Lost in Translation? Ethics and Engineering Practice

Abstract

AbstractThe aim of this chapter is to clarify the scope of engineering ethics. We suggest a definition of engineering as practice, with its own virtues and internal goods, guided by a common good. A complementary function of engineering is also proposed, analogous to the translation between the objective lawfulness uncovered by theoretical sciences and the social lifeworld, through the materialization of truth in processes and commodities. These definitions make it possible to consider an ethical framework for the practice of engineering, which goes back to the Humboldtian maxim of transforming knowledge into deeds, that is, the question of how to convert the universality of facts into the particularism of values. Engineering ethics should not be confused with just another professional ethics, guided only by the internal regulations of the profession and by ethical standards and codes. On the other hand, it must not turn engineers into new moral heroes, the only social players responsible for solving dilemmas and ethical issues that arise with the massive arrival of technologies. Engineering should be understood as a collective practice of translation, creation and cooperation of alternative designs. This can contribute to the discussion of the philosophical relevance and ultimate goals of engineering practice.KeywordsEngineering ethicsPracticeResponsibilityTranslationTechnology