Many companies now offer direct-to-consumer (DTC) gene testing to determine predisposition, or an
increased likelihood, to develop certain diseases. Usually, genetic testing is done through a
health care provider. However, DTC gene testing is now readily available, and consumers can buy
gene testing kits online or in stores.
After purchasing a kit, the consumer collects their cheek cells (from a saliva sample or cheek
swab) and sends them to the company. From these cells, DNA is extracted and sequenced, and the
results are made available to the consumer online. The results can provide information about a
person’s predisposition for certain health conditions. DTC gene testing has pros and cons, and
as a consumer, it is important to do your homework and understand the limitations of such tests.
For example, often the same test from different companies will produce different results, even
for identical twins!
Would you want to have your DNA sequenced and find out about your genetic health? What if the
test only told you whether or not you might be likely to develop certain medical conditions?
Explain the pros and cons of knowing this information.
COVID-19 Pandemic
In the winter of 2020, the COVID-19 global pandemic caused a shortage of medical supplies. To
solve this problem, hospitals worked with engineers to innovate life-saving solutions.
COVID-19 can lead to pneumonia, which makes it hard for infected individuals to breathe. Under
normal circumstances, doctors use a ventilator machine to help pneumonia patients breathe.
During the pandemic, the number of cases grew so quickly that hospitals in Italy were running
out of one small but significant part of the ventilator: a venturi valve. This valve connects
the respirator and the oxygen mask and must be replaced for each patient.
Cristian Fracassi, a materials scientist and founder of the Italian 3D-printing startup,
Isinnova, learned of the problem and jumped at the opportunity to use his technology to solve
the life-threatening problem facing a nearby hospital. His team of engineers reverse engineered
the valve and 3D printed a prototype that they hoped would function properly. The hospital
tested the prototype, and it worked! Isinnova printed and delivered 100 valves to the hospital.
Isinnova has received many requests to share the solid model digital files of the valves that
they developed. But sharing the files poses legal and ethical issues.
What concerns might impact whether Isinnova shares their digital files? How would you proceed if
you were the founder of the company?
Smartphone Data
In recent years, a lot of attention has been focused on smartphone data that may have been used
by terrorists. Phone manufacturers have prohibited access to this data, citing the breach of
private citizens’ personal information. These companies are concerned about the breach of
privacy serving as a gateway to other privacy breaches becoming acceptable or lawful.
Should law enforcement be able to access someone’s smartphone during an investigation? Where do
you draw the line?
Wind Turbines
The construction of efficient wind turbines can generate affordable, inexpensive electricity—a
critical need. Environmental groups and homeowners commonly oppose wind farms out of concern
about threats to wildlife, devaluation of property, and an eyesore on the landscape.
What benefits might result from a solution? What harm could result from a solution for wind
farms? Which results will create the greatest good?
Autonomous Vehicles
According to the Boston Consulting Group, nearly one-fourth of all miles driven in the U.S. could
be in shared, self-driving electric cars by the year 2030. Autonomous, or self-driving, vehicles
combine sensors, cameras, and sophisticated software to control, navigate, and actually drive
the vehicle! Supporters of this technology claim that it will significantly reduce the number of
traffic-related deaths worldwide.
Computer scientists and engineers must program autonomous vehicle systems to analyze and respond
to many different inputs. Because these systems operate without human control and are designed
to function and make decisions on their own, the ethical, legal, social, and policy implications
have escalated. While these cars will ultimately be safer and cleaner than their manual
counterparts, they cannot avoid accidents altogether. What should the car be programmed to do if
it encounters an unavoidable accident? Who is responsible for the actions of autonomous systems?
If robotic technology can potentially reduce the number of human fatalities, is it the
responsibility of scientists to design these systems?
Climate Change
Carbon dioxide gas (CO2) is a greenhouse gas that rapidly accumulates as the world burns fossil
fuels to run vehicles, factories, and power plants. CO2 enters our atmosphere from sources like
breathing humans and animals, decaying plants, volcanoes, and the surface of the ocean. Carbon
leaves the atmosphere when it is used by trees and plants during photosynthesis, absorbed back
into the sea, or stored in soil. Before the CO2 gas is reabsorbed to the Earth, it hangs in the
atmosphere and traps some of the heat from the sun, which keeps the planet from freezing. But
the more CO2 that stays in the atmosphere at a time, the warmer Earth becomes.
By extracting and burning carbon that has been absorbed by the Earth’s soil, carbon is being
released into the atmosphere at a greater pace. Combined with the removal of forests and green
spaces, referred to as deforestation, the planet’s ability to reabsorb the carbon is reduced and
effectively increases the temperature of Earth. This results in more drastic weather for the
planet, which is the basis of climate change.
Climate change is a complicated problem that involves serious ethical issues—globally,
ecologically, and between generations. It is easy to ignore or pass on the issue and consider
this a distant problem. What would make you change your behavior and save more energy? Do we
have an obligation to protect humans, animals, unique places, or nature as a whole? If so, what
are they?
Pandethics
Voluntary versus Mandatory Interventions
During a public health crisis, such as a pandemic, we have an individual obligation to avoid
infecting others, to protect human health by limiting the spread of disease. Nonpharmaceutical
interventions (NPIs) include isolation (separating the sick from healthy individuals),
quarantine (separating exposed individuals from others), school and business closures, social
distancing, gathering bans, smartphone tracking, and mask wearing. Pharmaceutical interventions
(PIs) include preventive medications and vaccines to reduce the chance of infection. Both NPIs
and PIs are classified as voluntary prevention methods.
However, at what point do NPIs and PIs move from voluntary to obligatory? If prevention measures
are mandated, how do we protect public health while still valuing individual rights? When
mandated, how do we enforce or incentivize the use of NPIs and PIs?
Recycling E-Waste
In recent decades, worldwide production of electronic waste, or e-waste, has skyrocketed.
Government and industry continue to work to develop strategies to collect and reuse costly,
sometimes rare, and often poisonous electronic components that otherwise turn into e-waste.
In 2017 the United States and other nations shipped 70% of the world's e-waste to China, where
citizens in one community regularly dismantled electronics at great risk to their personal
health. Ultimately, China opted to ban the import of e-waste, implementing an initiative called
the National Sword. Locate and read an article about the export of e-waste. Whose responsibility
is it to protect communities from toxic e-waste?
Planned obsolescence occurs when products are deliberately designed to become obsolete within a
short period of time, which requires consumers to replace the product earlier than they may
otherwise do so. What are the ethical implications of this design strategy?
Production of items such as computers and smartphones are unique in that the technology itself
rapidly becomes obsolete, and consumers must regularly replace technology to stay current. While
maintaining cutting-edge technology is necessary, engineers also must reconcile implications
related to e-waste. How should trade-offs like these be analyzed and addressed?
Close
Ethics Quests
Ethics refers to moral values that affect how people think and behave. Personal moral values give each
person a sense of what is right and wrong, which guides them when making decisions. No matter where you
go or what you do, you will face ethical dilemmas—in school, at work, at home, and with friends. The
decisions you make to resolve these dilemmas may affect only a small number of people or have a much
greater impact on people and the planet. Defining a system of moral values—ethical principles—that
everyone accepts as good human behavior is not easy.
Select each step of the ethical decision-making flowchart to walk through an example scenario.
Stop and Think
Identify the problem as an ethical dilemma.
Determine
Facts
Clarify goals and constraints.
Develop Actions
Brainstorm multiple options.
Consider Consequences
Who will be affected and in what ways?
Does the situation change?
Monitor
Modify when necessary.
Choose
Select the best option.
It’s Your Turn
Now that you’re familiar with the decision-making process, select each scenario below,
read the information, and work through the steps. Remember to view each scenario objectively!
Document your thought process and be able to justify your decision.
