Lawlor, R (2015) Delaying Obsolescence. Science and Engineering Ethics, 21 (2). pp. 401-427. ISSN 1353-3452
Abstract
This paper argues that those who emphasise that designers and engineers need to plan for obsolescence are too conservative. Rather, in addition to planning for obsolescence, designers and engineers should also think carefully about what they could do in order delay obsolescence. They should so this by thinking about the design itself, thinking of ways in which products could be useful and appealing for longer before becoming obsolete, as well thinking about the wider context in terms of the marketing of products, and also the social and legal. The paper also considers objections that these suggestions are unrealistically idealistic, failing to recognise the economic realities. I respond to these objections appealing to research in advertising, psychology, cognitive linguistics, philosophy, history, and economics, as well as drawing on the Statement of Ethical Principles developed by the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Engineering Council.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2014 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Science and Engineering Ethics. The final publication is available at Springer via http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11948-014-9548-6. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Planned obsolescence; Climate change; Sustainability; Economics; Public engagement and leadership; Education and teaching engineering ethics |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures (Leeds) > Inter-Disciplinary Ethics Applied (Leeds) |
Funding Information: | Funder Grant number Arts & Humanities Research Council AHRC AH/L006650/1 |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 09 Sep 2016 10:51 |
Last Modified: | 19 Jan 2018 06:46 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11948-014-9548-6 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Springer Verlag |
Identification Number: | 10.1007/s11948-014-9548-6 |
Related URLs: | |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:96508 |