INDE 410: Engineering Ethics

4.2 Case study: Smart guns

Read the following case and then address the questions below and answer them in due time on
Moodle.

The issue of gun ownership is a highly controversial one, particularly in the US where every
shooting becomes a new chance to talk about gun control. The development of smart guns has
been touted as one middle-ground solution to reducing the dangers of guns.

Source: https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/nicolenguyen/what-is-smart-gun-technology

The idea with smart guns – a technology that has been around for a while now – is that only the
gun owner can fire the gun. This would mean fewer accidents and people using other people’s
guns to commit shootings. At the same time, if someone wanted to fire in self-defense, if the
technology fails at that moment they would then be in trouble. Read more about smart guns here.

1. Do you think owning guns is right? Would you work in a factory that manufactures guns?
Make the strongest possible arguments for or against and discuss the conflict in values
when it comes to gun ownership.
2. What kinds of standards are currently available for guns? Look up all that apply.
3. Does your argument and opinion for Question 1 change for smart guns?
4. Is gun control right? Should there be more regulations for gun design and ownership or is
that being overly paternalistic? Discuss while thinking about what different ethical
theories would say.
5. What kind of intellectual property issues are related to smart guns, and why are these
problematic?
6. What kinds of conflicts of interest do you see with smart guns, and why are these a
problem for regulating this technology?