The impalpable omnipresence of the ethical demand in design

Abstract

The paper aims at defining a virtue-based design ethics. The difficulties of understanding design ethics as being the result of an impalpable ethical directive are explored. As such, ethical realism is recognized as the standpoint from which rationales are developed to propose the concept of an overarching design ethics called ethical design intelligence. This concept is presented as an antidote to the pervasive postmodern, nihilistic, and mercantile design ideology that has prevailed in recent decades. Hence the necessity to show how ethical issues designers face within the context of design thinking and practice are intrinsically not only complex but multifocal; they stem from several grounds that define the rights and obligations of a diversity of affected agents. Virtue is presented as a suitable ethical approach to engaging such a multifocal ethical phenomenon in design thinking and practice at all levels of design deliberation.