The social responsibility of scientists: the scientific impactstatement

This article discusses the responsibility of scientists to educate the public about science and how this might be done through the addition of a scientific impact statement to published scientific articles. The growing gulf between scientists and the general public is a threat to the support for science. In a larger sense, it is a threat to rational discussion of scientific issues in public debate and policy making. Scientists ultimately bear the responsibility for helping the public to understand scientific issues, This can be done in many ways, but all require that scientists communicate their findings in clear, understandable ways, including working with journalists to educate them so that they can appreciate the significance of the scientific enterprise     

Professional responsibility: politics, culture, and religion versus science and technology [Government Affairs]

Whatever we individually choose to do can and will have very serious consequences for this and future generations.     

Information technology and employment: towards a new society

The rapidly changing industrial scene is viewed from both a local and an international perspective. It is maintained that the adoption of high-technology manufacturing methods is no longer optional, but forms part of a critical strategy for the survival of any country. The basis for this claim is that technology has now become universally available and whoever uses it wins. To highlight this, a background to the information revolution and to the role that information technology is playing in manufacturing is provided     

Getting the best from nanotechnology: approaching social and ethical implications openly and proactively

If we're going to get the best from nanotechnology, we need to pay close attention to its societal and ethical implications from the technology's inception, rather than waiting until it is a mature technology with problems already embedded in society. In this article, we discuss such a paradigm, beginning with a discussion of the similarities between nanotechnology and other disruptive technologies. We then discuss some of the issues that will have to be dealt with as nanotechnology matures. Finally, we discuss some specific actions that can be taken now to implement a new paradigm for the introduction of disruptive new technologies.     

Patenting biotechnology: ethical and philosophical issues

Allowing for-profit companies to patent particular genetic manipulations raises many ethical, legal, and policy questions and has generated much critical comment in the United States and Europe. The main areas of concern are: a) negative environmental consequences; b) harm to humans who consume transgenic foods; c) abuse of animals; and d) misuse of human genetic engineering. It is impossible in a short article to do justice to the wide range of issues associated with patenting genetic technology. My approach is to select some of the major concerns, explore the deeper philosophical assumptions that underlie them, and discuss their implications for patenting genetic technology     

Legal and ethical issues in the regulation and development ofengineering achievements in medical technology. I

The statutory and regulatory requirements governing medical device development and approval are reviewed. Some of the procedures that the US Food and Drug Administration has implemented to loosen the strictures that impede development and approval of new medical devices are discussed. Some of the ethical issues associated with these procedures are examined.     

Legal and ethical issues in the regulation and development ofengineering achievements in medical technology. II

For pt.I see ibid., vol.9, no.2, p.79-81 (1990). The ethical issues raised by the fact that patients/subjects are less protected in non-investigational-device-exemption (non-IDE) use of unapproved medical devices than in IDE use are examined. Practice, research, and nonvalidated practice, an intervention that falls into the region between pure practice and pure research, are defined and examined with respect to non-IDE use of unapproved medical devices. Two types of non-IDE use are considered: that which would be permitted under the feasibility studies mechanism, and emergency use. Ethical issues in both cases are discussed. It is concluded that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) must not only expand the freedom of scientific investigators to develop new medical devices, allowing flexibility in defined non-IDE contexts that will not jeopardize the safety or welfare of patients, but also clearly and concisely define the procedures which outline this expanded freedom.     

大全持续发展信息化功不可没

目前,所有企业都面临着进一步降低成本、提供更多个性化产品、更迅速地获取生产信息和市场信息、成功并迅速完成企业合并等一系列问题。而这些问题解决的一个重要途径就是进行企业信息化建设。     

燃料电池的原理、技术状态与展望

论述了燃料电池的工作原理、综述了各种类型燃料电池的发展状态;介绍了中国科学院大连化学物理研究所自70年代以来进行燃料电池研究的概况,着重介绍了该所质子交换膜燃料电池的关键材料与部件制备技术,电池组技术、电池组性能与电池系统的应用情况,回顾了燃料电池的发展历程,指出燃料电池技术发展与其它学科的关系,提出了产业化的发展方向。     

Balancing technical and social issues: a new first-year designcourse

The new ABET EC2000 accreditation guidelines call for greater emphasis on social and ethical issues in the education of engineering students. Universities are responding in varied ways - generally through increased liberal arts content and, in a few instances, through design activities, but generally, design education focuses primarily on the technical and process aspects. This is especially true in the new first-year engineering design courses that have evolved in the 1990s. A first-year “Introduction to Engineering Design” course has been developed at the University of Dayton that seeks to achieve a balance between technical, social and ethical issues throughout the design process to help ground the education of engineering students with the ideals of social and ethical responsibility as part of their profession. This grounding has been achieved through interdisciplinary projects, which teach students, through self-discovery, the relevance of social, environmental, cultural, political and ethical factors to their normal engineering functions     

Healthcare technology, economics, and policy: an evolving balance

Economic and policy issues increasingly influence healthcare technology solutions as we wrestle with keeping healthcare quality high while keeping costs under control. The healthcare system is also undergoing rapid change brought about by managed care, shifting care to team providers in an outpatient or home environment. The development of health technologies under new market arrangements needs to be examined so that quality of care and cost are not at cross roads. As these issues continue to evolve in the public forum, it is critical for engineers and contributors to technology in healthcare to understand the dynamics that influence technology need and and adoption in the healthcare market. We hope that this special issue will provide a basis for initial understanding of these issues and stimulate further involvement by the bioengineering community at large, for the improvement of healthcare across all of society.     

Clinical trials of medical devices and implants: ethical concerns

Various ethical concerns that are essential elements in the critical trial of any new treatment modality are examined. Problems surrounding the issue of informed consent are considered. Conflicts between therapeutic and research considerations are discussed. The role of double-blind studies is examined.     

Teaching professional and ethical aspects of electrical engineeringto a large class

As electrical engineering has expanded and diversified with the technology it creates, it has also more firmly established itself as a well-respected profession that has provided significant benefits to society. Electrical engineering education is continually diversifying to keep step with the profession. For instance, the area of professional and ethical aspects of electrical engineering is increasingly found in electrical engineering programs, either as a stand-alone course or as a topic discussed in conjunction with design (courses). Most view this as a positive development since it is often thought that the focus on professionalism and ethics is likely to help maintain the integrity and respect of the profession as a whole. In this paper we identify resource materials, background information, a syllabus, and outline for teaching a course on professional and ethical aspects of electrical engineering. Special attention is given to issues encountered when this topic is taught to a large class. In particular, it is explained how to turn the large class “problem” into an advantage that can actually enrich the educational process of teaching professional and ethical aspects of electrical engineering     

Homeland security: the possible, probable, and perils ofinformation technology

Information technology is a key component in both defending against and aiding terrorism threats. The author considers the background in making progress with technology, bioterrorism and other forms of terrorism, cybersecurity - national (and global) critical information infrastructure protection, and the possibility of the establishment of a new department, the Department of (National) Homeland Security. He concludes that, more than ever, coordination, cooperation, and integration become a fundamental must in order to optimize our resources, which calls for standardization and interoperability of resources     

Amish Technology: Reinforcing values and building community

The Amish believe that their society and their technology are inextricably intertwined. In an effort to maintain and protect their community of believers, therefore, the Amish require that every technology they use not only conforms to, but reinforces their tradition, culture, and religion. They achieve these goals through two primary techniques. First they choose technologies that they believe will best promote the values they hold most dear - values like humility, equality, and simplicity. Thus they have rejected the speed, glamour and personal expression of automobiles in favor of modest, slow. and community-building horse- drawn buggies. Second, they deliberately choose tools that are different from those used by the outside world. This differentiation helps them maintain their unique identity, bonds their community, and ensures that they will continue to be able to accept technology on their own terms. The Amish view technologies as value-laden tools and use these tools to reinforce their values and build their community. While many scholars of technology have argued that this is the case, the Amish employ the idea in order to build the world they want to live in.