Sustainability and Design Ethics

From microcosm to macrocosm, ecodesign, green design, environmental design, and triple bottom line are quickly becoming more than just catchy phrases that describe touchy-feely trends. Increases in climate uncertainty and energy costs as well as food, water, and services insecurity are just a few of the challenges driving the growing demand for sustainable design outcomes. Sustainability and Design Ethics provides a systematic value analysis that makes a reasoned argument the rethinking of current design methods and the values and ethics which guide them. Providing context and language, this book delineates the ideas and principles that lie at the foundation of a variety of codes of ethics, and then critically analyzes existing published codes and the practices that stem from them. It takes a practical approach, discussing applied ethics, and relies upon an understanding of the moral reasoning that supports the ideas and professionalism and an ethical standard of care. Drawing on the author's experience as a design professional and his study of business ethics, this book supplies a detailed exposition of the underlying ethical reasoning involved in the challenges confronted by contemporary design professionals. This information can then be distilled into sustainable practices and the corresponding ethics. Sustainability requires design professionals to expand the considerations of design beyond the traditional ethical points of view and to provide a balanced analysis of how a sustainable standard of care might be composed. While other books might cover the environment and design, professional ethics are addressed as an afterthought at most, if at all. And no other book available explores sustainability from a designer’s perspective. Examining present and future issues facing practitioners, the book provides a context for the values and ethics necessary for sustainable development design. Table of ContentWhy Does Prometheus Suffer?Sustainability and DesignWhy Sustainability Is NeededNotesProfessional EthicsWhat Is a Profession?Evaluating Codes of EthicsSustainability and the Ethical Challenges for DesignersEndnotesBibliographyIs There an Ethical Obligation to Act Sustainably? Theories of EthicsWhat Obligations Do We Have to Other Living Things?Utilitarian Views of NatureSpeciesismWho Owns the Environment?Role of Professional StandardsEndnotesThe Design Professional and OrganizationsBalancing Obligation and OpportunityThe Descent of Corporate ObligationJustification for a Whistle-BlowerEndnotesThe Choice for SustainabilityThe Design Professional as LeaderSustainability and ObligationSustainability and Design EthicsEndnotesThe Precautionary Principle and DesignMoral Underpinnings of the Precautionary PrinciplePrecautionary Principle and DesignWhat Do We Owe the Future?Duty to Prevent HarmPrecaution and DesignEndnotesFlourishingWhat Ought We to Do?Designer as TeacherDesign ValuesDesigner as StudentEndnotesBiographical NoteCollege of Southern Maryland, La Plata, USA