From the Editor
Dear VCE readers,
As engineers, it is our duty to shatter notions of the impossible. From the very first automobile to the most recent spacecraft, the world has witnessed astounding innovations that have grounded far-fetched dreams into everyday realities. While few can deny an engineer’s brilliance, we have much to learn when it comes to ethicality. We have let ambition get the best of us too many times. Any engineer can innovate, but only an excellent engineer can wield those innovations for good. Here at Viterbi, we are lucky to be involved in a program dedicated to cultivating excellent engineers and it is an honor to share their work.
First, Nakul Malik takes us off planet and explores the dangers of space colonization. He recognizes that in the wake of global disasters, such as climate change, colonization of other planets is one of the only ways to ensure humanity’s survival. Even so, Malik imparts that we cannot ethically inhabit other planets until we orchestrate a set of laws that protect these new worlds and humans alike. Malik uses three different ethical perspectives that focus on humanity’s relationship with the Earth and with each other in order to untangle the moral nuances of this complex topic.
Back on Earth, Karsyn Wendler broaches the moral implications of highway expansion. She provides an interdisciplinary approach as she analyzes federal legislation, environmental impact, and socioeconomic inequalities exacerbated by such expansion. You can feel the passion in Wendler’s work, which comes as no surprise as she was motivated by the impacts of highway expansion in her hometown.
Farther away from the bustling commotion of highways, James Hiemstra plants us in agricultural monoculture. Hiemstra argues that while monocultures reap economic benefits, they have severely damaged the environment in ways that are starting to impact everyday human life. He asserts that industrialized agriculture can only become ethical once it switches from an egocentric to an ecocentric approach. Rather than continuing the use of unsustainable farming practices, Heimstra suggests that agriculturalists practice permaculture in order to sow a better tomorrow.
Meanwhile, Cameron Gomez takes us into the realm of AI with her piece about deepfakes. Not only does she warn us against the technology’s deceitful powers, but she also warns of the dangers associated with irresponsible engineering practices. Especially when it comes to such rapidly evolving technology, Gomez declares that it is crucial for engineers to take accountability for their creations – especially when they begin to have harmful implications on society. Gomez makes her paper relevant for engineers of all disciplines, urging us to act with more empathy as our innovations permeate all aspects of life.
Lastly, Alex Tomkow tackles another side of technology: video games. He provides us with an inside look at America’s military-entertainment complex, by examining the popular video game franchise Call of Duty (COD). He exposes the connections between the military, gaming, and gun industries and reveals how they can be deceptive. To do so, Tomkow calls out video games’ tendency to rewrite historical events. These rewrites erase historical truths to favor national interests. As Call of Duty is one of the most played video games in the world, Tomkow explains that this rewriting of history is irresponsible and manipulative. He sends a strong message about the importance of transparency in engineering.
The editors at VCE are proud to share this work with you all. We received many thoughtful submissions, but ultimately chose these five because we believed they were the strongest embodiments of what it means to be an engineer at Viterbi. The topics covered in this issue were broad, but the messages they conveyed were similar: as engineers, we are responsible for making our practices and innovations ethical. With great power comes great responsibility. We are the future of the world and must do what we can to cultivate a better future. It is with great honor that we present to you VCE Volume 8 Issue 1!
Janessi Diaz, VCE Editor-in-Chief
- Space Colonization and Why Humanity is Better Off Not Pursuing ItSpace colonization is an inevitable reality, with time as its only obstacle. While innovations in this direction are generally viewed as a positive advancement in humanity’s long-term future, crucial ethical concerns are often forgotten in common discourse. Before humanity makes further strides toward being an interplanetary species, the ethics of the ownership of land and resources in space, the fair allocation of resources, and the violation of any rights must be analyzed. If humanity insists upon moving forward with space colonization, numerous aspects must be reconsidered to ensure a morally proper and ethical operation.
- Developing the Road to Nowhere: Ethical Considerations of Highway Expansions
Highway expansion has persisted across the last several decades in the United States. While these networks provide an important mode of transportation for people and cargo between major cities throughout the country, their expansion poses an ethical dilemma. The primary solution to bottleneck traffic congestion and prolonged commute times is to add extra lanes to existing highways; however, the relief is temporary, as their positive effects only last about five years. Further, highway expansion has been associated with unethical long-term effects that prove federal budgets should be investing in improving existing road infrastructure. - Back to Our Roots: The Shift from Industrial Monoculture to Permaculture
In the decades following the Green Revolution, industrial monoculture has quickly become the dominant model of agriculture in the United States. Despite its economic benefits and high crop yield, monocultures have diminished biodiversity and operate on massive amounts of agrochemical inputs, which have caused extensive ecological and human damage. In hopes of shifting agriculture to a greater moral standing, agro-ecological models have been formulated that incorporate ecosystem processes into farming. Agro-ecology has culminated in the practice of permaculture, which enables ecological regeneration while growing crops in a sustainable manner. Permaculture is in its early stages of development, and agricultural engineers must shift their efforts to improving its design and feasibility for widespread use. - Real or Fake? The Ethics of Deepfake Media
Deepfakes are a new form of AI that can simulate a person’s likeness and words using visual and audio media. The videos of Tom Cruise doing magic tricks that are surfacing on TikTok are prevalent examples of deepfakes; the actor has never posted such content on any of his official social media accounts and seems to be unaware of their existence. The possibilities in which deepfakes can be used are endless, as long as video and/or audio data of a subject can be obtained. This reveals ethical concerns surrounding the lack of regulation of deepfake technology. Engineers have a duty to address these concerns and improve the practices involved in deepfake research. - War Games: How America’s Military-Entertainment Complex Spreads Propaganda Through Entertainment
Media depictions of military conflict are often deliberately fraught with government biases and disinformation. In the United States, Hollywood often works in collaboration with the Department of Defense. The result is entertainment that doubles as military propaganda. Additionally, evidence shows that the video game industry works closely with gun manufacturers. Activision-Blizzard’s Call of Duty franchise presents a strong case study of the close ties between the American military-industrial complex and entertainment, both in historical revisionist narratives and in coordination with the U.S. military during development. These factors are worth critical examination as the interests of the American people do not always align with those of the military and their political allies.