Send message to Authors

Short abstract:

Based on three contexts, this study explores the role of STS in the practice of engineering ethics education for graduate students in China, which can make up for the shortcomings of traditional ethical theories in this respect.

Long abstract:

Although it defies conventional discipline categorizations, STS still shows its vitality by virtue of its interdisciplinary nature as a boundary object in China. In the field of engineering ethics education, traditional moral theories and approaches cannot meet the actual teaching needs. From the perspective of traditional moral theory, human beings or engineering is an abstract whole, which shows the tendency of technological determinism. Meanwhile, it often starts from abstract theories and principles, and discuss from top to bottom, which leads to unsatisfactory teaching effect.

In contrast, the epistemology of STS has strong advantages in engineering ethics education. First of all, the STS approach adopts constructivism, trying to open the black box of specific technology and engineering, and describe the complexity of the relationship between engineering and society, as well as the and contingency, diversity and alternative of pathways. At the same time, STS calls for practice. It is not only to advocate bottom-up case studies and case-based teaching, but more importantly to encourage participatory responsible engineering creation.

This study will select three contexts of engineering ethics education, namely algorithm bias, global classroom, and smart campus/community design, respectively to demonstrate the effectiveness of STS approach in improving students' ethical sensitivity, forming cross-cultural ethical consensus, and realizing ethical design.