Application of classical realist philosophy principles to engineering ethics

Abstract

Modern and post-modern philosophical trends have influenced our society and culture in many ways. Tenets of individualism and relativism have led to viewing education as a commodity that is purchased and is valuable for eventual employment and obtaining a higher income. Aspects of personal development as well as the ability to "give back to society" through one's profession may be introduced in a course here and there or brought up by advisors or religious-based student clubs, but these are normally viewed as a secondary merit of education. Likewise, ethics education is often based on a utilitarian approach, namely - seeking the best possible outcome for the most people. However, this strategy does not address the need for making ethical decisions that impact individuals or conflicts in professional situations. The principles of Aristotelian philosophy continue to resonate with people, even when they have been rejected by many of the philosophers of recent times. The ancients recognized the existence of reality outside ourselves that we must identify and evaluate through a combination of sense inputs and reasoning by our intellect. Specifically, engineering design is data driven, and thus an ethical system that is likewise data driven is both practical and meaningful. In addition, the classical realist principles point to the existence of a common human nature and help identify some common moral norms upon which we can base our ethical decisions. Indeed, Aristotelian philosophy also recognizes that the process of serving others and giving back to society through our professional work is a good and can lead to personal happiness and satisfaction in life. A series of lectures and assignments have been developed to teach undergraduate students the principles of the classical realist philosophy as it relates to engineering ethics. Ethical approaches based on utilitarianism or philosophical skepticism are compared for validity with the principles of Aristotle's ethics. The paper will include a summary of the principal tenets of Aristotle's ethics as they apply for engineering cases, some comparison with the utilitarian approach, as well as both qualitative and quantitative assessment of student learning. © 2011 American Society for Engineering Education.