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BOOKS

Armstrong, James et al. The Decision Makers: Ethics for Engineers. London: Thomas Telford Publishing, 1999.

This text provides a broad based look at ethics in engineering. Beginning with general principles and major issues in ethics, it moves to consider specific case studies in the field of engineering. The text then offers a procedure that engineers ought to follow in the development and implementation of engineering projects. It closes with suggestions for how ethics can best be taught to both undergraduate students and professionals.

Assessment: Very good background and preparatory material for instructors who wish to teach ethics in engineering courses.

Barbour, Ian G. Ethics in an Age of Technology. San Francisco: HarperSanFrancisco, 1993.

Divided into the three parts: Conflicting Values, Critical Technologies, and Technology in the Future. Each part is subdivided in to several parts. Some topics of interest include the benefits of technology, the human costs of technology, and the social construction of technology. It also discusses ethical principles, decentralization, and appropriate technology, as well as methods of assessing technology.

Beder, Sharon, The New Engineer: Management and Professional Responsibility in a Changing World, Macmillan Education Australia, 1998.

A valuable reference that stresses the social responsibilities of engineers.  Divided into three parts, part one describes the characteristics and aspirations of engineers.  Part two is an extensive case study and analysis.  Part three considers the social role and responsibilities of the new engineer.

Fleddermann, Charles B. Engineering Ethics. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall, Inc., 1999.

Acts as a text and a resource for the study of engineering ethics. The main goal of this text is to prepare future engineers for the confrontation of ethical problems that they may face in their professional careers.

Gunn, Alastair S., and Vesilind, P. Aarne  Hold Paramount: The Engineer's Responsibility to Society, Pacific Grove California: Brooks/Cole-Thomson Learning, 2003.

Designed as a text for engineering ethics courses, this is the first to use a narrative throughout the book.  The narrative is the life and experiences of an engineer over the course of a year.  Valuable as a way to demonstrate to students that ethical issues and decisions are commonplace in an engineer's life, both in and out of the workplace.  Narrative is well supplemented with information boxes.

Assessment: Excellent text for a First-Year Seminar or as a supplement.  Narrative format is unique and engaging.

Harris, Charles E. Jr., et al. Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases (2nd edition). London: Wadsworth, 2000.
A thorough text organized into three main sections: Critical Approaches, Generic Concerns, and Special Topics. Allows students to think methodically when encountering ethical problems. It outlines methods to approaching ethical problems, as well as, areas of ethical concern for engineers.  Good section on common morality.
Harris, Charles E. Jr., et al. Practicing Engineering Ethics. New York: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., 1997.
Focuses on the professional responsibilities of engineers. Gives methods of analyzing and solving moral problems. Defines risk and safety, and what levels of each are acceptable in this field of work.
Humphreys, Kenneth K., P.E., C.C.E. What Every Engineer Should Know About Ethics. New York: Marcel Dekker, Inc., 1999.
Acts as a useful guide for students and present engineers. Discusses the codes of ethics of the engineering profession and legal requirements of ethical practice. Covers ethical dilemmas faced by engineers.
Johnson, Deborah G. Ethical Issues in Engineering. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 1991.
A text covering the various ways ethics is involved in engineering. Discusses the roles of professional codes of ethics, engineers' responsibilities to society, and obligations of engineers to clients.
Kidder, Rushworth M. How Good People Make Tough Choices. New York: William Morrow and Company, Inc., 1995.
Provides tools for careful consideration of ethical dilemmas of every-day life. Aids people who wish to tackle tough choices through self-reflection.
Mitcham, Carl and R. Shannon Duvall. Engineer's Toolkit: A First Course in Engineering. Upper Saddle River: Prentice-Hall Inc., 2000.
Provides a general introduction to ethics specifically in terms of engineering. Unlike many books of this nature, this book pays special attention to virtue. It discusses ethical situations faced by engineers at a professional level as well as at a student level.
Schinzinger, Roland and Mike W. Martin. Introduction to Engineering Ethics. Boston: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 2000.

Provides a background for discussion for the fundamental issues in engineering ethics, specifically noting moral problems professional engineers face. Its main goal is to sway students to reflect on these problems, and also provides the tools that will help them do this.  Part of McGraw-Hill's BEST Series intended for first-year engineering courses.

Schinzinger, Roland and Mike W. Martin. Ethics in Engineering (3rd edition). Boston: McGraw-Hill Companies, Inc., 1996.

A more complete text that led to the introductory text above. 

Sterba, James. Three Challenges to Ethics: Environmentalism, Feminism, and Multiculturalism. New York: Oxford University Press, 2000.

Useful as background for instructors in reflecting on ethical frameworks. Might also be useful as companion text if more time is spent on critiquing mainstream ethical thinking.

Assessment: Excellent philosophical discussion of mainstream moral philosophy, with attention to new directions in ethical thinking.

Whitbeck, Caroline. Ethics in Engineering Practice and Research. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1998.

This book offers a problem-centered approach to engineering ethics, using a wide range of open-ended scenarios and case studies that allow for the development of skills in recognizing and addressing ethical issues in engineering. The text opens with a general overview of ethical concepts and analysis. It then moves to consider issues of professional responsibility, workplace rights and responsibility, research integrity, respect for experimental subjects, environmental protection, and fair credit in research. Case studies, discussion questions, and highlighted points of importance are integrated throughout.

Assessment: Good resource for instructors who wish to teach ethics in engineering; good text for students.

Winston, Morton E. and Ralph D. Edelbach. Society, Ethics, and Technology. Belmont: Wadsworth/Thomas Learning, 2000.

Provides a bridge between ethics, the social sciences, and the natural sciences and engineering. It is based on the goal that courses should empower students to critically think about the consequences of technology. It enforces the idea that just because we are able to do something technologically does not necessarily mean we should do it.

Bibiliographies of Engineering Ethics Texts

MS Word File Selected Online Ethics Center Bibliography of Articles and Books on Ethics in Engineering

MS Word File Selected Online Ethics Center Bibliography of Articles and Books on Research Ethics



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