Effects of design and sustainable design of technical artefacts

Karina Vissonova

pp. 433-451

in: Pieter E. Vermaas, Stéphane Vial (eds), Advancements in the philosophy of design, Berlin, Springer, 2018

Abstract

The aim with this chapter is to explicate sustainable design of technical artefacts. Given the increasing design efforts to respond to the issues of sustainability, an explication is needed as to clarify what makes a design the 'sustainable" kind. I propose to form a consistent understanding of what should fall under the 'sustainable design" kind and what should not. Such an understanding may be formed by looking at how the design practice have adopted the notion of 'sustainability" in the many design solutions. I state that in seeking to design for sustainability, the design is aimed at reconciling industrial and natural processes, and the act of designing encompasses a broad scope of considerations towards undesirable side effects. As the design aims for such a reconciliation and for resolving side effects, the specific materials are selected for their dispositions to carry the value of sustainability; as well as their dispositions not to pose hazards. I come to argue that technical artefacts are designed as sustainable based on the extent to which side effects are addressed with the design. I conclude with presenting necessary and sufficient conditions in the presence of which the design falls under the concept of sustainable design of technical artefacts.