01 - Getting Started

Engineering and Society:
Getting Started
Dr. Gershon Weltman

Engineering 183EW, UCLA SEAS
Lecture 1
Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015
Engr 183EW Course Objectives
Prepare students to help address societys critical technical

issues as highly qualified engineering professionals,
Help students build a Personal Ethical Framework to identify the

moral and ethical principles affecting these issues,
Provide an understanding of how technology and society have

influenced each other during important historical periods
The Importance of Historical Context

1.
2.
Knowing how technology has influenced society in the

past, and vice versa, gives us the perspective with
which to better analyze current socio-technical issues
Even more important, in order to understand where we
are now, and where we should be going, it is essential to
know how we got here
"Those
"Thosewho
whocannot
cannotremember
rememberthe
thepast
pastare
arecondemned
condemnedto
torepeat
repeatit.
it.
George
GeorgeSantayana
Santayana
Spanish
Spanishand
andAmerican
AmericanPhilosopher
Philosopher
1863-1952
1863-1952
3.
But there are some periods in the past that we might like
to repeat, and those are also worth knowing
Engr 183EW Course Objectives
Prepare students to help address the worlds critical sociotechnical issues as engineering professionals,
Help students build a Personal Ethical Framework to identify the

moral and ethical principles affecting these problems,
Provide an understanding of how technology and society have

interacted up to now and will likely do so in the future,
Examine critical contemporary societal issues that involve both

technological and ethical factors
Provide guidelines and methodology for making ethical

engineering decisions
Provide experience in working on diverse teams to successfully

research and analyze a contemporary problem
Improve ability to write and present high quality engineering

memos, papers and reports
Future Value of Engr 183EW

You will gain new and useful knowledge about:
Ethical Philosophy and Practice

History of Society and Technology
Contemporary Societal Issues
Your Personal Ethical Framework
183EW Will Improve You As Engineers

Engineering schools must give
students hard technical skills.
But also breadth. Students must
be able to appreciate the social,
historical and political contexts
in which they practice their
profession so that they can make
real impact
Dr. Jayathi Murthy
Engr
Engr18EW
18EWprovides
providesthe
thecontext
contextthat
thatmeets
meetsour
ourincoming
incomingDeans
Deans
vision
visionof
ofwhat
whataaworld-class
world-classengineering
engineeringeducation
educationshould
shouldinclude.
include.
Guide Your Contribution to Society

The products of your mind are the most precious things you
own, that you possess.
And you must protect them, and must not do wrong with them,
You must do the right thing.
You must always remember that the products of your mind
can be used by other people either for good or for evil,
And that you have a responsibility that they be used for good.
You see, you can't avoid this responsibility, unless you decide to
become an intellectual slave,
And let someone else make all of these value judgments for you.
And this is not consonant with our democratic system in this
country.
You must accept the responsibility yourself, for yourself, and for
others.
Llewellyn M.K. Boelter

Dean, UCLA SEAS 1963
Provide A Guide to Action
Doing whats right

isnt the problem. Its
knowing whats right.
Lyndon Baines Johnson

36th President of the United States
.. Influence Your Personal Life
When you discover that

you have values, it makes
things much simpler.
Alan Alda
Actor and Activist
Help You Gain a Direction
Touch people with the

better angels of your nature.
Abraham Lincoln
16 President of the United States
th
10
and a Goal!
Intelligence plus character that is the true goal of education.
Martin Luther King, Jr.

Civil Rights Leader
11
In Summary
Our
Ourgoal
goalisisto
togive
giveyou
youknowledge
knowledgeabout
about ethics
ethicsand
and
current
currentsocietal
societalproblems
problemsthat
thatwill
willhelp
helpmake
makeyou
youaa
better
betterprofessional
professionalengineer
engineer now
now and
andat
at the
the same
same
time
timeguide
guideyou
youtoward
towardaapath
pathof
of lifelong
lifelonglearning
learning about
about
the
theincreasingly
increasinglyimportant
important interactions
interactionsbetween
betweenscience
science
and
andtechnology
technologyand
andthe
theevolving
evolvingneeds
needsof
ofsociety.
society.
12
My Background
Preparation: Education (1953 -1963)
Act 1: UCLA Faculty (1963-1970)
Teaching
Machine & Environmental Biotechnology
Humanities for Engineering Students

Research -- Human Performance Underwater
Act 2: Defense Industry (1970 2003)
B.S., M.S. & Ph.D., UCLA Engineering

Postdoctoral Fellow, Weizmann Institute, Israel
Perceptronics, Inc., AI-Based Decision Support,

Distributed Interactive Simulation
Act 3: Do It Again (2003 Present)
Perceptronics Solutions, Inc. AI Based Decision

Support, Robot Interactions, Stress Resilience
SEAS Lecturer: Engineering 183EW
Expert Witness: Accident Reconstruction
13
Other Personal Items
Outside Interests
Mind: Books, movies, TV, art, jazz, discussion

Body: Road bicycling, slogging, weights, Pilates, skiing
Roots of My Ethical Structure
Parents Political Idealism

Extended Familys Ethnicity/Religion
Boy Scouts of America
Sports and Peer Groups
Education: Formal and Informal
Experience: Teaching, Business, Travel
Continual Self Examination
The unexamined life is not worth living.

Plato, ~400.BC
14
Business Experience
Managing an Engineering
and Manufacturing Enterprise
2003
1970
1982
2015
IPO
Building a Creative
R&D Organization
Maintaining a Productive
R&D Organization
2003
CEO and Chairman of a
Public Company
15
1st Product: Videodisc Gunnery Trainers
Filmed Scenarios
Real Targets
CIG Firing Effects
True Challenge
Laser Videodisc
System Features
Low-Cost
Portable
Training Transfer
16
New Ideas in Military Simulation
Selective Fidelity
Entertainment
Affordability
Distribution to Units
Industrial Design
Rapid Prototyping
Family of Products
17
Small Extensions of Concept

Shoot Off Configuration:
Experimentally Verified
Dramatically Different Experience
Enthusiastic Customer Response
Proposed Multi-Player
Platoon Configuration
18
Bigger Extension: 3D Virtual Battlefield
SIMNET = Full-Crew Simulator Network (1st MMOG)
19
SIMNET Full-Crew Tank Simulator

Design Objectives
Exercise Features Only
Feeling of Tankiness
Production Objectives
Low Manufactured Cost
Modular/Reconfigurable
20
SIMNET Original Virtual World
21
SIMNET Success
+
The first four SIMNET M-1 tank
simulators were installed at the
US base in Grafenwoehr,
Germany and loaded with the
terrain of the forthcoming 1987
Canadian Army Trophy (CAT) tank
gunnery competition. CAT, held
every two years, was considered
the "World Series of Tank
Gunnery."
=
Following its training on SIMNET, the
US Army platoon won the prestigious
CAT competition. This was the first time
the US had even placed. The highestscoring M-1 tank at the 1987 Canadian
Army Trophy (CAT) competition is
shown at an indoor 2nd Brigade facility.
This is the Canadian Army Trophy

(CAT) that was awarded to the
winning US Army tank platoon at
Grafenwoehr in 1987. The
unprecedented victory dramatically
showed the value of SIMNET training
for coordinating troop actions as well
as improving precision tank gunnery.
Leads to Large-Scale Acquisition, Training

22
.and Continued Technical Improvement
23
Why Is Simulation Important?

Simulation is Condensed Experience
DSB Task Force on Training Superiority and Training Surprise
TheEvolutionofaCombatAce
PilotSurvivabilityinAirtoAirCombat:WWIIandKorea
Probabilityofbeingshotdown
0.5
0.4
0.3
0.2
0.1
10
20
30
40
50
Numberofdecisivecombatsexperienced
Isthistrainingorsurvivalofthefittest?
rec/DTI - dsb training tf/ 5/6/2003/page 6
DatafromH.K.Weiss,AchievingSystemEffectiveness,
AIAA,NewYork,1966,
Seealso:P.F.Gorman,TheMilitaryValueofTraining,
IDA,Alexandria,VA1990
.which can be applied to numerous skill areas even ethics!

24
Course Contents
Lecture/reading
Lecture/readingschedule
scheduleisisavailable
availableat
athttps://ccle.ucla.edu
https://ccle.ucla.educourse
coursewebsite
website
25
Course Syllabus
Required Lectures
Mandatory Discussion Sections
Essential Textbook Readings
Supplemental Readings
Individual Essays
Ibo Van de Poel & Lamber Royakkers
Suggestion:
Suggestion:Take
Takenotes
noteson
onwhat
whatisisemphasized
emphasizedininthe
thelectures.
lectures.
The
Thefull
fullslides
slidesare
areposted
postedon
onthe
thewebsite
websitesoon
soonafter
afterthe
thelecture.
lecture.
26
Essay Descriptions
Essay 2: Tragedy of the Commons
Hardins thesis in a modern context
E.g., depletion or pollution of oceans
Relates to lectures/text on population
increase and environmental engineering
Hardin paper is on ccle site week 4;
Yahoo.com/images
Essay 1: Engineering Case Study
Micro-ethical analysis of specific problem
E.g., faultily designed biomedical device
Macro-ethical analysis of societal effects
E.g., intelligent surveillance systems
Relates to lectures/text on ethical
decisions and engineers responsibilities
27
Course Syllabus
Required Lectures
Mandatory Discussion Sections
Essential Textbook Readings
Supplemental Readings
Individual Essays
Team Research Project
Examinations
Oral Presentation
Written Report
Midterm (2 hours)
Final (3 hours)
Web Site: http://ccle.ucla.edu
The
TheEngr
Engr183EW
183EWCourse
CourseManual
Manualprovides
providesvaluable
valuabledetails
detailsand
andexamples
examples
28
Grading Percentages
Examinations
14%
23%
Individual Writing
Midterm
Final
37%
Biography
Ethical Issue
Case Study
24%
---12%
12%
Team Research
Oral Present
Written Report
Participation
Total
29%
5%
24%
10%
_____
100%
All
Allassignments
assignmentsmust
mustbe
becompleted
completedand
andsubmitted
submittedto
tocomplete
completethe
theclass!
class!
29
Why We Emphasize Good Writing

% Total Engineering Time1
60
50
Preparing Oral
Presentations
40
Reading
& Editing
30
20
Writing
10
0
Staff
1
Leader
Manager
Consultant
After Bower, D., Technical Communications in R&D Groups, MIT Thesis, 1985
30
Why We Emphasize Good Writing II

In Politics and the English Language
Orwell castigated contemporaries for using
language to mystify rather than to inform.
His critique was directed against bad faith:
people wrote poorly because they were
trying to say something unclear or else
deliberately prevaricating. Our problem, it
seems to me, is different. Shoddy prose
today bespeaks intellectual insecurity:
we speak and write badly because we
dont feel confident in what we think and
are reluctant to assert it unambiguously.
Rather than suffering from newspeak we
risk the rise of nospeak.
Tony Judt
The New York Review, July 15, 2010
George Orwell, ~1943
31
Writing and Successful Employment

A person asks the New York Times Ethicist Columnist:
I prescreen job applicants for a small engineering consulting firm committed to equal
opportunity. These jobs are primarily technical, but English-language skills are required
for the technical writing involved, and a writing sample is requested. Many applications
are full of errors in grammar, spelling and punctuation, and are summarily rejected. This
disproportionately affects applicants whose names suggest that English may be their
second language, as well as other minority groups. Is it ethical to reject engineering
applicants for their writing skills? J.W., PENNSYLVANIA
The Ethicist replies:

Because clear and accurate writing is a significant part of the job, it is legitimate to
eliminate applicants who demonstrate an inability to provide it.
Randy Cohen
New York Times Magazine, May 3, 2010
32
Our Writing Criteria
Effective Organization:
Clear Identification of the Problem

Adequate Research & Strong Citations
Comprehensive Description of Issues
Evidence of Full Engagement and/or Teamwork

Contents of Paper and/or Report
Technical Aspects
Ethical and Societal Aspects
Meaningful Solutions/Recommendations
Original Ideas
Confidence-Building Presentation
33
Why We Emphasize Teamwork
Engineering projects depend on teams:

Modern teams are highly diverse in terms of:
Genders, sexual identities and familial arrangements
Engineering education is currently light on teamwork

Effective team membership can affect:
Technical and non-technical personnel

Multiple organizations
Worldwide cultures -- domestic and international
Organizational progress
Career success
Personal satisfaction
Engr 183EW provides understanding and experience
Knowledge
Knowledgeabout
aboutgood
goodteamwork
teamworkisisso
soimportant
importantwe
wegive
giveititaawhole
wholelecture.
lecture.
34
1st Assignment: Short Autobiography
Preparation:
Read Orwell article Politics and the English Language
Contents/Organization:
Identification Name, Major, Class. Section, (Photo?)

Ethical Background Home, Influences, Travels, etc.
Personal Ethical Dilemma Problem & Solution
Procedure:
2 pages, double spaced

Bring 2 copies to lecture on Wednesday
Submit to Turnitin by end of the week
Ive
Ivetold
toldyou
youabout
aboutmyself,
myself,wed
wedlike
liketo
tolearn
learnsomething
somethingabout
aboutyou.
you.
35
Society and The Two Cultures
C.P. Snows 1950s Two Cultures:
Humanistic: Literature, history, philosophy, religion, arts)
Scientific: Science and technology
Snows Problem:
Societys leaders come from the humanistic culture
Societys critical issues are technological and scientific
Snows Solution: Cross education and interaction
Todays Problems:
The same: Leaders are not technical
36
The Two Cultures In Action

Barack Obama
BA, JD
Tom Donilon
BA, JD
Joe Biden
BA, JD
President
National Security Council
Vice President
Director of
National
Intelligence
Department
Of Defense
Department
Of State
LTGEN James Clapper

MS, Political Science
Ashton Carter
Ph.D Physics
John Kerry
BA, JD
Department
Of Homeland
Security
Jeh Johnson
BA, JD
FEMA
37
Society and The Two Cultures
C.P. Snows 1950s Two Culture Formulation:
Humanistic: Literature, history, philosophy, religion, arts)
Scientific: Science and technology
Snows Problem:
Societys leaders come from the humanistic culture
Societys critical issues are technological and scientific
Snows Solution: Cross education and interaction
Todays Problems:
The same: Leaders are not technical
And the opposite: Technology leads, society reacts
Todays Solution: Greater awareness and responsibility
What
Whatdo
dowe
wewant?
want?How
Howdo
dowe
weget
getthere?
there?The
Thebenefits?
benefits?The
Thecosts?
costs?
38
The Engineering Sub-Culture
We use special languages:
We see ourselves as:
Mathematics
Graphs and Spreadsheets
Schematic Diagrams
PPT & Reports
Creative
Practical
Solution Oriented
Rational
Operator(s)
Composable
Command
Language
Unmanned
Behavior
Models
Simulated
Battle
Space
Team Performance Assessment Software
Process
Measures
Instructor(s)
Others may see us as:
Overly Analytical
Problems over People
Unbounded
Dangerous
39
For Example..
When you see something technically sweet
you go ahead and do it,
and you argue about what to do about it
only after you have had your technical success
Dr. Robert Oppenheimer
Director of the Manhattan Project
to build the first atomic bomb
Trinity Atomic Bomb Test

Alamogordo, NM July, 1945
40
Cultural Factors and Ethics
Ethics and Morals are
Societys Ethics and Morals Come From
Beliefs, assumptions, values, opinions, decisions

How we agree to treat one another
Genetics?
Family and community norms
Religious, philosophical, political and legal precepts
Ethics and Morals Affect Us at Multiple Levels
As Individuals
As Organizations and Businesses
As a Nation and a Society
Ethics
Ethicsisisthe
thesystematic
systematicreflection
reflectionon
onwhat
whatisismoral.
moral.
Van
Vande
dePoel
Poeland
andRoyakkers,
Royakkers,2011
2011
41
Two Definitions of Ethics

not only
Ethics is a set of ideas and rules by which to live.
Ethics is also a set of acts based on those ideas
and rules!
42
Existential Ethics and Engineering
In the Existential World.
Acts are more important than words

Acts define philosophy and ethical structure
The individual is forced to act
Decision are actions
Engineering Decisions Are..
Continual
Both analytical and uncertain
Usually time-constrained
Multi-person and multi-organizational
Consequential
Dependent on both technical and societal factors
43
Ethics in Engineering Decision Making
The Controlling Factor
Another Decision Component

The Product of an Ethical Culture
E.g. Ethics trumps economics

We dont do that! or We must do this
Ethics Committees
Organizational Standards
National, International Codes
A Personal Issue
What do YOU stand for?
What do you DO about it?
BEING ETHICAL vs. Having Ethics
Minimizing differences between

ideals and actions
Brain
Heart
Courage
The lesson of the Wizard of Oz
44
The Engineering Profession
Meaning of Profession
Boelter: With Authority comes Responsibility
Engineering Environment
Narrow Definition is Occupation

Broader Definition is License or Authorization
Jobs: Employee to entrepreneur

Organizations: Small to giant, local to distributed
Responsibilities: Frequently immense and highly public
Influence: Growing rapidly
Professional Ethics
Engineering Ethical Codes: From outside

Personal Ethical Framework: From inside
Both are important and useful!
45
Professional Ethics Counts Positively.
46
.and Negatively
47
Step-Wise Optimization: Perfecting the World

Through Sequentially Good Ethical Decisions
The world as it should be
Ethical Decisions
The world as it is
The
Theimportant
importantthing
thingisisfor
foreverybody
everybodyto
toagree
agreeon
onwhat
whatmountain
mountainwere
wereclimbing
climbing
48
Framing the Problem Can Help1

When the same problem is framed as a.
participants react differently.
Our
Ourgoal:
goal:Learning
Learningto
toframe
frameprofessional
professionaldecisions
decisionsas
asboth
both
Business
Business(i.e.,
(i.e.,Engineering)
Engineering)and
andEthical
Ethicalas
asthe
thesituation
situationdemands
demands
1
Chana Joffe-Walt & Alix Spiegel, Psychology of Fraud, NPR, May 1, 2012
49
The Challenge (and Opportunity) Ahead*
Have ever
Cheated on exam
Stolen from store
Lied to teacher
Lied to parent
Need to lie and cheat sometimes

to succeed 51%
Successful people do anything to
win even if others call it cheating
2004
62%
27%
62%
82%
2008
64%
30%
64%
82%
2010
59%
29%
66%
80%
2012
51%
20%
55%
76%
--
39%
36%
59%
58%
57%
79%
92%
98%
81%
93%
99%
Better at doing right thing than

most other people . 74%
-Satisfied with own ethics .. 92%
Important to be a person of good character 98%
*Based on surveys of large numbers of high school students performed by Josephson

Institute of Ethics (www.josephsoninstitute.org)
50

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Engineering and Society:

Dr. Gershon Weltman

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015

Engr 183EW Course Objectives

Prepare students to help address societys critical technical

Help students build a Personal Ethical Framework to identify the

Provide an understanding of how technology and society have

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015

The Importance of Historical Context

Knowing how technology has influenced society in the

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015

Engr 183EW Course Objectives

Help students build a Personal Ethical Framework to identify the

Provide an understanding of how technology and society have

Examine critical contemporary societal issues that involve both

Provide guidelines and methodology for making ethical

Provide experience in working on diverse teams to successfully

Improve ability to write and present high quality engineering

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015

Future Value of Engr 183EW

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015

Ethical Philosophy and Practice

183EW Will Improve You As Engineers

Dr. Jayathi Murthy

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015

Guide Your Contribution to Society

Llewellyn M.K. Boelter

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015

Provide A Guide to Action

Doing whats right

Lyndon Baines Johnson

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015

.. Influence Your Personal Life

When you discover that

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015

Help You Gain a Direction

Touch people with the

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015

Intelligence plus character that is the true goal of education.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015

Preparation: Education (1953 -1963)

Act 1: UCLA Faculty (1963-1970)

Machine & Environmental Biotechnology

Humanities for Engineering Students

Act 2: Defense Industry (1970 2003)

B.S., M.S. & Ph.D., UCLA Engineering

Perceptronics, Inc., AI-Based Decision Support,

Act 3: Do It Again (2003 Present)

Perceptronics Solutions, Inc. AI Based Decision

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015

Other Personal Items

Mind: Books, movies, TV, art, jazz, discussion

Roots of My Ethical Structure

Parents Political Idealism

The unexamined life is not worth living.

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015

1st Product: Videodisc Gunnery Trainers

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015

New Ideas in Military Simulation

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015

Small Extensions of Concept

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2015