Rethinking Design Ethics from the Perspective of Spinoza

Abstract

This article proposes a new theoretical direction for design ethics, recognizing its significance in today's technology and philosophical debates on what constitutes goodness. Current discussions often overlook these debates, leaving designers in ethical dilemmas without principles to articulate design ethics. We argue for a philosophical and ontological approach encouraging reflections on systems and politics beyond economics. This article introduces a new schema for reimagining design ethics through four aspects, supported by theoretical insights from three key concepts in Spinoza's Ethics: multifaceted perception and ingenium, the pursuit of activity, and a relational interpretation of his ontology. This article offers significant insights into the essence of goodness, and it tackles the ethical challenges prevalent in atomized societies and structural issues, serving as a theoretical guide for design alternatives in our contemporary realities.