Engineering Ethics

1
Engineering Ethics

• Motivation, Context, Models, and Theories

2
Ethics and the Law

• Following the requirements of the law provides
  protection from prosecution
• Since engineering work utilizes new technology
  before experience and laws can catch up, ethics
  seeks to go beyond the dictates of current law
• Ethical behavior provides protection from civil
  suits, from damage to reputation, or from loss of
  professional licensure and encompasses ways
  engineers should conduct themselves in their
  practice

3
Ethics and Accreditation 1

• TAC outcome i. An engineering technology program
  must demonstrate that graduates have an ability
  to understand professional, ethical and social
  responsibilities
• EAC outcome f. Engineering programs must
  demonstrate that their students attain an
  understanding of professional and ethical
  responsibility

4
Ethics and Accreditation 2

• CAC outcome e. The program enables students to
  achieve an understanding of professional,
  ethical, and social responsibilities
• ASAC outcome f. Applied science programs must
  demonstrate that graduates have an understanding
  of professional and ethical responsibility

5
Ethics and Registration

• To become a registered professional engineer in
  Indiana, part of the examination may be designed
  to test the applicant's knowledge and
  understanding of the ethical, economic, and legal
  principles relating to the practices of
  professional engineering.
• The take-home part III of the principles
  practice examination requires a score of 88 and
  generally covers ethics and Rule 11 - Rules of
  Professional Conduct

6
Ethics and Technical Societies

• Each technical society for the various
  engineering disciplines requires a member to
  subscribe to the code of ethics of the society.
• Each society publishes its own code of ethics
  which are particularly useful to guide members
  when the only options are unsatisfactory e.g.
  ASCE, ASME, IEEE, NSPE, IIE, SME, AIChE

7
Three Ethical Models

• Malpractice, or Minimalist, Model
• Reasonable-Care, or Due-Care, Model
• Good Works Model

8
Malpractice, or Minimalist, Model

• This is a minimalist model in which the
  professional is concerned only with meeting
  standards and requirements of the profession and
  any other laws or codes that apply. This model
  looks to find fault when problems or accidents
  arise from someone's failure to meet a
  requirement.

9
Reasonable-Care, or Due-Care, Model

• A model of engineering practice in which the
  engineer is expected to take reasonable
  precautions or care in the practice of his
  profession. The model strives to prevent harm,
  and it appeals to a "standard of reasonableness
  as seen by a normal, prudent nonprofessional."

10
Good Works Model

• A model of engineering practice in which
  engineers go beyond the basics of what is
  required by standards and codes and do what they
  "ought" to do to improve product safety, social
  health or social well-being.

11
Ethical Theories Based on Philosophical
Scholarship

• Utilitarianism
• Duty Ethics
• Rights Ethics
• Virtue Ethics
• See Fleddermann, Engineering Ethics, pp 33-38

12
Utilitarianism John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)

• Considers a balance of good bad consequences
  for everyone affected (society)
• Actions are good that serve to promote human
  well-being
• Cost-Benefit analysis is an application
• Consideration of most benefit to the most people
  outweighs needs of a few individuals

13
Duty Ethics Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)

• There are duties that should be performed (e.g..
  Duty to treat others fairly or not to injure
  others) regardless of whether these acts do the
  most good or not.

14
Rights Ethics John Locke (1632-1704)

• People have fundamental rights (like life,
  liberty, property) that others have a duty to
  respect.

15
Virtue Ethics

• Actions are considered right if they support good
  character traits (virtues) and wrong if they
  support bad character traits (vices)
• Closely tied to personal honor

16
Codes of Ethics Commonly Hold

• Engineers and technologists have a duty to hold
  the heath and safety of the public as a primary
  concern. Usually the first cannon of any code.
• Other duties are summarized in order of
  importance with most important first e.g. Safety
  is more important than conflict of interest.

17
ASME Ethics Code

• 1. Engineers shall hold paramount the safety,
  health and welfare of the public in the
  performance of their professional duties.
• 2. Engineers shall perform services only in the
  areas of their competence.
• 3. Engineers shall continue their professional
  development throughout their careers and shall
  provide opportunities for the professional and
  ethical development of those engineers under
  their supervision.
• 4. Engineers shall act in professional matters
  for each employer or client as faithful agents or
  trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest
  or the appearance of conflicts of interest.

18
ASME Ethics Code

• 5. Engineers shall build their professional
  reputation on the merit of their services and
  shall not compete unfairly with others.
• 6. Engineers shall associate only with reputable
  persons or organizations.
• 7. Engineers shall issue public statements only
  in an objective and truthful manner.
• 8. Engineers shall consider environmental impact
  in the performance of their professional duties.
• 9. Engineers shall consider sustainable
  development in the performance of their
  professional duties.

19
References

• Fleddermann, Charles B, Engineering Ethics, 2nd
  Ed., 2004, Pearson Prentice Hall, Upper Saddle
  River, NJ, Chapter 3.
• ASME PPC, Ethics, referenced from
  http//www.professionalpractice.asme.org/engineeri
  ng/ethics/index.htm
• NSPE Code (detailed) referenced from
  http//www.nspe.org/ethics/eh1-code.asp,
  True-False quiz referenced from
  http//www.nspe.org/ethics/eh1-test.asp