Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases

By Charles E. Harris Jr., Michael S. Pritchard, Michael J. Rabins

Book Overview

This book helps engineering students carry over their natural analytical talents into a new area - moral deliberation. It shows them the importance of being analytical by stressing that many apparent moral disagreements are really disagreements over the facts or over the definitions of crucial terms, and that the locus of moral disagreement can only be discovered by analysis. Since engineers are interested in real-world problems, the text catches the attention of students in the field by focusing on cases that hit the front pages of newspapers (e.g., the Challenger disaster and the Ford Pinto gas tank) as well as those more typical of the sort they are likely to encounter in their own careers.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0534239641
• ISBN13: 9780534239640
• Release Date: August 1994
• Publisher: Wadsworth Publishing
• Length: 411 Pages
• Weight: 1.46 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 7.5" x 0.8"

Customer Reviews

A gem!

I am so glad I chose this text for my capstone course teaching. Ten chapters and 45 cases ranging from simple to the complex; from the irritating to the horrible. Highly readable, and extensive in providing the context for many of the issues posed. Far more than trivial mention of many legal, cultural, situational issues and making quite clear the many dilemmas and unresolved issues that characterize real life and real work. Congratulations authors - a worthy tribute to the passing of author Rabins. Every organization should have policy established on these issues. So well organized and indexed that it could be a handbook.

It's brand new

The item it's brand new and I have the pleasure make it my own and use for reference in my future career.

Great ethics book - for more than engineers

This book is designed for engineers, but the book can apply to more than an engineer. I have taken an ethics course from two of the authors of this book. The cases presented in this book apply to real world situations(some altered slightly), not just some clearly fictional situations. There are many fundamental tools that help you determine the type of situation you are dealing with -- ex. moral, factual, conceptual. Afer the problem is determined there are tools to help you make decisions, such as creative middle ways. The author does not make you adhere to their ethics, but a general ethical standard. Overall, this book provides very good ways to determine and solve issues; case studies are also provided to give you an opportunity to "test" yourself.

Lively as ethics can be

This book is readable and yet comprehensive. It covers the key issues in a way that engages the reader - usually starting with a case and illustrating key points throughout with reference to cases and other "real world" matters. The accompanying CD has lots of additional cases as well as codes and other reference material.

Used this book for class

Great cases and studies exemplifying ethics in engineering.