The Responsibility of Engineers

Victor Weisskopf said “Human existence is based upon two pillars: compassion and knowledge. Compassion without knowledge is ineffective; knowledge without compassion is inhuman.” A cursory examination of how science and engineering have operated historically reveals a litany of instances where they serve oppression. Neither is inherently good. Both exist within the context of societal frameworks and cannot be isolated panaceas for challenges of the day. Whether to install pipeline infrastructure in Standing Rock or Flint results in disparate health and economic outcomes depending on race and class. Whether to introduce the class “Hacking 4 Defense” into curriculums, or one titled “Engineering Ethics and the Public,” trains engineers towards drastically different ends. Recognition of such frameworks may imbue us with the critical conscientiousness and political consciousness necessary to take commensurate action. Only then will science and engineering contribute to reimagining and remaking the world in an equitable fashion never seen before.