6. Personal Responsibility and Supporting Social Structures

This book proposes an analysis of the ethical nature of engineering and seeks to show how the analysis applies to engineering for peace, engineering for health and engineering for development. However, some academic observers, including a few engineers have argued that there are a number of reasons why engineers cannot in practice truly accept and express ethical responsibility. These arguments will be investigated using an example given by Alasdair MacIntyre and by considering and developing an analysis presented by the philosopher Michael Davis. It will be concluded that the objections are flawed and that engineers really do have opportunities to accept and express ethical responsibility. Nevertheless, engineers are subjected to pressures in their professional life that can make this ethical task difficult. It is therefore of benefit if engineers participate in a base community—a community in which ethical discourse is promoted and in which generous ethical action is stimulated. Two examples of such base communities will be considered: trade unions and faith communities. Two specific cases, the Lucas plan and Benedictine business practices, will be described to show that such base communities can greatly enhance innovation in the acceptance and expression of ethical responsibility in engineering. The Lucas plan shows that engineers are able to make highly innovative proposals that show great prospects for socially beneficial application, sustainable employment and sustainable profitability when they have the motivation and opportunity to think creatively about their work. Benedictine business practices can demonstrably promote technical excellence, ethical engagement and commercial success in a sustainable manner and so provide a real alternative to conventional corporate practice.