A Possible Structure for Moral Problem-Solving in Engineering Ethics

In this inquiry, we try to find a way to deal with moral problems and dilemmas in the realm of technology. We use a procedure that has been introduced in recent years in applied ethics, which is that of design analogy. According to this procedure, we can draw on insights and structures that are used in design processes to solve moral problems. Moreover, for the sake of moral evaluation in this structure, we need an ethical theory. Our proposed ethical theories are Kantian rule consequentialism and triple theory, which is a combination of Kantian and Scanlonian contractualism and rule consequentialism. It seems that these formulas do not have the weaknesses of other moral theories, and because they offer a compromise between three moral theories, they can reduce moral disagreement among stakeholders and even decrease the complexity of moral problems. At the end of this paper, with the help of a case study, we will show how we can use this framework in actual instances. We will see that this systematic approach can help us state our problem clearly and comprehensively, and that its steps reduce the complexity of our moral problem. Finally, we will be able to evaluate the case with two efficient moral theories without neglecting any important relevant elements. This will lead us to take the right decision, prohibiting or decreasing disastrous impacts of our actions.