A critical realist approach to engineering ethics

Eddie Conlon

    Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

    Abstract

    This paper is focused on the teaching of engineering ethics (EE). Through a focus on safety and the lens of what sociologists call the agency/ structure relationship it examimes various approaches to this teaching. Drawing on Critical Realism it argues there are deficiencies in both the dominant approach and a number of proposed alternatives as they suffer from various forms of conflationism. By drawing on Critical Realism (CR) a more robust agenda for teaching engineering ethics can be developed. It is argued that CR offers a basis for understanding the range of factors which lead to accidents and disasters. It allows for a fuller consideration of agency/structure relations and the importance of changing the contexts in which engineers work in order to allow them to hold paramount the health, safety and welfare of the public.

    Original languageEnglish
    Title of host publication2015 IEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society, ISTAS 2015
    PublisherInstitute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
    ISBN (Electronic)9781479982837
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 22 Mar 2016
    EventIEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society, ISTAS 2015 - Dublin, Ireland
    Duration: 11 Nov 201512 Nov 2015

    Publication series

    NameInternational Symposium on Technology and Society, Proceedings
    Volume2016-March

    Conference

    ConferenceIEEE International Symposium on Technology and Society, ISTAS 2015
    Country/TerritoryIreland
    CityDublin
    Period11/11/1512/11/15

    Keywords

    • critical realism
    • engineering ethics
    • safety
    • strcture/agency realtions

    Fingerprint

    Dive into the research topics of 'A critical realist approach to engineering ethics'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

    Cite this