About Justice And Humility In Technology Design
| Authors | VanderLeest, Steven |
|---|---|
| Date | 2006 |
| Conference | 2006 Annual Conference & Exposition |
| Vol / Pages | pp. 11.851.1-11.851.12 |
| URL | https://peer.asee.org/justice-and-humility-in-technology-design |
Type: Conference Paper
Abstract
Engineering design requires choosing between various design alternatives, weighing each option based on technical design criteria. Broader criteria have been suggested that encompass the cultural, historical, and philosophical contexts in which the new technology becomes embedded. These criteria, called design norms, can only be applied effectively by engineers with a strong liberal education. This paper examines two design norms in some detail. The first norm, justice, has been noted in the past as an important criterion for design decisions, but not to sufficient depth to provide practical design insights. Design for justice requires consideration of all stakeholders of a design. Technological designs can intrinsically lead to injustice, for example, if they disrespect stakeholders or cause discriminatory inequities. The second norm explored in this paper, humility, has typically been considered a good quality of the engineer, but not often applied to technology. The implications of using humility as a design criterion might include more emphasis on reliability, user feedback, and more broadly, a recognition of human limitations and fallibility.