Thought Exercises Archives - Viterbi Conversations in Ethics

Thought Exercise: Superbra

VCE March 26, 2019

You are the Engineering Manager for a company that designs devices for medical and athletic support – leg braces, back belts, and shoe lifts, for…

Ethical Dilemmas Thought Exercises

Thought Exercise: Automobile Defect

VCE February 5, 2019

You work for a large automobile manufacturer. You have been leading a project to build a state-of-the-art hybrid pickup truck for almost eight years. About…

Ethical Dilemmas Thought Exercises

Thought Exercise: Confidential Proposal

VCE February 24, 2018

You are co-owner of Car Factory, Inc., an automotive engineering design firm. You have patented a new device to cut gasoline emissions by almost 4/5…

Featured Spring 2022 Volume 6 Issue 1

The Costs of Megaprojects: An Analysis of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macau Bridge

Helen Situ May 4, 2022

Megaprojects are large scale investment projects, many of which are internationally famous, such as Australia’s Sydney Opera House, SpaceX’s program to colonize Mars, and the Panama Canal. Megaprojects garner a high level of excitement — and justly so, as they hold cultural, economic, and social significance. However, the questionable ethics of megaprojects needs to be examined as they increasingly become the dominant mode of infrastructure construction.

Featured Spring 2022 Volume 6 Issue 1

A Credit Card a Week: The Environmental Ethics of Plastics

Kaylee Tseng May 4, 2022

In an industrialized world, it seems impossible to live without plastics. From food storage to aircrafts, plastics provide benefits that make them an irreplaceable material. However, a consistent increase in plastic production and use has led to a massive plastic pollution crisis. Plastics are produced from non-renewable resources and can never fully decompose. They end up in our oceans, our environment, and even our stomachs (a credit card’s worth per week). Additionally, the massive amount of plastic waste has created a global plastic trade that unfairly places the burden of waste processing on less developed countries that may not be able to support even their own waste. The effects of plastic pollution are reaching a critical stage, and engineers must find solutions to relieve the growing pressure.

Featured Spring 2022 Volume 6 Issue 1

Artificial and Unreal: The Ethics of Beautification Technology for Images and Social Media

Daniel Chaderjian May 4, 2022

In today’s digital age, social media plays a major role in the development of adolescent minds. Young people begin posting content in their early years and are exposed to a feed of others’ pictures and videos. However, while this system may ostensibly help people stay in contact with those they do not see in person, it also creates an environment of comparison that can lead to self-esteem and body image issues. Beautification technology like augmented reality filters and photoshop have only exacerbated the issue, making it so that young people are not only comparing themselves to a curated version of others, but an entirely manufactured one. Engineers have a responsibility to examine the possible negative effects of the products they create, and beautification technology leads to far more harm than good.

Featured Spring 2022 Volume 6 Issue 1

The Ethics of Stockpiling Zero-Day Vulnerabilities

Matthew Wilson May 4, 2022

The development of new technology has allowed the evolution of new methods of warfare. The use of zero-days has propelled this exploration and empowered governments to remotely attack the software systems of their adversaries. Despite the potential military benefits of this weapon, government officials are still questioning whether they should stockpile zero-days, especially when the vulnerability is found in software that everyday citizens use. Analyses of previous zero-day attacks and the US government’s overpowering national security stance reveals that the consequences of stockpiling zero-days outweigh the benefits and are a clear violation of the rights of citizens.

Fall 2022 Featured Weekly News Profile

Mass Protests in Iran Garner U.S. Tech Support

Jackie Finnemeyer September 26, 2022

Iranian protests have made headlines – and social media feeds – around the world. As the internet becomes an increasingly important ally in the global fight for human rights, tech firms in the United States are seeking to expand internet access to Iranians.

Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

The Rise and Conflict of AI-Generated Images

Kaylee Tseng September 18, 2022

From art competitions to online horror stories, AI art has seen a massive spread online. These internet-based machine-learning models raise questions about misinformation, originality, and bias. While most results from AI-generated images have been developed as jokes, the internet may soon need to contend with these models as they become more realistic.

Fall 2022 Weekly News Profile

How California’s Heat Wave Almost Broke the State’s Power Grid

Sabrina Sy September 12, 2022

A historic heat wave in California has led to high demand for energy usage this past week, but officials have urged millions of residents to turn up their thermostats and shut off their appliances to prevent overwhelming the power grid. However, lawmakers and regulators at the forefront of the state’s green energy initiatives are also feeling the heat.

Spring 2022 Weekly News Profile

Climate Change Concerns May Be Getting Worse

Jackie Finnemeyer May 1, 2022

Climate change has long been underway, but new research has shown that the known effects of climate change may be expanding to include an increase in infectious disease. Are we able to curb the severity of these consequences before it’s too late?

Spring 2022 Weekly News Profile

Growing Up with CRISPR

Michael DeLucia April 24, 2022

The three known children with successfully edited genomes through CRISPR are now raising questions about health, safety, and surveillance for genetically modified humans. Although their well-being is paramount, how do parents, researchers, and lawmakers balance physical, mental, and financial well-being throughout the childrens’ lives?