Study Of The Fourth Principle--Ethics In Design

Practicality, economy and beauty are regarded as the three principles of design. However, under specific historical conditions, the usual three principles can' t ensure the achievement of design goals as people' s pursuit of value becomes more and more perfect. The intervention of ethics will make up this deficiency effectively and thus it becomes the fourth principle in design.From ethics point of view, this paper takes the design activities at all times and in all lands as the examine targets, and searches for the ethical basis in ancient design to survey the ethics flaws in modern design. All of these are to find out enough theoretical foundation and factual basis to put forward the ethic principle in design. And then this paper states the significance, status and effect of such a principle in design. This paper also analyzes the interrelationship among this principle, the functional principle, the economical principle and the aesthetic principle. Beside these, this article copes with such questions as the mechanism, channels and results of ethics influencing design and how to carry out this principle, and so on. At last, the central topic of design ethics being the fourth principle in design is established.Design is a very broad concept. It covers all aspects of people' s life and is closely linked with the immediate interests of the people. Design ethics means the moral law that should be abided by in design activities and the behavioral norms that are of ethical value. It will contribute to the balance between profits and morality, and will harmonize the relationship between human beings and the nature, human beings and the society, and between individuals. Based on truth, this paper raised the ethic principle in design to the high degree of theory for the first time, and took it to be the fourth principle of design. Therefore, from the point of view of academic value, this paper will help raise new questions in the theoretical research on ethics, design and art theory. It will bring about new concepts and initiate a new era. From the point of view of practical value, this paper will provide strong theoretical support for the competent government departments, project organizations and enterprises to do design planning, design management, and so on. And then the above entities will be able to maintain a correct orientation of design and improve their value composition. The design activities and the outcomes will finally achieve the perfect integration of love, kindness and beauty.In the course of research, this paper adapts the following four research approaches. The first one is the combination of static analysis and dynamic analysis. Being served as a design principle, the ancient and modern design activities must contain ethical value, and the ethical value will differentiate to some extent as the times and circumstances are changing, thus it will embody the dialectical unity between the constancy of principle and the rheology of value. The second one is the combination of history deduction and reality investigation. History is the reality of the past, while reality is the start of the future. The design activities are often deducing and developing under the dual function of traditions and realities. The third one is the combination of case study and general truth. Different design categories have their own characteristics, but the ethical value should be of universal significance. The fourth one is the combination of theoretical research and practical research. The design conception is the soul to direct the design activity, while the result of the design activity is the standard to examine the design conception.In the process of argumentation, this paper brings forth the following three points of view: the first one is that the design ethics should become the fourth principle in design and it should become a guiding principle in the sense of metaphysics. The ethical principle, the functional principle, the economic principle, and the aesthetic principle can be accomplished without coming into conflict. They are actually of mutual promotion. The ethical principle in design does not possess the parallel relationship with the other three principles; it is directive and commanding in terms of metaphysics. Ethical value performs as the whole and integrative value, and it needs a comprehensive consideration with the other three principles under the moderate and reasonable extent. The second one is that the ethical values are the internal needs and forces to enhance the design taste and to push forward the healthy development of design. Although ethics acts on the society in a natural form, it coordinates humans and the nature and among mankind to keep the harmonious state in a reasonable and gracious way. Thus, the society needs such values and moral forces. The third one is that the design conception and the design activity co-exist. In the macro-perspective, there are ethical values in design activities in each historical period, and at the same time, ethical values also exist in every field of design. In the micro-perspective, design ethics runs through the whole design process, such as framing the design concept, implementing the design process, till examining and evaluating the design outcome. All these steps are unable to do without thinking of ethical values.In a word, to emphasize the value of ethics and to look upon ethics as a principle of design (the fourth principle) in design field are not only the revival of traditional culture but also the driving force of modern design. They will be of great advantage for holding the design direction, enhancing the design taste and enriching the design theory.