Ethics and EngineeringEthics and Engineering

Confronting the Energy Confronting the Energy ChallengeChallenge

Yvonne RaleyYvonne Raley

Did you know?Did you know?

The U.S. currently uses 25% of the world’s The U.S. currently uses 25% of the world’s oil supply – about 20 million barrels per oil supply – about 20 million barrels per daydayBut the U.S. makes up only 5% of the But the U.S. makes up only 5% of the world’s populationworld’s populationThe U.S. uses 15 times more energy per The U.S. uses 15 times more energy per person than developing nationsperson than developing nationsBut the U.S. produces only 10% of the But the U.S. produces only 10% of the world’s oil supplyworld’s oil supply

Where we get our oilWhere we get our oil

CanadaCanada

MexicoMexico

Saudi ArabiaSaudi Arabia

NigeriaNigeria

VenezuelaVenezuela

and about 10 other countriesand about 10 other countries

The FutureThe Future

Current Oil Current Oil DemandsDemandsU.S.: 20 million U.S.: 20 million barrels / day barrels / day World: 78 billion World: 78 billion barrels per daybarrels per dayChina: 5.2 billion China: 5.2 billion barrels / daybarrels / day

2025 Oil Demands2025 Oil Demands

U.S.: 27.3 billion U.S.: 27.3 billion barrels / daybarrels / day

World: 119.2 billion World: 119.2 billion barrels / daybarrels / day

China: 14.2 billion China: 14.2 billion barrels / daybarrels / day

The FutureThe Future

By 2025, the world’s largest By 2025, the world’s largest economy is expected to economy is expected to

be….be….

CHINACHINA

What we do with all that oilWhat we do with all that oil

Renewable energyRenewable energy

As you can see, renewable energy, such asAs you can see, renewable energy, such as

WindWindSolarSolarHydro-powerHydro-power

only provides 6.1% of the U.S. consumption only provides 6.1% of the U.S. consumption of energyof energy

And that's too bad becauseAnd that's too bad because

7 billion tons of CO7 billion tons of CO2 2 is put into the air each is put into the air each

year, 5 of which are produced by burning year, 5 of which are produced by burning fossil fuels (coal, oil)fossil fuels (coal, oil)

The other 2 tons are produced by The other 2 tons are produced by deforestationdeforestation

But only 4 billion tons of COBut only 4 billion tons of CO2 2 can be can be

absorbed by the oceans and plantsabsorbed by the oceans and plants

And the rest?And the rest?

The three remaining tons are The three remaining tons are a main contributor to the a main contributor to the

greenhouse effect greenhouse effect (global warming)(global warming)

Not GoodNot Good

If global temperatures rise in the way If global temperatures rise in the way predicted predicted

that isthat is

between 1.4 and 5.8 Degrees Celsius in the between 1.4 and 5.8 Degrees Celsius in the next 100 years, …next 100 years, …

… … the following may occurthe following may occur

Rise in Sea Levels and a Shift in CoastlineRise in Sea Levels and a Shift in Coastline

Major Changes in Weather PatternsMajor Changes in Weather Patterns

Droughts, Water ShortagesDroughts, Water Shortages

Change in BiodiversityChange in Biodiversity

The UpshotThe Upshot

We need to reduce our demand for We need to reduce our demand for oiloil

Reducing our demand for oilReducing our demand for oil

Just a good idea or a Just a good idea or a moral obligation?moral obligation?

Moral ObligationMoral Obligation

Environment: helps reduce global Environment: helps reduce global warmingwarming

Fairness: increases availability of oil Fairness: increases availability of oil for developing nationsfor developing nations

Sustainability: we won’t run out of Sustainability: we won’t run out of available resourcesavailable resources

We are all involvedWe are all involved

MarketingSales

Consumption

DesignProduction

How do we determine what our How do we determine what our obligations are?obligations are?

Moral TheoryMoral Theory

A moral theory can help.A moral theory can help.

What does a moral theory do? What does a moral theory do?

It helps us answer ethical questionsIt helps us answer ethical questions

It helps us decide what course of action is It helps us decide what course of action is morally rightmorally right

It provides an explanation of why a course It provides an explanation of why a course of action is rightof action is right

Moral TheoriesMoral Theories

There are several moral theories.There are several moral theories.

Not all of them provide the same Not all of them provide the same answers to moral questions.answers to moral questions.

But each of them captures an But each of them captures an important aspect of morality.important aspect of morality.

UtilitarianismUtilitarianism

For this talk, we focus on just one For this talk, we focus on just one theory, called theory, called utilitarianismutilitarianism..

What is utilitarianism?What is utilitarianism?

One PrincipleOne Principle

Utilitarianism relies on one simple Utilitarianism relies on one simple principle, the principle, the principle of utility:principle of utility:

Whatever is good or right is that which Whatever is good or right is that which promotes the greatest overall utility promotes the greatest overall utility

What is utility?What is utility?

What is desirable?What is desirable?

British Philosopher British Philosopher Jeremy Bentham Jeremy Bentham had a very simple had a very simple way of determining way of determining utilityutility::

Utility = promotes Utility = promotes pleasurepleasure

Disutility = promotes Disutility = promotes painpain

Utilitarianism can then be defined Utilitarianism can then be defined like thislike this

The morally right act, for any particular The morally right act, for any particular situation, is the act that produces the situation, is the act that produces the greatest amount of overall pleasure. greatest amount of overall pleasure.

EffectsEffects

Utilitarianism basically measures right Utilitarianism basically measures right and wrong in terms of the effects it and wrong in terms of the effects it produces.produces.

An action is right if it produces An action is right if it produces pleasure for those affected by the pleasure for those affected by the action.action.

An action is wrong if it produces pain An action is wrong if it produces pain for those affected.for those affected.

ExampleExample

For instance:For instance:

Running someone over with your car is Running someone over with your car is morally wrong because it produces morally wrong because it produces pain.pain.

Helping a friend in need is morally Helping a friend in need is morally right because it produces pleasure.right because it produces pleasure.

How to measure effectsHow to measure effects

Now we need just one more thing. Now we need just one more thing. How do we measure the effects of How do we measure the effects of our actions?our actions?

Bentham provided four ways of Bentham provided four ways of measuring an action’s effects.measuring an action’s effects.

How to measure effectsHow to measure effects

ScopeScope:: Who/ how many people will Who/ how many people will experience pleasure / pain?experience pleasure / pain?

DurationDuration: How long does the : How long does the pleasure / pain last?pleasure / pain last?

IntensityIntensity: How intense or strong is : How intense or strong is the pleasure / pain?the pleasure / pain?

ProbabilityProbability:: How likely is the How likely is the pleasure / pain?pleasure / pain?

Back to EnergyBack to Energy

Let’s see if we can apply utilitarianism to a Let’s see if we can apply utilitarianism to a moral question about the energy moral question about the energy challenge. challenge.

Does utilitarianism morally obligate us to Does utilitarianism morally obligate us to invest in the technology of hybrid cars?invest in the technology of hybrid cars?

What does “investing” What does “investing” mean?mean?

1. Buy a hybrid car1. Buy a hybrid car

2. Promote the purchase of buying hybrid 2. Promote the purchase of buying hybrid carscars

3. Improve hybrid technology3. Improve hybrid technology

For engineers, the last of these is most For engineers, the last of these is most relevantrelevant

The Effects of HybridsThe Effects of Hybrids

Let’s start by considering the scope of Let’s start by considering the scope of hybrid technology:hybrid technology:

Who is affected by hybrid technology?Who is affected by hybrid technology?

ScopeScope

The ownerThe owner

The environment (or everyone who The environment (or everyone who needs utilizes the environment)needs utilizes the environment)

Global needs (those in other countries Global needs (those in other countries who also want to use transportation)who also want to use transportation)

So that’s pretty much everybody.So that’s pretty much everybody.

But not to the same degree. But not to the same degree.

That’s where the other three ways of That’s where the other three ways of measuring effects come in. measuring effects come in.

Measuring EffectsMeasuring Effects

We have to measure the We have to measure the

durationduration

intensityintensity

probability probability

Of Of allall the effects for the effects for allall of those concerned. of those concerned.

This is hard.This is hard.

Duration, intensity, and probability of Duration, intensity, and probability of the following effects for OWNERS:the following effects for OWNERS:

PleasurePleasure

Gas savingsGas savingsTax rebateTax rebatePleasure gained by Pleasure gained by helping environmenthelping environment

PainPain

Purchase pricePurchase priceBattery lifeBattery lifeRepair costsRepair costs

DDuration, intensity, and probability of uration, intensity, and probability of the following effects for ENVIRONMENT:the following effects for ENVIRONMENT:

PleasurePleasure

Reduction of fossil fuel emissions: Reduction of fossil fuel emissions: decrease in global warmingdecrease in global warming

Decrease in pollution: reduction of Decrease in pollution: reduction of asthma, other respiratory problems, asthma, other respiratory problems, cancercancer

DDuration, intensity, and probability of uration, intensity, and probability of the following effects for the world’s the following effects for the world’s population:population:

PleasurePleasure

Reduction of US Reduction of US dependence on dependence on foreign oil: reduction foreign oil: reduction of political tensionof political tension

Increase in available oil Increase in available oil for other countriesfor other countries

PainPain

Oil price decrease: Oil price decrease: decrease of decrease of incentive for other incentive for other countries to lower countries to lower consumptionconsumption

There’s moreThere’s more

We might also consider the following:We might also consider the following:

Unemployment rates in U.S. or other countriesUnemployment rates in U.S. or other countries

Other technologies that might be better: Other technologies that might be better: biodiesel, or smaller, lighter vehicles that biodiesel, or smaller, lighter vehicles that simply use less gas (Smartcar), electric carssimply use less gas (Smartcar), electric cars

Improvements in public transportationImprovements in public transportation

It’s not easyIt’s not easy

As you can see, it is not easy to weigh all As you can see, it is not easy to weigh all of these effects.of these effects.

But utilitarianism suggests that we must. But utilitarianism suggests that we must.

We cannot just consider what’s good for We cannot just consider what’s good for us, we have to look at us, we have to look at everyoneeveryone concerned.concerned.

Other Applications to Other Applications to EngineeringEngineering

Utilitarianism can be used to evaluate the Utilitarianism can be used to evaluate the moral impact of many technological moral impact of many technological changeschanges

Such as….Such as….

What are our moral obligations to invest in What are our moral obligations to invest in or improve the following:or improve the following:

Wind energyWind energy Solar energySolar energy Energy efficient appliancesEnergy efficient appliances Energy efficient housing designEnergy efficient housing design InsulationInsulation Reducing energy transmission and Reducing energy transmission and

distribution lossesdistribution losses Energy efficient pumps and motorsEnergy efficient pumps and motors

Can You Do it?Can You Do it?