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Emotional engineers: toward morally responsible design.
1Philosophy Department, Faculty of Technology, Policy and Management, Delft University of Technology, Jaffalaan 5, 2628 BX Delft, The Netherlands. S.Roeser@tudelft.nl
Science and Engineering Ethics
|October 12, 2010
Summary
Engineers must embrace emotional reflection in technological design. Cultivating moral emotions and sensitivity is crucial for responsible engineering and mitigating risks.
Area of Science:
- Engineering Ethics
- Philosophy of Technology
Background:
- Technological design is not value-neutral and has significant consequences for human wellbeing.
- Engineers' decisions shape technology's possibilities, risks, and benefits.
- Ethical considerations are increasingly recognized as vital in engineering practice.
Purpose of the Study:
- To argue for the inclusion of emotional reflection in engineering.
- To propose a revised understanding of engineers' competencies.
- To emphasize the role of emotions in ethical insight for engineers.
Main Methods:
- Philosophical argumentation
- Analysis of the relationship between technology, values, and emotions
- Ethical reasoning in engineering contexts
Main Results:
- Emotional reflection is an indispensable source of ethical insight for engineers.
- Engineers should move beyond being 'unemotional calculators'.
- Cultivating moral emotions and sensitivity is essential for morally responsible engineering.
Conclusions:
- Engineers play a critical role in shaping ethical technological futures.
- Integrating emotional intelligence enhances engineers' capacity for ethical decision-making.
- Responsible engineering necessitates a holistic approach encompassing both rationality and emotionality.
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