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Ethics, Technology and Engineering

Approx. 19 hours to complete

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Course Summary

Explore the ethical issues surrounding technology and engineering with this course. Learn how to identify and analyze ethical dilemmas, and develop strategies for making ethical decisions.

Key Learning Points

Learn about the ethical issues in technology and engineering
Develop strategies for making ethical decisions
Identify and analyze ethical dilemmas

Learning Outcomes

Develop a framework for ethical decision making
Analyze ethical dilemmas in technology and engineering
Apply ethical principles to real-world scenarios

Prerequisites or good to have knowledge before taking this course

No prior knowledge of ethics required
Basic understanding of technology and engineering

Course Difficulty Level

Intermediate

Course Format

Self-paced
Online
Video lectures

Similar Courses

Data Ethics
Business Ethics

Related Education Paths

Notable People in This Field

John Basl
Shannon Vallor

Related Books

Description

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).

Outline

Introduction
What would you do or what should you do?
Introduction

The responsibility of engineers
Engineering = Social Engineering
Challenger
Responsibility
Active responsibility and the ideals of engineers
Whistle-blowing
Precautionary principle
Responsibility
Active responsibility and the ideals of engineers
Whistle-blowing
Precautionary principle
Challenger
Module test

Codes of conduct
The use of codes of ethics
Codes of conduct
Conflict of interest and loyalty
The first step astray
The Fundamental Canons of the Code of Ethics of the ASCE
The Dutch Construction fraud
Codes of conduct
Conflict of interest and loyalty
The first step aside
Construction fraud
Delay in Addressing Fire Code Violations
Module test

Normative ethics
Applying the ethical theories
The ethics of automated driving (part 1)
The ethics of automated driving (part 2)
The ethics of automated driving (part 3)
Indian trials and informed consent
Ethics and morality
Utilitarianism
Kantian theory
Virtue ethics
Ethics and morality
Utilitarianism
Kantian theory
Virtue ethics
Informed consent
Module test

The ethical cycle
Dieselgate
Ethical cycle
The basic steps
Introduction
Ethical cycle
The basic steps
Dieselgate
Development of Computer Code

Ethical questions in the design of technology
The design of the storm surge barrier in the Eastern Scheldt
Ethical issues during the design process
Trade-offs and value conflicts
Value incommensurability
Introduction
Ethical issues in the design of technology
Trade-offs and value conflicts
The design of the storm surge barrier in the Eastern Scheldt
Module test

Designing morality
Drone operator
Technological mediation
Moralizing technology
Designing mediation
Introduction
Technological mediation
Moralizing technology
Drone operator
Module test

Ethical aspects of technological risks
The ethics of technological risks
How it works
Dutch protests
Definitions
Risk assessment
When are risks acceptable?
Are risks and benefits justly distributed?
Introduction
Definitions
Risk assessment
When are risks acceptable?
Are risks and benefits justly distributed?
Onshore carbon dioxide storage in Barendrecht (the Netherlands)
Module test

Distribution of responsibility
The responsibility gap
The Deepwater Horizon disaster
The problem of many hands
Responsibility and the law
Responsibility in organizations
Introduction
The problem of many hands
Responsibility and the law
Responsibility in organizations
The Deepwater Horizon disaster
Module test

Exam
Final exam....

Summary of User Reviews

The Ethics, Technology, and Engineering course on Coursera has received positive reviews from many users. They praise the course for its thought-provoking content and engaging approach. Overall, the course has received high ratings from users.

Key Aspect Users Liked About This Course

Many users thought that the course was good at stimulating critical thinking and promoting ethical considerations in technology and engineering.

Pros from User Reviews

Thought-provoking content
Engaging approach
Promotes critical thinking
Covers a range of ethical considerations in technology and engineering
Provides useful insights for professionals in the field

Cons from User Reviews

Some users found the course material to be repetitive
A few users felt that the course was too basic for their level of expertise
The discussion forums could be more active
Some users felt that the course was too heavily focused on Western perspectives
A few users experienced technical difficulties with the platform

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