Toward an Horizon in Design Ethics

Abstract

This paper suggests that design ethics can be enriched by considering ethics beyond the traditional approaches of deontology, teleology, and virtue ethics. Design practice and design ethics literature tend to frame ethics in design according to these approaches. The paper argues that a fundamental and concrete ethical understanding of design ethics can also be found in Sartrean Existentialism, a philosophy centered on the individual and his/her absolute freedom. Through the analysis of four core concepts of Sartrean Existentialism that define a specific ethics, the paper illustrates why such philosophical approach is relevant to design ethics. The paper also shows how Sartrean Existentialism and its ethics apply to critical issues of professional practice in design such as professional engagement and design decision-making. The paper finally argues that Sartre's philosophy and ethics is a perspective that offers the designer in design practice a solid ground to engage his/her ethical dilemma.

The contemporary significance of modernist design ethics

“…But then it loses all its meaning and becomes abstract and formal itself, since the concrete -that is, social -situation may change. [1]The democratic ideals advocated by Bauhaus, which emphasized inclusive design, are no longer prominent in today's design education system. This absence of ethical guidance in modernist theory has allowed commercial culture to dominate the field, resulting in design prioritizing practicality, commercial value, and aesthetics.…”

An Emotional Design Model for Future Smart Product Based on Grounded Theory

“…As an example, different design teams may propose concepts such as "emotionrelevant personalization" and "minimalism" for smart home products. It is important to define these design concepts in conjunction with social values, design ethics [74], business strategies, and design visions [75] which can be used to guide the design process in a variety of ways.…”