11: Case Studies: B. F. Goodrich A7D Air Force Brakes

TL;DR

This content discusses the integration of ethics into scientific and engineering problems, using the metaphor of barbecue and presenting two ethics problems related to truck brakes and pushing a box.

Transcript

The following content is provided by MIT OpenCourseWare under a Creative Commons license. Additional information about our license and MIT OpenCourseWare in general is available at ocw.mit.edu. TAFT BROOME: On this particular class, I intentionally did not make an assignment, because I didn't want you to know what the answer in the back of the book... Read More

Key Insights

• ❓ Ethics should be integrated into the process of engineering analysis, rather than being an afterthought.
• ❓ The barbecue metaphor highlights the importance of considering the method and process used in ethical decision-making.
• 🔠 Ethical decision-making should involve the perspectives and input of the individuals affected by the decision.

Questions & Answers

Q: How does the content involve ethics in engineering problems?

The content emphasizes the importance of considering ethical implications during engineering analysis, rather than just after observing the ethical situation. It presents two examples of engineering problems where ethical decision-making is necessary.

Q: How does the barbecue metaphor relate to ethics in scientific and engineering problems?

The barbecue metaphor highlights the different approaches to ethics by comparing North Carolina barbecue (representative of a method) to Texas barbecue (representative of the end result). It suggests that ethics should be integrated into the process of engineering analysis, rather than as an afterthought.

Q: How does the first example of truck brakes relate to ethics?

The example presents a choice between two types of truck brakes, where one is strong but potentially injures or kills the driver, while the other is less strong but provides a smooth braking experience. Ethical considerations need to be made in determining which set of brakes to use, keeping in mind the potential consequences for the driver and the company.

Q: How does the second example of pushing a box relate to ethics?

The example involves positioning one's hands on a tall box to prevent it from tipping back and causing harm to the worker. The ethical consideration is ensuring the safety of the worker by determining the correct height for hand placement and potentially adding more workers to prevent harm to other individuals.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The content introduces the concept of incorporating ethics into scientific and engineering problems.

• The metaphor of barbecue is used to highlight the different approaches to ethics, comparing North Carolina barbecue (a verb) to Texas barbecue (a noun).

• Two ethics problems are presented: one related to choosing truck brakes, and the other related to the position of hands when pushing a tall box.