Børsen, T;
Chance, S;
Meskens, G;
(2025)
A post-normal environment-centered approach to engineering ethics education.
In: Chance, S and Børsen, T and Martin, DA and Tormey, R and Lennerfors, TT and Bombaerts, G, (eds.)
Routledge International Handbook of Engineering Ethics Education.
(pp. 108-124).
Routledge: London, UK.
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Abstract
This chapter probes engineering responses to contemporary socio-ecological challenges – like climate change and loss of biodiversity – and advocates for a new, post-normal engineering (PNE) paradigm. The chapter promotes cultivating, via reflection and dialogue, a nuanced ethical understanding for grappling with urgent socio-ecological problems, underscoring the need for a diverse palette of ethical frameworks for current and future engineers. The proposed PNE paradigm rejects today's conventional engineering practices and extractive cradle-to-grave model, prioritizing global responsibility and advocating for reflexivity in constructing new approaches to complex present-day issues. Existing theories like virtue ethics and utilitarianism (covered elsewhere in this handbook) remain pertinent in PNE, but environmental ethics takes center stage in this chapter. Through PNE, engineers are challenged to rethink – individually and collectively – their scope, behaviors, and roles in addressing socio-ecological crises. The chapter recognizes the interconnectedness of environmental and social concerns and advocates for generating a new and holistic approach that transcends engineering solutions that are purely technical.
| Type: | Book chapter |
|---|---|
| Title: | A post-normal environment-centered approach to engineering ethics education |
| ISBN-13: | 9781003464259 |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| DOI: | 10.4324/9781003464259-8 |
| Publisher version: | https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003464259-8 |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | © 2025 selection and editorial matter, Shannon Chance, Tom Børsen, Diana Adela Martin, Roland Tormey, Thomas Taro Lennerfors and Gunter Bombaerts; individual chapters, the contributors. The Open Access version of this book, available at https://www.taylorfrancis.com, has been made available under a Creative Commons Attribution-Non Commercial-No Derivatives (CC-BY-NC-ND) 4.0 license (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/deed.en). |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL BEAMS > Faculty of Engineering Science > Dept of Electronic and Electrical Eng |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10209889 |
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