Does Human Factors/Ergonomics Contribute To The Quality Of Life?

Our study explores the moral bases of human factors/ergonomics (HF/E). Since their inception, these co-evolving facets of the human enterprise have espoused a dedication to the quality of life. We examine whether this principle has been adhered to or transgressed during the history of, the current instantiation of and the future of HF/E. Such deliberations depend upon whether human beings are viewed as the means of production in a capitalist system or as the fundamental ends of that society. This is a political decision that those in HF/E have to partake in as individuals and as professional groups. Such a decision cannot be neglected since: \u27The hottest place in Hell is reserved for those who remain neutral in times of great moral conflict\u27. Now is a time of great moral conflict and it is upon the outcome of such decisions that the value of HF/E must and will be judged.© 2011 Taylor & Francis