Ethical education of an engineer with responsibility for a sustainable world

Abstract

This paper presents the results of the inclusion of ethics, moral, environmental and humanistic principles in the education of engineers at the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais - PUC Minas. In the last two decades, the Polytechnic Institute of PUC Minas (IPUC) has directed part of their academic work, in special of final graduation projects in this way. The search for technological solutions, must not only be based on economic interests, but also take into account a fundamental objective, the continuation of life in the world with a minimum standard of life quality. These are projects with humanitarian and environmental focus ahead of individual needs. The technological innovation of these projects is aimed not only to meet the market demand, but also the social and local development, overcoming the perception crisis resulting from the Cartesian fragmented vision. The Paradigm of Complexity thus stands as a bold challenge to the fragmentary and reductionistic spirit that continues to dominate the scientific research. The goal was to produce low cost, low energy consumption technological solutions that do not meet planned obsolescence. These projects promote inclusion of people with special needs, inclusive solutions for health, sustainable use of natural resources and mitigation of poverty. University Extension is observed in the institution's everyday actions while maintaining the inseparability of teaching, research and extension, as expressed in article/1988 207 of Brazilian Constitution. This teaching methodology involves the transfer and dissemination of technology, since it relies on partnerships between the industry and university in solidarity and ethics, where engineering is serving the underprivileged. The profile of the professionals that graduate from IPUC include the principles: ethics and morality in the creation of technological innovations, negotiation, reversibility of natural resources and promotion of socio-economic change. The engineer is formed with concerns for better distribution of wealth in the world and the preservation of natural resources. Thus the IPUC is aligned with recent directions adopted by the IEEE in technology that express humanitarian concern for the scarce resources of nature and the challenges in promoting sustainable living with quality of life.