Union Carbide toxic gas release in Bhopal, India

Goal: Using at least 3 of the methods and concepts from this course, analyze an engineering disaster or topic from the 14 Grand Challenges from an ethical viewpoint.

Topic: Pick an ethical topic of your choice. You can select either an engineering disaster or topic from the 14 Grand Challenges. The choice is yours, but it needs to be an issue of sufficient complexity that you can apply the principals from this course in your analysis of the issue.

Concepts: Pick at least 3 concepts and methods from class to include in your analysis. These could include the following, though there are many more:

· Various concepts discussed throughout the “Engineering Ethics”

· Various virtues and engineering codes of ethics

· Event tree or fault tree method

· Evaluating responsibility (legal vs. moral, reckless vs. negligent)

· Evaluating interior intentions

· Applying a virtue ethics approach vs. a utilitarian approach vs. a rights of persons approach

Using the topics you learned in class allows for me to see if you understand and can apply these ideas and principles in your own individual contexts and relate to bigger ideas.

Paper due Nov 1:

You will produce a 8 page report (not including an event tree or fault tree) of the engineering disaster or Grand Challenge you proposed. The report must be well cited and be logical. You must include at least 3 concepts and methods studied in class to receive a passing grade. A moral theories analysis will count for one concept, and must include analysis by all three moral theories. Your final grade will be based on the ABET rubric listed below. To receive an A you must “exceed expectations.” To receive a B you must “Meet Expectations.” To receive a C or a D you must show that you are “Developing.” If your analysis or report is “Unsatisfactory” you will fail.

For formatting questions, follow the format listed below.

Late reports will receive a 0.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Format (No double spacing – single spaced only)

Name

Date

Course

Final Paper

Title of Topic

 

Conflict of Interest: I [potentially could] have a conflict of interest in this topic because: I believe in XYZ, I benefit from XYZ, I have been impacted by this in my personal life, I have faced legal charges because of this law, etc. As an engineer/scientist, I acknowledge and disclose my conflict of interest willingly and will try to remain as objective as possible within this report.

Introduction (1-2 pages): Provide brief introduction and background to this topic. Why are there ethical dilemmas? What are the different sides of this issue? Are there any current events or widely known instances of this event occurring?

You need to cite sources. References need to be as unbiased as possible. They can come from news media or scholarly articles. MAKE SURE YOU CITE!

Here’s a chart that can help you. If you want to look at different angles or opinions when analyzing your topic, choose one from either side and evaluate the differences as fairly as possible.

 

 

Analysis (1.5-3 pages):

Use topics from class. At the end of this analysis I should be able to see that you are able to take concepts you learned in class and apply this to a real ethical topic.

Conclusion/Summary (0.5-1 page)

Briefly state your findings of your analysis from the different sides of the analysis. You do not have to write what side you agree with you. If you want to, by all means go for it, but the purpose of this paper is to analyze an ethical issue, not choose sides. This is not a persuasive paper.

References

Use whatever citations style you prefer. You must have sources – this is not an opinion piece. I prefer numbered Chicago format. However, any professional format will be accepted. Only providing URL’s will result in point deductions.

Grading Rubric

Proposal (10)

 

Max Points

 

 

 

Introduces topic

 

3

 

 

 

Lists concepts used for analysis

 

2

 

 

 

States relevance of topic

 

2

 

 

 

Provides citations

 

3

 

 

 

Report (90)

 

 

 

 

 

Conflict of Interest Statement

 

7.5

 

 

 

Introduces topic and explains what the ethical issues are

 

20

 

 

 

Concept 1 analyzed

 

15

 

 

 

Concept 2 analyzed

 

15

 

 

 

Concept 3 analyzed

 

15

 

 

 

Conclusion

 

10

 

 

 

References

 

7.5

 

 

 

referance

Bhopal: The World’s Worst Industrial Disaster, 30 Years Later
https://www.theatlantic.com/photo/2014/12/bhopal-the-worlds-worst-industrial-disaster-30-years later/100864/#:~:text=Thirty%20years%20ago%2C%20on%20the,number%20of%20other%20poisonous%20gases.

Engineering Ethics – Bhopal’s Gas Tragedy
https://www.tutorialspoint.com/engineering_ethics/engineering_ethics_bhopals_gas_tragedy.htm

The Ethical Engineer
https://ethicalengineer.ttu.edu/studies/case-study-bhopal-gas-tragedy

The Bhopal disaster and its aftermath: a review

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1142333/

 

THE BHOPAL DISASTER: HOW IT HAPPENED

 

Bhopal disaster industrial accident, Bhopan, India [1984]

https://www.britannica.com/event/Bhopal-disaster

 

THE GAS DISASTER

https://www.bhopal.org/what-happened/union-carbides-disaster/

 

Bhopal’s tragedy has not stopped’: the urban disaster still claiming lives 35 years on

https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2019/dec/08/bhopals-tragedy-has-not-stopped-the-urban-disaster-still-claiming-lives-35-years-on

 

Environmental Justice Case Study: Union Carbide Gas Release in Bhopal, India http://www.umich.edu/~snre492/lopatin.html

 

Bhopal gas disaster: Corporate negligence with deadly consequences
https://www.reutersevents.com/sustainability/supply-chains/bhopal-gas-disaster-corporate-negligence-deadly-consequences

The bhopal incident and union carbide: Ramifications of an industrial accident

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/pdf/10.1080/14672715.1986.10409769