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Ethical Engineering: Definitions, Theories and Techniques

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Ethical Engineering for International Development and Environmental Sustainability

Abstract

This chapter on engineering ethics provides the background and supporting framework to the book through presenting a number of definitions, theories of ethics and techniques and approaches for applying them in practice. After the introduction, the chapter is divided into three main sections. Section 2 considers different theories of ethics, including rule-based approached such as the professional codes of engineering societies. Section 3 presents a number of methods, approaches and techniques for applying ethical principles in practice. Section 4 considers ethical issues associated with processes and outcomes and uses the example of assistive technology to present some of these issues. It also considers research ethics with regard to both the outcomes and in particular the research aims and the process or the ethical conduct of research, including working with human participants.

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Acknowledgements

I would like to thank Larry Stapleton and Alan Cottey for their very useful comments and suggestions and Peter McKenna for drawing the figures.

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  1. School of Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, University of Glasgow, Rankine Building, Glasgow, Scotland

    Marion Hersh

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    Marion Hersh

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Hersh, M. (2015). Ethical Engineering: Definitions, Theories and Techniques. In: Hersh, M. (eds) Ethical Engineering for International Development and Environmental Sustainability. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-6618-4_2

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