Final answer:
"Ethics by design" means integrating ethical considerations into the engineering design process (option B) from the beginning to ensure that the resulting product or service is ethically sound.
Step-by-step explanation:
"Ethics by design" refers to B. An approach in which ethics is considered from the initial design stage. This concept emphasizes that ethical considerations should be integrated into the planning and development processes of engineering projects to ensure that the final products, systems, or services are not only technologically sound but also morally and ethically responsible.
Guidelines like the Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice provided by the IEEE-CS intersect with "ethics by design" because they outline how software engineers must undertake their work with an adherence to ethical standards, highlighting the importance of safety, privacy, environmental impact, and the quality of human life.
Incorporating ethics from the outset can prevent harmful consequences and ensure that technology serves the well-being of individuals and society, which aligns with values and principles from various ethical theories encompassing care ethics, consequentialism, and virtue ethics. It's a proactive approach that seeks to solve and resolve applied ethical dilemmas also through policy and law apart from the philosophical debate.