Challenger and Columbia Paper – Ethics

  
PHIL 2306
Ethics
Paper
Dr. Matthis
Look up in Wikipedia, or some similar source, the Columbia and the Challenger disasters. Examine the engineering and management problems that might have brought about each disaster, and compare or contrast each in terms of assigning responsibility, if any, for the disaster. In each case determine if NASA officials acted appropriately, as true professionals, and so too the engineers associated with the design and implementation of the components involved in the disasters acted appropriately. What specific aspects of professionalism were violated, if any, and by whom? Explain why this is the case, assuming that you find violations of professionalism. If none were violated, explain why this is the case. In your analysis of these disasters, determine how Hobbes would view the disasters, in light of how he defines the term “value.” So too determine how Aristotle, based on his idea of moral types, would evaluate the disasters, and also how Mill would evaluate them, based on his ethical theory.
The paper should be around four type-written pages, double-spaced, with end-notes where needed. Extensive endnotes should not be used, and if you cite a reference from Wikipedia, or from one of the philosophers, merely note at the end of your paper that you are using Wikipedia as a resource, and that references to philosophers will come from Ethics Across the Professions. I do not want to read extensive or numerous quotes from any philosopher or from any source in your paper. I want to read your own thoughts about the disasters and about various philosophers in your own words. If there is any evidence that the work is not your own, you will receive no credit for the assignment.