Category: Semester

Fall 2023 Volume 7 Issue 1

Hostile Architecture: The Ethical Problem of Design as a Means of Exclusion

Zoe Nussbaum December 29, 2023

From uncomfortable park benches to unnavigable sidewalks, hostile architecture has emerged worldwide to exclude unhoused individuals from public spaces. Hostile architecture goes against the principles of engineering a communal space. Yet, it persists because it subtly banishes unhoused people from the eyes and minds of communities that fear or are ashamed of them. However, the practice is unethical towards the unhoused and those in the community who experience limited mobility. Ultimately, hostile architecture has never been a sustainable method for solving homelessness, and its use is rooted in harmful bias against unhoused people.

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Fall 2023 Volume 7 Issue 1

An Ethical Exploration of Automating the Trucking Industry

Jacob Harrington December 29, 2023

 In recent years, a shortage of commercial transport drivers has resulted in an inability to meet increasing demand. A proposed solution for combating this bottleneck is to automate long-haul trucks through sophisticated AI techniques. Through automation, this shortage can be resolved. Unfortunately, although there are too few truckers on the road, it remains one of the most common professions for Americans today. Thus, by embracing this technology, there is a risk of forcing a substantial portion of the population out of work. Would pursuing automated trucking be an ethical decision? Inversely, would it be unethical to disallow automation? Through various lenses, this paper will dive into this dilemma and determine the best path forward.

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Fall 2023 Volume 7 Issue 1

To GEH or Not to GEH

Janessi Diaz December 29, 2023

HIV and AIDS have devastated the lives of millions of people worldwide. Antiretroviral therapy (ART) has completely transformed the reality of those impacted by HIV and AIDS, turning a death sentence into a much longer and healthier life. However, heavy pill burdens, drug resistance, and a lack of equity in current treatment make ART unethical as a long-term, permanent solution. It is up to biomedical engineers to find an ethical way to treat or cure the millions of people impacted by this virus. Genetically engineering humans (GEH) has shown great promise in improving treatment and finding a cure for HIV. If the engineers making these edits follow very thorough and specific guidelines, genetic engineering can be an ethical alternative to ART.

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Fall 2023 Volume 7 Issue 1

Consciousness and the Self: A Philosophical Discussion of the Future of Whole Brain Emulation

Jennah Saqib December 29, 2023

Whole brain emulation is the theory that brain scans can be used to simulate the human mind digitally. It is primarily being researched to improve understanding of the brain to treat or cure neurological illnesses and conditions. However, the concept of whole brain emulation raises ethical and philosophical questions about what it means to be human and the future of humanity. This paper explores different schools of thought on the ideas of consciousness and how they can be applied to the concept of brain simulation and ethical research practices.

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Fall 2023 Weekly News Profile

Vapes Harm More Than Just Their Users

Janessi Diaz December 14, 2023

For anyone who has been thinking about quitting vaping, here is some inspiration. Vapes are not just bad for those who use them, they are incredibly harmful to those who have to make them. Vapes require a lithium-ion battery which is made with cobalt. The demand for cobalt has created treacherous and inhumane conditions for miners in Congo where the mineral is present in great abundance.

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Fall 2023 Weekly News Profile

Controversy at the COP28 Summit

Jennah Saqib December 6, 2023

The annual United Nations Climate Change Conference has started with a bang. Comments made before the summit by the event president, Sultan Ahmed al Jaber, were met with scathing criticism. Al Jaber, who went on the record claiming the phase-out of fossil fuels is an alarmist idea not rooted in science, has since been slammed by other attendees for being biased toward fossil fuel and oil companies. Despite the president’s reluctance, a call for the complete removal of the fossil fuel industry continues to be a major focus point of the conference.

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Fall 2023 Weekly News Profile

FTC Dispute Helps to Explain Rising Medical Device Costs

Kaylee Tseng December 6, 2023

The FTC recently challenged over 100 patents in the FDA’s Orange Book, a guide that lists drug products, patents, and viable generics. A patent in the Orange Book for pharmaceutical companies delays competitors from entering the market because of infringement risks. However, the FTC found several instances of medical device patents listed in the Orange Book that overstep the Book’s purpose. These improper patents are artificially extending monopolies to pharmaceutical companies. This adds to the rising costs of inhalers and EpiPens, which come at the consumer’s expense.

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Fall 2023 Weekly News Profile

NASA’s “Asteroid Autumn” Reveals the Future of the Space Industry

Rachel Pak November 22, 2023

This “Asteroid Autumn,” NASA has made significant steps forward in three of their asteroid-focused space missions. On September 24, 2023, OSIRIS-REx successfully returned an estimated half-pound sample of asteroid rock. Psyche, launched on October 13, will travel out to examine the metal-rich asteroid 16-Psyche. Finally, on November 1, Lucy flew by her first asteroid out of the twelve along her planned trajectory. These missions highlight the growing interest in identifying and collecting the resources found in space. The economic and political advantages gained from access to space resources will shape the future of the space industry.

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Fall 2023 Weekly News Profile

iPad Kids: A Generation in Danger 

Rachel Pak November 13, 2023

People in Silicon Valley tend to be very strict about their children’s screen time because they have insider knowledge of just how addictive and harmful the algorithms they create are. Fed up with these algorithms, 33 general attorneys from 42 different states have come together to sue Meta for endangering children. Excessive screen use perpetuated by such algorithms has serious implications for the children who fall victim to them.

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Fall 2023 Weekly News Profile

The Benefits of Scientific Controversy

Jennah Saqib November 7, 2023

Timothy Nash recently brought a two-million-year-old fossil on a commercial voyage aboard Virgin Galactic’s V.S.S. Unity. The purpose was to symbolize how far humanity has come, though many scientists disagree with this stunt, stating the venture to be “unethical” and “reckless”. However, the resulting controversy has led to a great deal of public interest in the Cradle of Humankind, benefitting future research ventures through additional economic support.

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