Wade L. Robison - Böcker

This book examines the concept of civility and the conditions of civil disagreement in politics and education. Although many assume that civility is merely polite behavior, it functions to aid rational discourse. Building on this basic assumption, the book offers multiple accounts of civility and its contribution to citizenship, deliberative democracy, and education from Eastern and Western as well as classic and modern perspectives. Given that civility is essential to all aspects of public life, it is important to address how civility may be taught. While much of the book is theoretical, contributors also apply theory to practice, offering concrete methods for teaching civility at the high school and collegiate levels.

Suppose an accountant discovers evidence of shady practices while ex­ amining the books of a client. What should he or she do? Accountants have a professional obligation to respect the confidentiality of their cli­ ents' accounts. But, as an ordinary citizen, our accountant may feel that the authorities ought to be informed. Suppose a physician discov­ ers that a patient, a bus driver, has a weak heart. If the patient contin­ ues bus driving even after being informed of the heart condition, should the physician inform the driver's company? Respect for patient confidentiality would say, no. But what if the driver should suffer a heart attack while on duty, causing an accident in which people are killed or seriously injured? Would the doctor bear some responsibility for these consequences? Special obligations, such as those of confidentiality, apply to any­ one in business or the professions. These obligations articulate, at least in part, what it is for someone to be, say, an accountant or a physician. Since these obligations are special, they raise a real possibility of con­ flict with the moral principles we usually accept outside of these spe­ cial relationships in business and the professions. These conflicts may become more accentuated for a professional who is also a corporate employee-a corporate attorney, an engineer working for a construction company, a nurse working as an employee of a hospital.

This book examines the concept of civility and the conditions of civil disagreement in politics and education. Although many assume that civility is merely polite behavior, it functions to aid rational discourse. Building on this basic assumption, the book offers multiple accounts of civility and its contribution to citizenship, deliberative democracy, and education from Eastern and Western as well as classic and modern perspectives. Given that civility is essential to all aspects of public life, it is important to address how civility may be taught. While much of the book is theoretical, contributors also apply theory to practice, offering concrete methods for teaching civility at the high school and collegiate levels.

Moral sensitivity affects whether and how we see others, note moral concerns, respond with delicacy, and navigate complex social interactions. Scholars from a variety of fields explore the concept of moral sensitivity and how it develops, beginning with a natural moral capacity for sensitivity towards others that is shaped in a variety of ways through relationships, forms of teaching, and social institutions. Each of these influences alters the capacity as well as one’s responses in complex ways. The concept of moral sensitivity deepens as progressive chapters demonstrate its increasing complexity through development within individuals, over time, as they mature, and as their relationships and social contexts expand. The chapters integrate research from philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, literature, education, and media and technology studies, with key chapters by Darcia Narváez, Nancy E. Snow, Michael S. Pritchard, and Stephen J. Thoma and a Foreword by Owen Flanagan. It is the only comprehensive presentation of interdisciplinary work on moral sensitivity that integrates a theoretical, methodological, and pedagogical analysis. This highly interdisciplinary approach provides a new way of thinking about the relationship of individuals to society and moral sensitivity as a social phenomenon, extending current research in ethics, moral psychology, and psychology toward situated, embodied, and contextual analyses.

Moral sensitivity affects whether and how we see others, note moral concerns, respond with delicacy, and navigate complex social interactions. Scholars from a variety of fields explore the concept of moral sensitivity and how it develops, beginning with a natural moral capacity for sensitivity towards others that is shaped in a variety of ways through relationships, forms of teaching, and social institutions. Each of these influences alters the capacity as well as one’s responses in complex ways. The concept of moral sensitivity deepens as progressive chapters demonstrate its increasing complexity through development within individuals, over time, as they mature, and as their relationships and social contexts expand. The chapters integrate research from philosophy, psychology, neuroscience, literature, education, and media and technology studies, with key chapters by Darcia Narváez, Nancy E. Snow, Michael S. Pritchard, and Stephen J. Thoma and a Foreword by Owen Flanagan. It is the only comprehensive presentation of interdisciplinary work on moral sensitivity that integrates a theoretical, methodological, and pedagogical analysis. This highly interdisciplinary approach provides a new way of thinking about the relationship of individuals to society and moral sensitivity as a social phenomenon, extending current research in ethics, moral psychology, and psychology toward situated, embodied, and contextual analyses.

Before we can resolve or avoid an ethical problem, we need to understand what makes something ethical. Practical and Professional Ethics: Key Concepts introduces us to a series of real cases where the stakes can be high, the situations complex, and the ethical issues often difficult to see. Drawing on examples from medicine, law, science, and engineering, it offers a practical approach to thinking critically about the ethical problems that occur in our lives and professions, teaching us how to:§ focus on the ethical aspects of any situation§ distinguish between different kinds of ethical problems § tailor our response to the kind of problem we face§ construct arguments we can plausibly attribute to those involved§ identify the role of power, discretion and moral blindnessBy guiding us through the concepts, issues and skills at play when we face an ethical problem, we learn how to find a solution. Ideal for students or professionals, this book provides the grounding required to become a more complex moral thinker, a quality that can be applied in a number of fields and jobs.

Before we can resolve or avoid an ethical problem, we need to understand what makes something ethical. Practical and Professional Ethics: Key Concepts introduces us to a series of real cases where the stakes can be high, the situations complex, and the ethical issues often difficult to see. Drawing on examples from medicine, law, science, and engineering, it offers a practical approach to thinking critically about the ethical problems that occur in our lives and professions, teaching us how to:§ focus on the ethical aspects of any situation§ distinguish between different kinds of ethical problems § tailor our response to the kind of problem we face§ construct arguments we can plausibly attribute to those involved§ identify the role of power, discretion and moral blindnessBy guiding us through the concepts, issues and skills at play when we face an ethical problem, we learn how to find a solution. Ideal for students or professionals, this book provides the grounding required to become a more complex moral thinker, a quality that can be applied in a number of fields and jobs.

Exploring key ethical concerns in the engineering industry, this 2nd edition of Ethics Within Engineering is fully revised and updated to educate a new generation of engineers in ethical decision-making. By focusing on critical issues concerning tracking harm, contract work, and collective action, Wade L. Robison provides educational tools and solutions that match the complexity of the engineering landscape today.Two new chapters on the responsibility of the engineer and the ethical issues that arise when teams work together to solve design problems, together with new material on tracking harms in the design process, provide a fuller comprehension of risk and harm in engineering. Robison further enhances this new edition with contemporary examples that highlight the enduring necessity of ethics to engineering. These range from the Boeing 737-MAX to General Motors’ controversial 20-gallon fuel tanks. Using real life examples that bring the theory to life, this student-led textbook encourages students to present, challenge, and work through different engineering problems and solutions with confidence and a strong evidence-based approach.Consistent with the 1st edition’s emphasis on the original design problem which drives ethical questions in engineering, this new edition positions the nascent engineer as its focus for driving positive change in practice, design, and delivery.

Exploring key ethical concerns in the engineering industry, this 2nd edition of Ethics Within Engineering is fully revised and updated to educate a new generation of engineers in ethical decision-making. By focusing on critical issues concerning tracking harm, contract work, and collective action, Wade L. Robison provides educational tools and solutions that match the complexity of the engineering landscape today.Two new chapters on the responsibility of the engineer and the ethical issues that arise when teams work together to solve design problems, together with new material on tracking harms in the design process, provide a fuller comprehension of risk and harm in engineering. Robison further enhances this new edition with contemporary examples that highlight the enduring necessity of ethics to engineering. These range from the Boeing 737-MAX to General Motors’ controversial 20-gallon fuel tanks. Using real life examples that bring the theory to life, this student-led textbook encourages students to present, challenge, and work through different engineering problems and solutions with confidence and a strong evidence-based approach.Consistent with the 1st edition’s emphasis on the original design problem which drives ethical questions in engineering, this new edition positions the nascent engineer as its focus for driving positive change in practice, design, and delivery.

Suppose an accountant discovers evidence of shady practices while ex­ amining the books of a client. What should he or she do? Accountants have a professional obligation to respect the confidentiality of their cli­ ents' accounts. But, as an ordinary citizen, our accountant may feel that the authorities ought to be informed. Suppose a physician discov­ ers that a patient, a bus driver, has a weak heart. If the patient contin­ ues bus driving even after being informed of the heart condition, should the physician inform the driver's company? Respect for patient confidentiality would say, no. But what if the driver should suffer a heart attack while on duty, causing an accident in which people are killed or seriously injured? Would the doctor bear some responsibility for these consequences? Special obligations, such as those of confidentiality, apply to any­ one in business or the professions. These obligations articulate, at least in part, what it is for someone to be, say, an accountant or a physician. Since these obligations are special, they raise a real possibility of con­ flict with the moral principles we usually accept outside of these spe­ cial relationships in business and the professions. These conflicts may become more accentuated for a professional who is also a corporate employee-a corporate attorney, an engineer working for a construction company, a nurse working as an employee of a hospital.

Engineering begins with a design problem: how to make occupants of vehicles safer, settle on an inter-face for an x-ray machine or create more legible road signs. In choosing any particular solution, engineers must make value choices. By focusing on the solving of these problems, Ethics Within Engineering shows how ethics is at the intellectual core of engineering.Built around a number of engaging case studies, Wade Robison presents real examples of engineering problems that everyone, engineer or not, will recognize, ranging from such simple artifacts as toasters and the layout of burners and knobs on a stove top to the software responsible for the Columbia airliner crash. The most dramatic examples center on error-provocative designs: designs that provoke mistakes for even the most intelligent, well-informed, and highly motivated. These examples all raise ethical issues, posing questions for the reader, forcing the give-and-take of discussion in classrooms and the consideration of alternative solutions that solve the original design problem without the unfortunate features of the original solution. This original, focused approach provides an ideal entry point for anyone looking to better understand professional ethical responsibilities within engineering.

Engineering begins with a design problem: how to make occupants of vehicles safer, settle on an inter-face for an x-ray machine or create more legible road signs. In choosing any particular solution, engineers must make value choices. By focusing on the solving of these problems, Ethics Within Engineering shows how ethics is at the intellectual core of engineering.Built around a number of engaging case studies, Wade Robison presents real examples of engineering problems that everyone, engineer or not, will recognize, ranging from such simple artifacts as toasters and the layout of burners and knobs on a stove top to the software responsible for the Columbia airliner crash. The most dramatic examples center on error-provocative designs: designs that provoke mistakes for even the most intelligent, well-informed, and highly motivated. These examples all raise ethical issues, posing questions for the reader, forcing the give-and-take of discussion in classrooms and the consideration of alternative solutions that solve the original design problem without the unfortunate features of the original solution. This original, focused approach provides an ideal entry point for anyone looking to better understand professional ethical responsibilities within engineering.