Society and Engineering Ethics

Course Teacher: Dr. Md. Shafiqul Islam

M. Sc. (CU), Ph. D. (DU)
Permanent Position
Associate Professor
Department of Environmental Sciences

E-mail: ms.du2019@gmail.com
Mobile No.: 01521321860

Day & Time: 3.00 to 4.30 pm (Sunday and Wednessday)

 Definition
• The term “society” refers not just to a group of people but to a complex
pattern of norms of interaction that exist among them. In terms of common
sense, society is understood as a tangible object, where as in sociology and
anthropology it refers to an intangible entity. It is a mental construct, which
we realise in every day life but cannot see it. The important aspect of society
is the system of relationships, the pattern of the norms of interaction by
which the members of the society maintain themselves.
• The Term derived from Latin word socius which means companionship or
friendship.
• Society has become an essential condition for human life to continue.
• Functional society is defined as a complex of groups in reciprocal
relationships, interacting upon one another, enabling human organisms to
carry on their life-activities and helping each person to fulfill his wishes and
accomplish his interests in association with his fellows.
• Structural society is the total social heritage of folkways, mores and
institutions; of habits, sentiments and ideals.
 Characteristics of Society
Society is a web of social relationships
Society means likeness
Society consists of people
Mutual interaction and Mutual awareness
Cooperation and division of labour
Society implies interdependence on one another
Social control
Distinct culture
 Community
A community is a social group which occupies a specific geographic area and share a ‘ we
feeling’ amongst themselves.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF COMMUNITY
• Locality- it is the physical basis or the geographical area it occupies
• Community sentiment- it is a feeling of belonging together that binds community
• Stability- permanent stable life
• Naturalness- community is formed naturally and spontaneously
• Size of the community
• Regulation of relations- customs, rules, system
 Differences Between society and community

Society Community

Definite geographical area is not necessary Definite Geographical area is necessary

Abstract concept Concrete concept

We feeing may or may not We feeling must there

Society is wider and more community can be Community is smaller than society
present
 5 concepts
• Society
• Culture
• Person
• Time
• Environment
 Society
Society is made up of people, group, networks, institutions,,
organization and systems.
• These aspects of society may include local, national regional and
international patterns of relationship and organization
• The interaction between these that contribute to unique culture
 Culture
Culture is the sum total of learned, shared and socially transmitted
behaviour that includes ideas, values, and customs of groups of people.

Culture is design for living. It is the basis of human life. It rests on

biology but is not biological. It is human biology such as a developed
brain, nimble hands, and freely moving tongue which helped humans to
acquire a design for living. It is the total way of life of the human being.

Culture serves as a potential guide for human living. As a guide, it aids

the human being to know what is good and bad, desirable, important
and unimportant, rational and irrational.
 Characteristics of culture
• Culture is demonstrated by beliefs, norms, customs, values, rules, laws, arts,
technologies and artefacts, that people generate and use in solving present and
future problem.
• Culture is dynamic
• Culture is a historically created design for living
• Culture is unique to the human species.
• Culture is non-genetic. It cannot be inherited by offspring from parents, but it can
be transmitted socially from parents to children.
• Learned, as each person must learn how to “be” a member of that
• culture
• Shared, as it offers all people ideas about behaviour
• Symbolic, as it is based on the manipulation of symbols
• Systemic and integrated, as the parts of culture work together in an
integrated whole
 Person
• Every person is a unique individual who develops in a social and
environmental setting in which he or she is influenced by interacts by
interacts with other persons and groups

• Communication- the sharing of values and beliefs and cooperation are

major interactions

• The identity achieved by each individual is the result of interaction at

the micro, meso, and macro levels of society
 Time
• Time is studied in relation to change and continuity. Every person,
society, culture and environment is located a period of time and is
changing with time. Best studied last century, this century or decade
 Environment
• Every society is located a particular physical setting and interacts with
its environment.

• Environment greatly affect interactions between person, society,

culture and the environment

• Different locations and their environments-Urban, rural, coastal,

island & isolated- Society culture, opportunity and constraints
Selected Questions

• Role of society and community for environmental conservation

 Next class
• Fundaments of Environment