Abstract for: Beyond Proximity: Consequentialist Ethics and System Dynamics

System dynamics models assume causality, which renders them uncertain. Model uncertainty leads to ethical concerns that are often overlooked because system dynamics addresses uncertainty through validation. The argument that system dynamics is an engineering endeavor and should seek support in this philosophical light is developing within the field. Given that system dynamics is rooted in engineering and not science, the ethical considerations shift from the behavior of the modeler (away from validation) to the model itself and its inherent uncertainty. This paper renews the ethics conversation in system dynamics by considering this shift in philosophical perspective and investigates the application of consequentialist moral philosophy to the modeling process and in communication with decision-makers. This concept is illustrated with a model of social assistance in Norway in light of immigration pressure.