One potential impediment to moral responsibility as an engineer is the "problem of many

hands" or fractured responsibility. This occurs when individuals in a large organization

attempt to evade personal responsibility for wrongdoing by pointing out that many people

were involved in causing the harm. This can lead to a situation where no one is held

accountable for their actions.

Another impediment to moral responsibility is "blind spots". Blind spots refer to the

tendency of individuals to ignore or overlook important information that contradicts their

beliefs or assumptions. In engineering, this could lead to the engineer making decisions

based on incorrect or incomplete information, resulting in harm to others or the

environment.

A third impediment is "egoistic perspectives" or "self-interest first". When individuals

prioritize their own self-interest over the well-being of others or the environment, they

may make decisions that result in harm to others or the environment. This can lead to a

lack of moral responsibility, as the individual is more concerned with their own interests

than the impact their actions may have on others.

Corruption: Corruption aligns with the "problem of many hands" in that it often involves

individuals or groups acting in their own self-interest, disregarding the well-being of

others, and potentially passing the responsibility for their actions onto others. This can

create a situation where the responsibility for unethical behavior is diffused and becomes

difficult to trace.

Conflict of interest: Conflict of interest is similar to "egoistic perspectives" in that it can

cloud an individual's judgment and lead them to prioritize their own interests over ethical

considerations. This can cause individuals to make decisions that benefit themselves at

the expense of others and undermine their moral responsibility.

Group think: Group think aligns with "blind spots" in that it can cause individuals to

conform to the beliefs and opinions of the group, rather than considering the ethical

implications of their actions. This can create a situation where individuals are not fully

responsible for their actions because they are acting based on the decisions of the group,

rather than considering their own moral values and beliefs.

Diffusion of responsibility: Diffusion of responsibility is similar to the "problem of many

hands" in that it can lead individuals to feel less personally responsible for their actions.

When many people are involved in a situation, each person may feel that their individual

actions are not significant and that someone else will take responsibility for the outcome.

This can result in a lack of moral responsibility and accountability.

Moral myopia: Moral myopia is similar to "blind spots" and "egoistic perspectives" in

that it can cause individuals to have a narrow view of ethics and prioritize their own self-

interest over the well-being of others. This can result in individuals making decisions that

are not in line with their own moral values and beliefs, and undermine their moral

responsibility.