Ethics of Technology and Engineers’ Professional Ethics

Abstract

There is a relatively popular view that regards ethics of technology as professional ethics and responsibility ethics of engineers. Although engineers must follow professional ethics relating to technical work and fulfill the corresponding social responsibilities of engineering technology, ethics of technology is not an equivalence of professional ethics or responsibility ethics . Nevertheless, from the genetic point of view, there is historical, realistic and theoretical kinship among ethics of technology, professional ethics and responsibility ethics of engineers. Ethics of technology has to be related to professional ethics and responsibility ethics of engineers. These three aspects are neither independent nor inclusive. Instead, they overlap or cross one another. Ethics of technology should be comprehended in terms of the following aspects: the relationship between man and nature, and inter-human relationship forming during technological activities; the impartible natural and social properties of technology; as well as the exploitation of man’s intrinsic power using technology. Thus ethics of technology that fit modern technology can be found and rebuilt within this modern social construction of complex technological system. So, we should establish technological ethics based on the theories of “technology for harmony” and “technology for social construction”.