Teaching engineering ethics: a dissenting voice

Abstract

The reference to ‘a dissenting voice’ in the title has a double meaning. On the one hand, this paper itself provides a dissenting voice, in that it challenges a number of common practices and widely held views. (For example, challenging the typical focus on case studies, and the focus on the decision-making of individual engineers.) In addition though, the paper argues that teachers of engineering ethics should be willing to discuss the state of the profession, and be willing to criticise the profession and the professional institutions (where appropriate), providing a dissenting voice and aiming to inspire the engineers of the future to challenge the status quo and ultimately to strengthen the profession.