Wade L. Robison Libros

Before we can resolve or avoid an ethical problem, we need to understand what makes something ethical. Practical and Professional Key Concepts introduces us to a series of real cases where the stakes can be high, the situations complex, and the ethical issues often difficult to see. Drawing on examples from medicine, law, science, and engineering, it offers a practical approach to thinking critically about the ethical problems that occur in our lives and professions, teaching us how § focus on the ethical aspects of any situation§ distinguish between different kinds of ethical problems§ tailor our response to the kind of problem we face§ construct arguments we can plausibly attribute to those involved§ identify the role of power, discretion and moral blindnessBy guiding us through the concepts, issues and skills at play when we face an ethical problem, we learn how to find a solution. Ideal for students or professionals, this book provides the grounding required to become a more complex moral thinker, a quality that can be applied in a number of fields and jobs.

Suppose an accountant discovers evidence of shady practices while ex amining the books of a client. What should he or she do? Accountants have a professional obligation to respect the confidentiality of their cli ents' accounts. But, as an ordinary citizen, our accountant may feel that the authorities ought to be informed. Suppose a physician discov ers that a patient, a bus driver, has a weak heart. If the patient contin ues bus driving even after being informed of the heart condition, should the physician inform the driver's company? Respect for patient confidentiality would say, no. But what if the driver should suffer a heart attack while on duty, causing an accident in which people are killed or seriously injured? Would the doctor bear some responsibility for these consequences? Special obligations, such as those of confidentiality, apply to any one in business or the professions. These obligations articulate, at least in part, what it is for someone to be, say, an accountant or a physician. Since these obligations are special, they raise a real possibility of con flict with the moral principles we usually accept outside of these spe cial relationships in business and the professions. These conflicts may become more accentuated for a professional who is also a corporate employee-a corporate attorney, an engineer working for a construction company, a nurse working as an employee of a hospital.

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.