ENGR 482 Lecture 5

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Low Cost Solar Project

Fall 2012—Spring 2013

ENGR 270/470

EPICS: Engineering Projects in Community Service

Majority of household energy costs is heating/cooling; How to do this efficiently?

Cooling with solar energy!?

Humidity

Affects perception of temperature

Dessicants to absorb water vapor

Engineers Without Borders

Non-profit, philanthropic organization

Water Distribution in Costa Rica

Library, Computer Center, etc.

Web site

Put in back of mind for a few minutes

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Universal Moral Theories: A Recap

Virtue, duty, and utilitarianism form the basis for many other theories.

Virtue Ethics

Develop into the best human we can become

Aristotle's Virtues of Thought

• Prudence
• Wisdom
• Intelligence

Aristotle's Virtues of Character

• Mean of Virtues (not too much, and not too little)
  • cardinal: prudence, temperance, justice, and courage
  • theological: faith, hope, charity

Duty Ethics

• Treated as if their will could legislate the moral law
• All humans are ends in themselves and not means to an end
• Universalizability: Conforming your own will as close to the moral law as possible

Utilitarianism

Do the Greatest good for greatest number

Two flavors:

• Act: Judging action each time it is performed: "Should I run a stop sign right now?"
  • Requires much more decision-making
• Rule: Following a rule no matter what: "Should I ever run a stop sign?"
  • Impartiality; less thinking

Ross's Prima Facie Duties

All are conditional on whether or not they conflict with other duties.

1. Fidelity: loyalty, telling the truth, carry out all promises make reparations
2. Gratitude: relationshipts with others in response to those taking care of you.
3. Justice
4. Beneficence: Helping others develop and make their lives a little more pleasant
5. Self-Improvement: Beneficence for one's self
6. Not to Injure Others

Arise through relationships and self-responsibility.

Recall that Kant's duties are categorical (apply to all rational persons or any others). However, (to repeat) Ross says that duties are conditional don't always apply to every person in every situation.

These duties are simple and universal, but they are always in conflict (hence conditionality)

"Moral principles are self-evident and can be 'discovered' by intuition." One can come up with this list just by introspecting relationships with others

Gert's Morality

Morality is a public system applying to all rational persons [like Kant] governing behavior which affects others [not like Kant] and which has the minimization of evil [negative of utilitarianism] as its end, and which includes what are commonly known as moral rules at its core.

1. Don't kill
2. Don't cause pain
3. Don't disable
4. Don't deprive of freedom
5. Don't deprive of pleasure
6. Don't deceive
7. Keep your promise
8. Don't cheat
9. Obey the law
10. Do your duty:
    1. Help those in extreme danger
    2. If you are the most qualified
    3. If it doesn't affect you too negatively

The first five are were derived from egocentric introspection. Hobbs argues that government is needed to prevent us from killing each other. I don't want to be killed, so let's make it universal

NSPE Code of Ethics: Fundamental Canons

1. Hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public
   • respect for persons; applies to all public
2. Perform services only in areas of their competence
3. Issue public statements only in an objective and true manner