Definitions
  • Risk assessment
  • When are risks acceptable?
  • Are risks and benefits justly distributed?

Case: Onshore carbon dioxide storage in Barendrecht (the Netherlands)

    • 2 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Onshore carbon dioxide storage in Barendrecht (the Netherlands)

2 Videos

  • How it works
  • Dutch protests

1 Readings

  • Introduction

Final test

    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Module test

Text & questions

    • 1 Videos
    • 3 Readings
    • 2 Discussion
    • 3 Assignment
Show info about module content

3 Assignment

  • The problem of many hands
  • Responsibility and the law
  • Responsibility in organizations

2 Discussions

  • Moral fairness and effectiveness
  • Forward-looking or backward-looking responsibility?

1 Videos

  • The responsibility gap

3 Readings

  • The problem of many hands
  • Responsibility and the law
  • Responsibility in organizations

Case: The Deepwater Horizon disaster

    • 1 Videos
    • 1 Readings
    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • The Deepwater Horizon disaster

1 Videos

  • The Deepwater Horizon disaster

1 Readings

  • Introduction

Final test

    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Module test

Exam

    • 1 Assignment
Show info about module content

1 Assignment

  • Final exam....

Auto Summary

"Ethics, Technology and Engineering" is a foundational course tailored for individuals in the Science & Engineering domain, particularly aimed at current and aspiring engineers. This course addresses the growing importance of ethical considerations in the engineering field, emphasizing the need for engineers to understand and reflect on the broader social and ethical implications of their work. Guided by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) criteria, the course equips learners with essential moral competencies. These include recognizing ethical issues in engineering, analyzing moral problems, exploring creative solutions, making informed moral judgments, and making ethical decisions based on various theoretical frameworks. The course content is rich with real-world cases that illustrate the inherent moral aspects of technological development, design, and production. By engaging with these concrete examples, learners develop the skills to navigate ethical dilemmas and engage in informed debates with stakeholders such as governments, users, and businesses. Offered by Coursera, this 1140-minute course is available through both Starter and Professional subscription plans. It is designed to be accessible to a foundational level audience, making it suitable for engineering students and professionals seeking to deepen their understanding of ethics in their practice.

Lambèr Royakkers
Instructor

Lambèr Royakkers