What are the rights and duties of engineers in the social contract?
Because the work of engineers affects everyone in the general public in both minor and major ways, engineers have several rights and duties that come with the profession. This is what can be referred to as a social contract between engineers and the general public. Here I will elaborate on my version of what a social contract should consist of. I will address the various duties engineers have within a hypothetical social contract with the public. Engineers have a duty to reasonably ensure the well-being of the individuals who come into contact or use their technologies. This care for the public's well being can come in many forms. One example is a concern for safety. For example, when designing a technology one should prioritize the idea of doing no harm or not exposing the public to unreasonable dangers even if there might be some benefit. "This is, broadly, just another way of stating the same commitment to public welfare, but it narrows the focus a little bit by emphasizing
