Interim Report for Engineering Ethics and Emerging Technologies

At first glance ethics and technology seem to have no interaction. However, we see the influence of ethics on technology both from the profession and the public. For example the "code of professional ethics" has changed the procedures in different parts of science, engineering and technology, and has given a particular direction to the types of projects done, their scope, and implementations. The sensitivity of consumers to choose moral values has also resulted in the change of direction for many technologies. Public participation in science and technology and the legal channels are the other factors that shape the influence of ethics on technology. More controversially on the other side we see the impact of technology on ethics. One can

Humans are known to be omnivores and meat provides several essential nutrients that plants can not give us. Meat is primarily a source of omega -3 fatty acids, vitamin B12, protein and iron (Verma and Banerjee 2010). Livestock sector is one of the fastest growing agricultural subsector globally, employing 1.3 billion individuals and supporting around 600 million poor smallholder farmers in the developing world (Thornton et al. 2002). Livestock provide us food such as meat to maintain the health of the human body (Nestle 1999). With population growth, urbanization, economic growth, and flourishing markets, an increase in global demand for conventional meat product arose (Fiala 2008). The focus of this paper is to provide in

There are many ethical dilemmas that an industrial engineer may face throughout their career. One major dilemma would be having to lay someone off because of a change you may have made to a process to make it more efficient. Industrial engineers are always trying to find a more efficient way of doing something, whether it’s in a factory, in an office, or the route of a delivery driver. Sometimes these things aren’t always as simple as they may seem. There are often consequences to these seemingly simple changes. People can and do get laid off because of a change to a process.

© The Royal Academy of Engineering ISBN 1-903496-73-X August 2011 Published by The Royal Academy of Engineering 3 Carlton House Terrace London SW1Y 5DG Tel: 020 7766 0600 www.raeng.org.uk Registered Charity Number: 293074 This is an abridged version of a full guide available online at: www.raeng.org.uk/ethicsinpractice

The movie “Food Inc.” is a documentary created to shed light on the topic of industrialized farming of crops and animals. The video shows many scenes that display the poor methods of industrialized farming as well as the harsh conditions the animals have to endure while they are being farmed. This video however also takes a political standpoint on the topic and expresses many opinions on the matter. The movie is also filled with recent facts and statistics on the industry and compares them to how the food business used to be. “Food Inc.” also provides first-hand accounts of how farmers are affected and the types of techniques that giant corporations are imposing.

For the past two decades animal farming has developed into an industrial operation of raising animals for human consumption (Rise of Factory Farms, 2015 Edition). Factory farming confines livestock (cows, hogs, and chickens) in tightly packed facilities with the focus on maximizing economic return. Today there are four meat packers that monopolize the industry. These four companies, Tyson, Smitfield Foods, JBS, and Cargill, control about 85 percent of the American beef industry (How 4 companies control almost all the meat you eat, 2014). This dominance in the industry affects the pricing, production, laws, and quality of the meat that is consumed. Also, majority of small and medium farms are disappearing due to the dominance of these major corporations.

Between mislabeling, absent labeling, and bending the truth, the farming industry has become a business. Quality no longer matters. Turn over rate and production seem to be the only goal of so called “farmers”. Factory farming is defined as a system of rearing livestock using intensive methods, by which poultry, pigs, and/or cattle are confined indoors under strictly controlled conditions. Factory farms are very common. These intensively crude facilities abuse and kill innocent animals every day. Factory farming should be banned because of the fact factory farms pose serious health risk to consumers, detrimental effects on the environment, and deadly harm to innocent animals.

The meat market is booming, yet it is harming poor countries, the environment, and the animals. It is currently benefitting rich countries, but that will change as the population continues to grow. There is not enough space to continue to house all animals that are raised for food, even if humane farming was to be put into practice. To achieve space, deforestation is occurring. On top of that, animal farming is greatly contributing to the concentration of methane in the atmosphere. Currently, water sources are being used up, which may soon result in a lack of water. The food produced through animal farming, though likely cheaper than meat produced through humane methods, is still too expensive for most. Poor countries cannot afford the food produced in countries that use animal farming. According to Nibert, the food is produced for rich countries and prohibited from the poor. There is also worry about GMOs and how long term consumption may impact one’s health; however, it is becoming less and less possible to eat food that has not been modified in some way. Most of the food being produced, is owned by only a small number of people, all of whom, attempt to achieve as great of a profit as possible. Ultimately, money is the main focus for most people in the food industry and they are willing to go to extreme lengths to increase their

The progress in science & technology is a non-stop process. New things and new technology are being invented. As the technology grows day by day, we can imagine about the future in which thing we may occupy every

A group of people, which are mainly result-oriented, believe that the development will have positive effects. As factory farming reaches a high level of productivity and quality with lower business costs and higher job opportunities. And it will cause a general fall in food price, due to the efficient production (greengarageblog.org, 06/01/2017). In this way, more families can afford to eat these meat products without regarding it as a

Climate change is unarguably one of the most significant problems challenging our environment today. There is a sufficient amount of evidence expressing the concern that climate change is likely to negatively influence many aspects of life for people around the world. Human engineering, which is the biomedical modification of humans, can be used to help people ease and adapt to climate change; It is a possible solution to the ever growing environmental problem of global warming. However many people will concede that there are an abundance of possible ethical concerns regarding human engineering. The major implication is the concern regarding its safety for the children and society.

Today, it is a known fact that nearly 100 percent of the population interacts with agriculture and products from the animal industry, while it is estimated that only less than one percent of the population is directly involved with agricultural production. Although most people aren’t farmers, it is still important that consumers in our society still understand where their food comes from and in the case of animal agriculture, those that provide it.

The demand for meat in America is on the rise while the number of family owned farms is declining. The farming industry has had to change century old practices like free-range grazing to keep up with the mass amounts of meat that Americans and other cultures have become accustomed to. A process known as factory farming is controlling the farming industry worldwide. Factory farming is an unnatural and inhuman way to raise mass amounts of livestock. Unfortunately to keep up with demand, small farmers around the world are struggling to survive and are being pressured to work for large corporations raising animals using theses factory farming strategies rather than the natural alternative. As described by Wenonah

One of the most challenging and debatable topics in science is energy. Three paradigmatic energy methods are coal, natural gas, and renewable energy, specifically wind and solar. There are technical, social, and financial questions regarding the effects of energy sources which lead to questions of morality in pursuing further development of these sources. The ethical implications of technology can be analyzed through both a utilitarian and Kantian viewpoint in order to illuminate how society should proceed, especially in relation to the energy crisis, which describes the increasing decline in fossil fuel availability.

Over the last several years, technology has led to major transformations in the way everyone is living their daily lives. However, as these changes are occurring questions are arising about new ethical issues and how they can be resolved. To fully understand what is taking place, there will be a focus on these challenges and the conflicts they are creating. Together, these elements will highlight the possible problems and their impact on social norms.