Particularism as an Ideal Ethical Theory for Engineers

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Particularism as an Ideal Ethical Theory for Engineers
Introduction
Engineers often face ethical dilemmas in their profession, as they are responsible for designing and building structures, systems, and products that have significant impacts on society. Particularism, as an ethical theory, can be particularly useful for engineers in addressing these dilemmas because it allows for flexibility and nuance in decision-making. One of the key benefits of particularism is that it takes into account the specific context and circumstances of each situation. Another advantage of particularism is that it allows for a more flexible and open-ended approach to ethical decision-making. The utility of particularism as an ethical theory is evident from the analysis of “Handling a Dangerous Project” where Sam needed to consider the situational context of the moral dilemma before making a moral decision.
Theory Defense
Particularism is the ideal theory for informing decision-making when faced with ethical dilemmas in the engineering profession. Particularism is an ethical theory that holds that there are no universal moral principles that can be applied to all situations. According to particularism, the right course of action in a given situation depends on the specific circumstances of that situation and the context in which it occurs. In other words, particularism argues that it is impossible to determine the moral value of an action based on general principles alone. Instead, one must consider the specific details of the situation, including the motivations, intentions, and consequences of the action in question.
Notably, particularism is categorized as a critical moral theory. Its basis is the rejection of standard theories on the basis that the use of standard moral theories leads to a generalist approach to ethical decision-making, where one expects a theory to apply to all situations. To this end, particularism considers the other standard theories as a model of ethics that can be reliably used to understand a given situation better. Consequently, the consideration that standard theories are models of ethics implies that they should be selectively applied based on the situation at hand. Particularism frames ethics as largely a practical skill as opposed to the view of ethics as a theoretical practice. The extent to which a theory can assist one in decision-making should be informed by the ethical situation that one faces.
Consequently, when making a decision using particularism, one has to rely upon their judgment to determine the ideal course of action. The judgment should be based on the examination of all the facts at hand in service to inform the potential action that should be pursued. The standards models are used as mental tools to clarify one’s intuition about a particular ethical dilemma. Ultimately, the choice of a given course of action should align with the personal conception of what fits within the definition of the right and wrong course of action after a review of the ethical dilemma.
The use of particularism as an ethical theory for solving ethical problems is informed by the view that one cannot achieve moral action with...