Advances in science and technology have revolutionized our lives, but they have also created ethical challenges. Engineers need to consider and responsibly address the social impacts of technology, and engineering ethics education needs to be strengthened. This will ensure that engineering and technology can contribute to human happiness and prosperity.
Humanity and science and technology: advances and costs
Humanity has made remarkable advances in science and technology over the past century. Some would argue that the changes that have occurred in the last hundred years are even greater than those that have accumulated since the dawn of humanity. A prime example of this development is the revolution in communication technology. High-speed internet and smartphones, unimaginable just a few decades ago, are now part of our daily lives, fundamentally changing the way we acquire information and communicate.
However, these leaps in science and technology have not come without cost, and it goes without saying that behind them lies the passion and sacrifice of countless people, including scientists, engineers, and policy makers. But what is even sadder is the darker side of science and technology that we have been forced to witness, despite their good intentions based on humanity and their tireless efforts to make it a reality. We have fought two wars on a scale never before seen on this planet, and ironically, the technologies and know-how developed for the purpose of warfare are the very things that enrich and enrich our lives today.
In addition, large-scale engineering projects often explode or crack, causing enormous human and material damage. With each such event, we are forced to believe that it is a necessary, painful, and indispensable process to build a more brilliant golden tower of science and technology, to raise the quality of human life to a higher level. At the same time, the uncomfortable truth is that the backlash has led to the rapid spread of frightening “myths” among people who are distrustful and fearful of science and technology.
The social role and ethical responsibilities of engineers
In a time when science and technology are advancing and humanity’s wisdom to use them safely and responsibly is seemingly regressing, it is perhaps not surprising that engineers, who are at the forefront of technological development, are being called upon to play a greater social role. It would be fair to say that the old engineering mindset, in which engineers did not consider the social implications of their work in the first place, is at fault. Social responsibility and ethics may have been a luxury for engineers in the early 20th century, when the speed of technological progress was prioritized and safety was an afterthought. But today, no one would question the impact of technology and its potential side effects on society.
It is the engineers who are best equipped to understand and address the questions, concerns, and anxieties of the general public. This is why ethical character and behavior in engineering is no longer an option, but a necessity. Emphasizing ethical responsibility is not just an idealistic goal, but a practical solution to reduce the impact of engineering on society.
The need and current state of engineering ethics education
There are many ways to raise the ethical awareness of engineering students, but the most fundamental and essential tool is thorough education. In addition to the specialized engineering training that engineers receive in the workplace and in the larger society, they also need training to develop the ability to use and analyze data ethically. In other words, we need to introduce engineers and pre-engineers to the ethical agenda of engineering and technology research as early as possible and get them thinking about it.
The first place to start is by strengthening engineering ethics education at universities, where engineering education takes place. Seoul National University is, of course, no exception. As Korea’s top university, responsible for and leading higher education in Korea, it should be the most eager to promote engineering ethics education. While some ethics education is still nominally taught in the College of Engineering, the current state of engineering ethics education at Seoul National University is deeply disappointing. First of all, at Seoul National University, the college considers students’ character as an important selection requirement, and directly utilizes it as an evaluation of students in regular and irregular interviews. This so-called ‘character interview’ is only practiced in the colleges of medicine and education at Seoul National University. The first way to actively communicate the importance of engineering ethics to students is to incorporate ethics into student selection in engineering schools.
In 2013, the College of Engineering at Seoul National University officially began teaching engineering ethics by establishing a social studies course and a creativity course in its curriculum, and including two engineering ethics courses in the former. However, the curriculum requires students to complete one course from each of the two groups, so there is no problem graduating without taking an engineering ethics course. In line with Seoul National University’s educational goals, it is necessary to designate engineering ethics as a required course in order to produce engineering students who can fulfill their social roles. In addition to this institutional policy of requiring engineering ethics education, it is also necessary to internalize the content of engineering ethics education.
Specific measures for engineering ethics education
If we look at the ethics-related courses included in the ‘social studies’ curriculum of engineering schools, we can see that there are two courses: ‘Engineering Ethics and Leadership’ (general education) and ‘Modern Technology and Ethical Thinking’ (major). The first course, “Engineering Ethics and Leadership,” aims to help engineering students learn not only about engineering, but also “about engineering,” i.e., the social importance of engineering and the responsibilities that come with it, so that they can see their engineering activities in the context of the larger “society. Students are expected to read relevant texts or find resources on their own, and then have the opportunity to write assignments and present their thoughts in an argumentative manner, with the professor evaluating the extent to which the students’ social and ethical consciousness has been raised.
There are two main problems with this lecture. The first is that the instructor is not an engineer with a background in engineering. While there’s nothing wrong with lecturing students about ethical thinking and social insight, the goal of the course is to ask engineers how they can lead their engineering activities ethically and responsibly, so the instructor’s lack of expertise can be a hindrance. Therefore, it is advisable to have a lecturer who is an engineer and has a background or practical experience in the subject. Only then will they be able to better interact with the students who are learning engineering expertise, and from the students’ point of view, they will be able to connect the knowledge they are learning in other subjects with engineering activities and ethical issues in order to learn more efficiently and deeply.
The second issue is that the effectiveness of current assessment methods is being questioned. There is a concern that engineering ethics education can become a one-time ‘event’, with simple assignments and presentations. Therefore, it is necessary to enrich the content of the course and strengthen the assessment to improve the effectiveness of the education. For example, consider introducing a variety of case studies and discussions to allow students to consider and discuss ethical issues they may face in real-life situations.
In addition, to ensure continuity and depth of learning in engineering ethics education, students should be encouraged to develop their ethical skills through a variety of programs, not just coursework. For example, you could organize regular workshops or seminars to learn about how to solve ethical problems, or include activities such as watching and discussing movies or documentaries that address ethical issues. It is also a good idea to provide opportunities for students to make ethical judgments in real-world situations through internships or projects to gain experience in solving ethical problems that may arise in the workplace.
Engineering ethics education is not just about theoretical learning, but also about developing the ability to make ethical judgments in real-life situations. Therefore, SNU’s College of Engineering should support engineering students to develop ethical awareness and grow into engineers who can fulfill their social responsibilities through these various methods. This will ultimately be an important step toward ensuring that the development of engineering technology contributes to the happiness and prosperity of mankind.
