IEEE Technology and Society Magazine - March 2018 - 54

Engineers consequently have important responsibilities regarding technological fixes. Designers need to pay
close attention to the scope of their analysis and longevity of their solutions. They must consider not just the
intended beneficiaries (e.g., customers, clients, funders)
but also non-beneficiaries and "externalities" (e.g., marginal social groups, future generations, other species,
and distant environments). Most importantly, they
should recognize that complex modern societies incorporate multiple values and forms of expertise. Modern
problems cannot be reduced to mere engineering solutions over the long term; human goals are diverse and
constantly changing.

Author Information
Sean F. Johnston is Professor of Science, Technology,
and Society at the University of Glasgow, Glasgow, U.K.
Email: sean.johnston@glasgow.ac.uk.

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