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…

Volume 4 Issue 2

The Ethics of Self-Driving Cars

Isabel Yarwood Perez December 12, 2020

Self-driving cars process huge amounts of sensory information in a very short amount of time. The processing speed of this information allows self-driving cars to make an informed decision on how to act in the case of an accident. In scenarios where casualties are unavoidable, this produces an ethical dilemma in determining who should survive, raising questions about how the value of a life should be calculated. Ultimately, because all lives are equal and no individual should have power over deciding the fate of the lives of others, self-driving cars are unethical.

Volume 4 Issue 2

Profitable Risk: The Dangers of Consumer Spaceflight and Space Tourism

Brandon Dillon December 12, 2020

Society is rapidly approaching an era in which ordinary civilians can purchase tickets to become passengers on space vehicles. Companies worldwide are deep in the development of infrastructure and technology to provide spaceflight for amusement and transportation. These endeavors deviate fundamentally from traditional spaceflight and raise questions about the ethical implications of commercial spaceflight with civilian passengers.

Volume 4 Issue 2

Autonomous Accidents: The Ethics of Self-Driving Car Crashes

Teagan Ampe December 12, 2020

Abstract Self-driving cars are no longer confined to the realm of sci-fi; a variety of autonomous vehicles are under development by companies around the world.…

Volume 4 Issue 2

Sounds So Good It Hurts

Ryan Dale December 12, 2020

Abstract The audio industry is not typically one that most would consider dangerous. However, the act of music compression and the expansion of large music…

Fall 2020 Weekly News Profile

Galactic Law and Ownership

Michael DeLucia November 9, 2020

11/9/2020 Space exploration is as fascinating as it is frightening. With plans to explore Mars and beyond proposed for upcoming decades, sooner rather than later,…

Fall 2020 Weekly News Profile

Fines for Fire-Induced Blackouts?

Teagan Ampe November 2, 2020

11/2/2020 The California wildfires of October 2019 affected vast swaths of residents, forcing hundreds of thousands to evacuate their homes and many to lose their…

Fall 2020 Weekly News Profile

Tech Companies Accruing Monopolies that Harken Back to the Days of “Oil Barons and Railroad Tycoons”

Isabel Brieler October 26, 2020

10/26/2020 A sixteen-month investigation into tech giants including Facebook, Amazon, Apple, and Google has finally been completed with the filing of a lawsuit against Google by the…

Fall 2020 Weekly News Profile

Who Should Get a New COVID-19 Vaccine First?

Isabel Yarwood Perez October 19, 2020

10/19/2020 As flu season nears with an expected spike in cases, many companies are rushing to develop a safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine as soon…

Fall 2020 Weekly News Profile

Balancing Integrity with Privacy in Virtual Learning

Michael DeLucia October 5, 2020

10/5/2020 With the coronavirus pandemic continuing much longer than anticipated, schools adjusting to fully virtual classes or a hybrid model are scrambling to find ways…