PROFESSIONALISM AND

ENGINEERING CODES OF
ETHICS

John W. Poston, Sr.

Department of Nuclear Engineering
Texas A&M University

Readings and References

C. E. Harris,Jr., M. S. Pritchard & M. R. Rabins,
Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases,
2nd. Ed., Chapters 1 and 11.
C. B. Fleddermann, Engineering Ethics,
Chapter 2.
P. A. Vesilind & A. S. Gunn, Engineering,
Ethics and the Environment, Chapter 3.

TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT
JOB low-skill level required
TRADE manual skills, apprenticeships,
often unionized
SELF-EMPLOYED non-professional or
professional
KNOWLEDGE WORKER specifically
educated or trained
PROFESSIONAL regulated knowledge
worker

PROFESSIONALS
Doctors
Veterinarians
Lawyers
Architects
Engineers
Stock Brokers

Dentists
Pharmacists
Accountants
Teachers
Journalists
Athletes (?)

WHAT IS A PROFESSIONAL?
Originally, one who professed adherence
to monastic vows of a religious order.
* a free act of commitment to a
specific way of life
* allegiance to high moral standards
* skill, knowledge, practice of an art

WHAT IS A PROFESSIONAL?
Today, it is one who is duly qualified in a
specific field
* special knowledge or education
* appropriate experience
* knowledge and skills vital to the wellbeing of a large potion of society
* special sanction

MODELS OF PROFESSIONALISM
Business Model
* professional status provides
economic gain
* monopoly provides for high pay
* self-regulation avoids government
regulation

MODELS OF PROFESSIONALISM
Social Contract Model
* professional are guardians of public
trust
* an implicit, unstated agreement
exists between professional and
society
* society may subsidize training of
professionals

THE IMPLICIT AGGREEMENT

Professionals agree to:
* provide a service
- for the public well-being
- promote public welfare, even at
own expense
* self-regulation
- enforce competence
- enforce ethical standards

THE IMPLICIT AGGREEMENT

Society agrees to:
* allow a certain autonomy
- freedom of self-regulation
- freedom to choose clients
* social status
- respect from society, titles
* high remuneration
- reward for services
- attract competent individuals

ATTRIBUTES OF A PROFESSION
Requires sophisticated skills, use of
judgment, and exercise of discretion
Requires extensive formal education not
simply practical training
Public allows the control, admission,
standards of conduct, and enforcement
Results in significant public good

PROFESSIONAL TRAITS
Extensive intellectual training (education)
Specialized knowledge
Skills vital to society
Monopoly on service provided
Autonomy, self-regulated
Privilege/prestige
Governed by a code of ethics

IS ENGINEERING A PROFESSION?
Engineering meets all the definitions of a
profession.
A commonly held view, is that engineering
is a profession.
Engineers do not always hold the same
status in society as that of lawyers or
doctors.

ENGINEERING
A profession that put power and materials
to work for the benefit of mankind.
In ancient times, there was no formal
engineering education.
Engineers built structures by trial and
error.
Engineering advances were made by
learning from mistakes

ENGINEERING - HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE
Engineering is an very old activity
Engineers provided ways to improve the
quality of life
Engineers were responsible for much of
ancient construction
Engineers were responsible for many
machines of war

THE QUALITY OF LIFE

Examples:
* power and energy sources
* water supplies
* cranes and hoists
* ships and sea transport
* land transport
* ancient baths

ANCIENT CONSTRUCTION
Examples:
* Great wall of China
* The pyramids in Egypt
* The coliseum in Rome
* Hadrians wall in the U.K.
* The Pont du Gard in France
* The dikes in the Netherlands

MACHINES OF WAR
Examples:
* bows and cross-bows
* catapults
* assault towers & battering rams
* ships of war
* rockets
* Greek fire

WHY A CODE OF ETHICS?

Define ideal behavior for the purpose of
enhancing the pubic image
Establish rules of conduct for policing its
own members
Encourage value-laden decisions for the
public good

CODES OF ETHICS: THEIR

DEVELOPMENT
Not much known about early professional
codes
Medieval guilds codified their rules of
conduct
Underlying purpose of guild codes
* enhance the power of the guild
* provide job stability for members
* provide wealth for members

Example: ASCE Code of

Ethics
ASCE founded in 1852, some members
interested in a code of ethics
* considered a matter of honor
In 1893, proposed that a code of ethics
be developed again no action
In 1912, new efforts to develop a code
In 1913, Board appointed a committee

Example: ASCE Code of

Ethics
Code is representative of most codes
One of the earliest codes
Adopted in 1914, based in spirit on the
Code of Hammurabi (about 1750 B.C.)
* interactions between engineers and
their clients
* interactions among engineers

Example: ASCE Code of

Ethics
Has been modified frequently
In 1963, modified to include statements
about the engineers responsibility to
the public
No enforceable provision addressing the
engineers responsibility toward the
environment

Example: ASCE Code of

Ethics
Has three parts:
* The Fundamental Canons
- there are 7 canons dating back to the
code
* The Guidelines to Practice
- first published in 1961
- clarify and add detail to Canons
* The Fundamental Principles
- appeared in 1975 politically motivated
- verbatim from ABET Code of Ethics

original

Example: ASCE Code of

Ethics
Fundamental Canon:
Engineers shall hold paramount the safety,
health, and welfare of the public in the
performance of their professional duties
Fundamental Principle:
Engineers uphold and advance the integrity,
honor and dignity of the engineering
profession by using their skill for the
enhancement of human welfare.

Example: ASCE Code of

Ethics
About 2 million civil engineers in the U.S.
About 100,000 members of the ASCE
* membership in the ASCE is not
required to practice engineering
* ASCE has no legal or moral
significance to some engineers
* many graduates do not become
licensed or join the ASCE

MYRIAD SOCIAL ROLES

Professional
Parent
Responsible child
Responsible citizen
Member of religious organization
Member of civic organization
Member of a political organization

Professional Ethics vs. Personal

Ethics
Professional
Ethics

Pro

Per

Personal
Ethics

Overlap between professional and

personal ethics
Professional ethics more restrictive
Personal ethics more restrictive

PROFESSIONAL CODES
Interaction Rules
Increasingly severe consequences
Courtesy/Etiquette

Morals/Ethics

Professional Codes

Indicate dedication to professional behavior

Recognition of professional responsibilities
Create ethical environment
Guide in specific circumstances
Serve as an educational tool

Laws

COMAPRISON OF CODES
NSPE AIChE IEEE ASCE ASME ABET
Uphold public welfare
Faithful to employer & clients
Conflicts of interest
Practice only in areas of competence
Objective and truthful
Dignity & integrity
Bribes
Promote and develop profession
Accept responsibility
Acknowledge contributions of others
Recruiting
Adequate compensation
Public service
Environment
Do not discriminate by race, gender, etc.
Stikes & picket lines

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WHY SUPPORT THE CODES?

Implicit contract with society
Articulates engineers responsibilities
Framework for proper behavior
Increase responsibility of the profession
Gives weight to ethical decisions
Condition of membership

LIMITATIONS OF THE
CODES
The codes are not a recipe for making
decisions
The codes cannot be used as a substitute
for good judgment
The codes do not cover every possible
situation
The codes are not a legal document

ASSIGNMENT
Read
Auditory Visual Tracker (#3)
Borrowed Tools (#4)
Employment Opportunity (# 14)
Fire Detectors (#18)
Moral Beliefs in the Workplace (#31)
TV Antenna (#45)