SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ETHICS The world has undergone a radical transformation during the past 200 years. The Industrial Revolution, the development of mass- production techniques and recently the plethora of technological advancements in medicine, engineering, computation, communi- cation and entertainment products have drastically changed the ways in which we live,our expectations of the future,and our moral land- scapes. Science and Technology Ethicsre-examines the ethics by which we live and asks whether we have in place the ethical guidelines through which we can incorporate scientific and technological developments with the minimum ofdisruption and disaffection.Bringing together a range of expertise, this book assesses the ethical systems already in existence and proposes new approaches to our scientific and engi- neering processes. It considers the social contracts in practice, the developments in biology and informatics and how these can influence our ethics,the role that the military industry can play,and our envi- ronmental responsibilities. Science and Technology Ethicsis a much-needed discussion of the scientific developments that have major effects on the way we live.It will be of interest to all students of science and technology and all professionals involved with administrating laws in these fields. Raymond E.Spier is Professor of Science and Engineering Ethics at the University of Surrey. PROFESSIONAL ETHICS General Editor:Ruth Chadwick Centre for Professional Ethics,University ofCentral Lancashire Professionalism is a subject of interest to academics, the general public and would-be professional groups.Traditional ideas ofprofes- sions and professional conduct have been challenged by recent social, political and technological changes.One result has been the develop- ment for almost every profession ofan ethical code ofconduct which attempts to formalize its values and standards. These codes of conduct raise a number ofquestions about the status ofa ‘profession’ and the consequent moral implications for behaviour. This series seeks to examine these questions both critically and constructively. Individual volumes will consider issues relevant to particular professions, including nursing, genetic counselling, jour- nalism, business, the food industry and law. Other volumes will address issues relevant to all professional groups such as the function and value of a code of ethics and the demand of confidentiality. Also available in this series: ETHICAL ISSUES IN JOURNALISM HEALTH CARE,ETHICS AND AND THE MEDIA INSURANCE edited by Andrew Besley and Ruth edited by Tom Sorrell Chadwick ETHICS AND THE UNIVERSITY ETHICAL ISSUES IN NURSING Michael Davis edited by Geoffrey Hunt ETHICS AND COMMUNITY IN THE GENETIC COUNSELLING HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONS edited by Angus Clarke edited by Michael Parker THE GROUND OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICAL ISSUES IN YOUTH WORK ETHICS Sarah Banks Daryl Koehn GENERAL PRACTICE AND ETHICS ETHICAL ISSUES IN SOCIAL WORK Christopher Dowrick and Lucy Frith edited by Richard Hugman and David Smith PROFESSIONALISM AND ETHICS FOOD ETHICS IN TEACHING edited by Ben Mepham David Carr CURRENT ISSUES IN BUSINESS ETHICS IN PUBLIC AND ETHICS COMMUNITY HEALTH edited by Peter W.F.Davies edited by Peter Bradley and Amanda Burls ETHICS AND VALUES IN HEALTH ETHICS AND THE BUILT CARE MANAGEMENT ENVIRONMENT edited by Souzy Dracopoulou edited by Warwick Fox SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY ETHICS Edited by Raymond E. Spier London and New York First published 2002 by Routledge 11 New Fetter Lane, London EC4P 4EE Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 29 West 35th Street, New York, NY 10001 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2002. © 2001 Raymond E. Spier for selection and editorial matter; individual chapters © respective contributors All rights reserved.No part ofthis book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilized in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means,now known or hereafter invented,including photocopying and recording,or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library ofCongress Cataloging in Publication Data Science and technology ethics/edited by Raymond E.Spier. p.cm.— (Professional ethics) Includes bibliographical references and index. 1.Science–Moral and ethical aspects.2.Technology–Moral and ethical aspects.I.Spier,R.(Raymond) II.Series. Q180.55.M67 S32 2001 174′.95—dc21 2001041857 ISBN 0–415–14812–X (hbk) ISBN 0–415–14813–8 (pbk) ISBN 0-203-44096-X Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-203-74920-0 (Adobe eReader Format) CONTENTS List ofcontributors vii 1 Science and engineering ethics:overview 1 RAYMOND E.SPIER 2 The processes ofscience 22 STEPHANIE J.BIRD 3 Ethics and the products ofscience 39 RUFUS BLACK 4 Engineering ethics 59 VIVIAN WEIL 5 Ethics in conflict 89 BRAD HOOKER 6 A social contract? 107 ANDREW REEVE 7 Biology,engineering and ethics 127 RAYMOND E.SPIER 8 Computers and society 159 SIMON ROGERSON v CONTENTS 9 Ethical issues engendered by engineering with atomic nuclei 180 RAYMOND E.SPIER 10 Science and the military 207 MICHAEL ATIYAH 11 Engineering,ethics and the environment 220 SUSAN B.HODGSON AND SLOBODAN PERDAN Index 243 vi CONTRIBUTORS Michael Atiyah was a Professor of Mathematics at Oxford and Princeton, and subsequently President of the Royal Society and Master ofTrinity College,Cambridge.He is currently President of the Pugwash Conferences on Science and World Affairs, and an Honorary Professor at Edinburgh University. Stephanie J. Bird is a neuroscientist and Special Assistant to the Provost at Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology where she works on the development of educational programs that address the responsible conduct of research,and ethical issues in science and more generally. Her research interests now focus on the ethical, legal and social policy implications of scientific research, espe- cially in the area of neuroscience. She is co-editor of the journal Science and Engineering Ethics. Rufus Black, who holds degrees in politics and law from the University of Melbourne,has just completed a doctorate in ethics at the University of Oxford where he was a Rhodes Scholar and taught ethics. He is currently a Tutor in Philosophy at Ormond College in Melbourne. Susan B.Hodgsonis a Sustainability Training Manager at the Centre for Environmental Strategy,University of Surrey,having worked in the environmental field for fifteen years.Her wide interests cover the interrelationships of the private and the public sectors in taking responsibility for sustainable development. Brad Hooker is Senior Lecturer in Philosophy at the University of Reading. He is author of Ideal Code, Real World: A Rule- Consequentialist Theory ofMorality (2000).He is also co-editor of Morality,Rules,and Consequences:A Critical Reader,Well-Being and Moralityand Moral Particularism,all published in 2000. vii CONTRIBUTORS Slobodan Perdanis a research fellow at the Centre for Environmental Strategy,University of Surrey.His research interests are primarily concerned with environmental philosophy and discourse ethics. Andrew Reeveis Professor of Politics and International Studies at the University ofWarwick.He is author ofPropertyand co-author of Electoral Systems in Britain.He is also editor of Exploitationand co-editor of Liberal Neutrality and Modern Political Theory from Hobbes to Locke.His main interests are in the history of political thought and contemporary political theory. Simon Rogersonis Director of the Centre for Computing and Social Responsibility and Professor in Computer Ethics at De Montfort University, UK. He is author of Ethical Aspects of Information Technology:Issues for Senior Executives.He was the winner of the 1999 IFIP Namur Award for outstanding contribution to the cre- ation of awareness of the social implications of information technology. Raymond E.Spieris Professor of Science and Engineering Ethics at the University of Surrey. He currently edits/co-edits the journals Vaccine, Enzyme and Microbial Technology and Science and Engineering Ethics. Vivian Weil is Director of the Center for Study of Ethics in the Professions at the Illinois Institute ofTechnology.She is co-author of Owning Scientific and Technical Information and editor of Whistleblowing – Defining Engineer’s Responsibilities. viii 1 SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ETHICS Overview Raymond E.Spier Introduction New knowledge about our world and the way it works is accumulat- ing at an ever-increasing pace. Along with this is a burgeoning of engineering activities leading to new, improved and life-changing products. These two activities feed off one another so that we may expect the rate of change in both these areas to either maintain present levels or increase. For example, our increasing knowledge of the way we work as human beings has spawned a profusion of guidelines as to what we should eat,how we should exercise and how we should refrain from exposing ourselves to toxic materials which could lead to heart disease,cancer or liver failure.In another area the insinuation ofmas- sively increasing computer power into the domestic environment has connected people to an abundance of information whose magnitude is almost beyond comprehension.This,and the advent ofsatellite and cable television,has provided individuals with an exposure to world- wide events and cultures.A consequence is that we are beginning to change the way we think about our own upbringing, traditions and way of life. Global attitudes and considerations are now on most agendas. The ubiquity ofthe private car has led to enormous changes in how we behave and how we build and use our towns and cities,just as the prevalence of relatively inexpensive air travel has led to an apparent shrinking of our globe by many orders of magnitude. And the new technologies that are in the realm of our ‘defence’ sectors have 1