LECTURE#05

Ethics in Engineering Sense

Ethics: synonyms for morally correct or justified - set of justified moral principles of obligation, rights, and ideals Ethics: particular beliefs or attitudes concerning morality Ethics: area of study or inquiry an activity of understanding moral values, resolving moral issues, and justifying moral judgments

Ethics in Engineering Sense

In one sense, word ethics and its grammatical variants are synonyms for morally correct or justified. In this usage, engineering ethics amounts to the set of justified moral principles of obligation (duties), rights, and ideals that must be endorsed, as they apply generally and to engineering in particular, by those engaged in engineering. Clarifying such principles and applying them to concrete situations is the central goal of engineering ethics as an area of study. In a second sense, word ethics refers to the particular beliefs or attitudes concerning morality that are endorsed by specific groups or individuals. Using this sense, engineering ethics consists of the requirements specified in the currently accepted engineering codes of ethics. Alternatively, engineering ethics may refer to the actual conduct of individuals who are engineers. In the sense we will use most ethics refers to an area of study or inquiry an activity of understanding moral values, resolving moral issues, and justifying moral judgments.

Engineering Ethics
The study of the moral values, issues, and decisions involved in engineering practice. The moral values take on forms including Responsibilities, Ideals, Character qualities , Social policies, Relationships desirable from individuals and corporations engaged in engineering.

Ethics and Practicing Engineering

Engineering Firm Engineer Manager Colleagues

Global Environment

Family

Engineering Profession Industry & Other Firms Clients or Consumers

Law, Government & Public

Engineering is a Profession
Satisfies an indispensable social need Requires trust, discretion, judgment Applies knowledge and skill not possessed by the public Promotes professional ideas Has standards of admission Employs a code of ethics, ensuring appropriate conduct and competence

Engineering Ethics: The Public Welfare

Engineers have a responsibility to advocate the public welfare Expected by the public Matter of ethical and legal duty Conflict of interest when your employer puts self interest above the public good whistle blowing be result (self interest)

Engineering Code of Ethics

Some professional organizations have addressed the complexity of moral issues in their fields by developing codes of ethics Professional codes of ethics consist primarily of principles of responsibility that delineate how to promote the public good.

Engineering Code of Ethics

Professional codes of ethics consist primarily of principles of responsibility that delineate how to promote the public good Shared Values: The great diversity of moral views makes it essential that professions establish explicit (unambiguous) standards. Support: Codes give positive support to those seeking to act ethically. I am bound by the code of ethics of my profession to Guidance: Give helpful guidance concerning the main obligations of engineers. More specific directions may be in supplemental materials or can be developed by discussion based on fundamental guidance. Give forum to discuss.

Engineering Code of Ethics.

Education & Mutual Understanding: Good tool for classroom and continuing education. Avoidance and Discipline: Can serve as the formal basis for investigation of unethical conduct. Professional societies do suspend members based on violations. Contributing to the Professional Image: Positive image to the public of a committed professional. Represents self-regulation of the profession that helps reduce other regulation. Inspiration: Reflects professions positive statement of intent. Show that you have support of others for following positive ethical practices.

Engineering ..Moral Dilemmas

Kickbacks (Reward) A County Engineer in Virginia demanded a 25% kickback in secret payments for highway work contracts he issued. In 1967 he made such an offer to Allan Kammerer, a 32 year old civil engineer who was vice president of a young and struggling consulting firm greatly in need of the work. Kammerer discussed the offer with others in the firm, who told him it was his decision to make. Finally Kammerer agreed to the deal, citing as a main reason his concern for getting sufficient work to retain his current employees.

Whistle-Blowing
Whistle blowing is alerting relevant persons to some moral or legal corruption, where Relevant persons are those in a position to act in response. Whistle-Blowing indicates serious corporate culture problems Whistle-blowing - the act of a man or woman who, believing that the public interest overrides the interest of the organization he[sic] serves, publicly blows the whistle if the organization is involved in corrupt, illegal, fraudulent, or harmful activity. Some of the enemies of business now encourage an employee to be disloyal to the enterprise. They want to create suspicion and disharmony and pry into the proprietary interests of the business. However this is labeled -industrial espionage, whistleblowing or professional responsibility - it is another tactic for spreading disunity and creating conflict

Engineering Dilemmas: WHISTLE BLOWING

Carl Houston was a welding supervisor for a nuclear power facility in Virginia (1970) for Stone & Weber. He saw Improper welding procedures Use of wrong materials Welders were not trained properly The Situation was dangerous He reported to Stone & Webers Manager, who ignored him. He threatened to write to Stone & Webers Headquarters. Shortly thereafter he was fired on trumped up charges. Finally he wrote to Senators Howard's Baker and Albert Gore. The Senators prompted the Atomic Energy Commission to investigate, which confirmed his allegations.

whistle-blowing : Examples
Incompetence Criminal Behavior Unethical Policies Threat to Public Safety Injustices to Workers

Moral Guidelines to Whistle-Blowing

It is morally permissible for engineers to engage in whistle-blowing concerning safety: 1. If the harm that will be done by the product to the public is serious and considerable 2. If they make their concerns known to their superiors 3. If getting no satisfaction from their immediate superiors, they exhaust the channels available within the corporation, including going to the board of directors. In order for whistle-blowing to be morally obligatory however, DeGeorge gives two further conditions: 4. He [or she] must have documented evidence that would convince a reasonable, impartial observer that his [or her] view of the situation is correct and the company policy wrong. 5. There must be strong evidence that making the information public will in fact prevent the threatened serious harm.