In “Do Engineers have Social Responsibilities?” Deborah G. Johnson asserts that engineers believe “they have a responsibility for human welfare and safety” (21). However, the most stable and well-compensated engineering jobs are in the defense sector, where engineers may be tasked with developing surveillance technology, designing weapons of mass destruction, or other projects many find morally reprehensible. Engineers are thus confronted with an ethical dilemma: is it justifiable to go against their values for financial stability? According to ethical rationalism, there is no way to justify…