The Line-Drawing and Creative-Middle-Way Methods
When abstract theories fail to provide a clear answer to a complex real-world problem, engineers use specific methodological tools to find a resolution. Two of the most common are Line-Drawing and the Creative-Middle-Way approach.
The Line-Drawing Method
This method is used to resolve application issues—situations where it is unclear whether a specific act falls under a certain moral category (e.g., “Is this gift a bribe or just a professional courtesy?”).
- Define the Paradigms: Identify two definitive cases: a “Positive Paradigm” (clearly ethical) and a “Negative Paradigm” (clearly unethical).
- Identify Features: List the relevant features of the case (size of gift, timing, influence on decision, etc.).
- Plot the Case: Evaluate where the test case falls on a continuum between the two paradigms for each feature.
- Evaluate: See if the test case is “closer” to the positive or negative side overall.
The Creative-Middle-Way Approach
This approach is used when two or more moral duties compete (e.g., the duty to tell the truth vs. the duty to protect a client’s confidentiality).
Instead of treatings the situation as a zero-sum trade-off (where one duty must be “sacrificed” for the other), the engineer seeks a synthesis. The goal is an innovative course of action that satisfies the maximum number of conflicting obligations simultaneously.
Example: An engineer discovers a safety flaw in a competitor’s product.
- Duty 1: Protect public safety (Report it).
- Duty 2: Avoid unprofessional behavior/harassment of competitors.
- Creative-Middle-Way: Instead of going to the press or staying silent, the engineer might contact the competitor privately and offer the findings, giving them the chance to fix it while protecting the public.
The Goal of Synthesis
The Creative-Middle-Way assumes that ethical problems are a form of design problem. Just as we use creativity to fit a “form” to a “context” in engineering, we use creativity to fit our “actions” to multiple moral “requirements.”