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Emerging Technologies and Ethical Issues in Engineering Papers from a Workshop (2004) / Chapter Skim
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Microethics, Macroethics, and Professional Engineering Societies
Pages 107-114

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From page 107...
... . Research and instruction in engineering ethics have traditionally focused on microethical issues and problems, and little attention has been paid to macroethics or the integration of microethical and macroethical approaches.
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From page 108...
... Professional societies, however, could potentially serve as a conduit to bring together the entire continuum of ethical frameworks by linking individual and professional ethics and linking professional and social ethics. In the domain of macroethics, professional societies can provide a link between the social responsibilities of the profession and societal decisions about technology by issuing position statements on public policy issues, such as sustainable development (Herkert, 1998)
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From page 109...
... . PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND ETHICS SUPPORT Codes of engineering ethics give primacy to public safety, health, and welfare, thus implying that they support individual engineers whose actions are consistent with these goals and other provisions of the codes (Herkert, 2001)
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From page 110...
... In addition, many companies encourage and fund the participation of their employees in professional societies. Another possible explanation for the reluctance of professional societies to provide ethics support is that the engineering/business culture places a high premium on economic efficiency and downplays the societal context of engineering.
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From page 111...
... PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES AND PUBLIC POLICY Although professional engineering societies also have a mixed record in advancing ethical principles in the macro-arena (Herkert, 2003a) , there have been some hopeful signs recently, notably in the case of sustainable development, which has become a major public policy issue worldwide, including in the engineering and business communities (Herkert, 1998)
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From page 112...
... . The success of public policy promoting sustainable development depends upon achieving all of the objectives of a sustainable society.
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From page 113...
... . The willingness to acknowledge social sustainability reflects a maturity of thought and sensitivity to societal and ethical issues rarely found in the deliberations of professional societies on microethical issues (or on many macroethical issues)
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From page 114...
... 2001. Future directions in engineering ethics research: microethics, macroethics and the role of professional societies.
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Key Terms

  • engineering ethics
  • ethics support
  • engineering societies
  • professional engineering
  • macroethical issues

  • professional ethics
  • provide ethics
  • social objective
  • product liability
  • ieee code

  • ethics committee
  • social responsibility
  • ethical issues
  • engineering partnership
  • microethical issues

  • ieee ethics
  • providing ethics
  • ethical behavior
  • ethical responsibility
  • societal decisions

  • engineering profession
  • engineering community
  • world engineering
  • provide support
  • social ethics

  • future generations
  • social realms
  • layton notes
  • individual engineers
  • short shrift


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