Ethics and Professionalism in Science and Engineering

Catalog description

This course provides a broad view of ethics and professionalism in the context of Science and Engineering. It teaches valuable practical skills as well as the basic analytic tools required to make the ethical decisions confronted by professionals in any field. The course describes the special role of professionals in society and uses the key perspectives of engineering and philosophy to explore their responsibilities. Additional perspectives (e.g. organizational psychology, law) will be incorporated as appropriate. A key course dynamic will be the interplay between producers and consumers of technology as common ethical dilemmas are approached from both viewpoints. The topics covered will include: problem-solving in the context of ethics and codes of conduct, professional societies, working as a member of a team and international issues, as well as how to be a productive and contributing professional.