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Paper
Abstract
In every major corporation safety is a high priority and corporate policy statements stress the company’s commitment to keep people and the environment safe. However, safety comes at a cost. Corporations are in business to make profits by providing quality products and services for consumers at affordable prices. Engineers play a critical role in the design, construction, and operation of corporations across the globe and are constantly challenged to find new ways of doing things in order to reduce operating expenses in a competitive global economy. Companies must keep pace with the latest technological innovation or face the prospects of going out of business.
Constant economic pressures put engineers in positions to make tough decisions about where to cut costs. When safety is compromised for economic reasons or any other reason, people and the environment are at risk. For the Christian engineer, these ethical decisions may be different and rise to a higher standard than that required by a corporation’s code of ethics[1]. A Christian engineer motivated by faith in God and acting on biblical principles will often reach different conclusions from those operating strictly from a corporate business model based on maximizing profits. Philosophical ethical systems fall short of the Biblical ideal[2]. In facing ethical challenges related to safety, the Christian engineer should propose strategies and standards that follow from the command, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
[1] Martin, M., & Schinzinger, R. (1996). Ethics in Engineering. New York: McGraw-Hill.
[2] Holmes, A. F. (2007). Ethics: Approaching Moral Decisions. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.
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Safety and Its Ethical Challenges for the Christian Engineer in a Technological Society
In every major corporation safety is a high priority and corporate policy statements stress the company’s commitment to keep people and the environment safe. However, safety comes at a cost. Corporations are in business to make profits by providing quality products and services for consumers at affordable prices. Engineers play a critical role in the design, construction, and operation of corporations across the globe and are constantly challenged to find new ways of doing things in order to reduce operating expenses in a competitive global economy. Companies must keep pace with the latest technological innovation or face the prospects of going out of business.
Constant economic pressures put engineers in positions to make tough decisions about where to cut costs. When safety is compromised for economic reasons or any other reason, people and the environment are at risk. For the Christian engineer, these ethical decisions may be different and rise to a higher standard than that required by a corporation’s code of ethics[1]. A Christian engineer motivated by faith in God and acting on biblical principles will often reach different conclusions from those operating strictly from a corporate business model based on maximizing profits. Philosophical ethical systems fall short of the Biblical ideal[2]. In facing ethical challenges related to safety, the Christian engineer should propose strategies and standards that follow from the command, “Love your neighbor as yourself.”
[1] Martin, M., & Schinzinger, R. (1996). Ethics in Engineering. New York: McGraw-Hill.
[2] Holmes, A. F. (2007). Ethics: Approaching Moral Decisions. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.