LECUTRE-1 SOCIAL &

ETHICAL ASPECTS IN
ENGINEERING
BY: ABDUL HANAN TAQI
Introduction to Ethics and Values
Ethics is a major branch of philosophy,
encompassing right conduct and good life.
WHAT IS GOOD? WHAT IS EVIL?
MANY CHARACTER TRAITS ARE
UNIVERSALLY DESIRED
 Understanding worldviews

Different worldviews may view virtues such as

freedom, justice, fairness very differently
What do Ethics/ Morality/ Values deal with?
Why is the field extremely important?
Educated people (graduating from the best universities)
can do terrible things more effectively
Corruption has manifested due to man’s actions

The world has become more unequal

 Ethics and Dealings in Islamic Shariah

These acts of worship are also known Akin to the roof that will be held
as the 5 pillars of Islam up by the pillars of Islam
 Ilmul Akhlaque in Quran and Sunnah

The word akhlaq (plural of khuluq) appears in the Qur’an in the verse
that says of the Prophet “Indeed, you are of lofty character” (al-Qalam: 4).

As well, it appears in numerous Hadiths affirming the

necessity and importance of ethics in Islam.
I was sent for perfection of morals/characters
Verily, the most beloved of people to me is the one with the best morals
Character is a matter of the spiritual heart
One of the tragedies of the modern times is
being lost in exterior forms rather in
substance

—Abu Hamid Muhammad Al-Ghazzali

This is not discount the form and appearances but …

We will study the Science of Prioritization

(Fiqh Al-Awlaawiyaat)
To learn to live as a human should
To live a goodly life—‫حياةطيبة‬
Some Ethical Dilemmas and
Contemporary Issues
A

https://ed.ted.com/on/YLiNQVY9
 Trolley Cart Dilemma - Audience Debate:
Harvard's Michael Sandel Justice Series
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TSH-m5GtrzE
B

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ixIoDYVfKA0
The truck makes a
sudden stop. What
should the car do?
The SUV is built solidly; the
hitting car will be more
affected than the hit car
The motorcyclists will likely
not be able to withstand
the impact but the hitting
car will likely evade harm
Human driver vs. Self Driving Cars

Who should make this ethical decision? Car

manufacturer? Buyer? Government?
Variant with two bikers (one with helmet)
Should we hit the (law-abiding) driver
[who can likely better withstand the hit]
OR should we hit the (law-breaking) driver
[who will likely die because of the impact]

No
straightforward
answer
(and this is why it
is a dilemma)
Style of this course
Individual ethics & collective social ethics

It is only by rising to a fresh vision of his origin and future, his whence
“ and whither, that man will eventually triumph over a society motivated
by an inhuman competition, and a civilization which has lost its spiritual
unity by its inner conflict of religious and political values.
— Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam Chapter “Is Religion Possible?’,
Muhammad Iqbal.
 Highlights of Ethical Heroes

“You’re dishonoring the Prophet of God.

These people have done nothing and they
are to be protected.”
Ameer Abdul Qadir Al-Jazairi,

Discussion of contemporary ethics issues

Focus on ethics and not on polemics