CHAPTER 1: ETHICS
ETHICS
Synonymous with morality
It refers to moral values that are sound, actions that are morally required (right) or morally permissible
(all right), policies and laws that are desirable
Study of morality; it is an inquiry into ethics
It studies which actions, goals principles, policies, and laws are morally justified
ENGINEERING ETHICS
Consists of the responsibilities and rights that ought to be endorsed by those engaged in engineering,
also of desirable ideals and personal commitments in engineering.
Is the study of the decisions, policies, and values that are morally desirable in engineering practice and
research.
TWO SENSES OF ENGINEERING ETHICS
1. Normative
They refer to justified values and choices, to things that are desirable (not merely desired)
“Engineering Ethics” refers to justified moral values in engineering
Morality
It is about right and wrong, good and bad, values and what ought to be done
Examples:
To start a car, a person “OUGHT” to put the key in the ignition; that is the “RIGHT” thing to do.
Chocolates tastes “GOOD” and beauty is an aesthetic “VALUE”
Morality Concerns
Moral right and wrong
Moral good and bad
Moral values and what morally ought to be done
Rudimentary Ethical Theory
A normative theory about morality
Examples:
If we say that morality consists in promoting the most good, we are invoking an ethical theory
called “UTILITARIANISM”
If we say that morality is about human rights, we invoke “RIGHT ETHICS”
And if we say that morality is essentially about good character, we might be invoking
“VIRTUE ETHICS”.
Morality Concerns
Respect for persons, both others and ourselves.
Being fair and just, meeting obligations and respecting rights and not causing unnecessary harm by
dishonesty and cruelty or by hubris.
Involves ideals of characteristics, such as integrity, gratitude, and willingness to help people in
severe distress.
And it implies minimizing suffering to animals and damage to the environment.
2. Descriptive
In other descriptive sense, social scientists study ethics when they describe and explain what
people believe and how they act; they conduct opinion polls, observe behavior, examine
documents written by professional societies, and uncover the social forces shaping engineering
ethics.
SCOPE OF ENGINEERING ETHICS
1. Engineering as Social Experimentation
As engineering projects create new possibilities, they also generate new dangers.
2. Ethics and Excellence
Moral values are embedded in engineering
Moral values are embedded at several junctures in projects, including:
o The basic standards of safety and efficiency
o The structure of technological corporations as communities of people engaged in shared
activities
o The character of engineers who spearhead technological progress
o The very idea of engineering as a profession that combines advanced skill with
commitment to the public good
Arete – Greek word means “excellence” or as “virtue”
3. Personal Commitment and Meaning
Desire for meaningful work, concern to make a living, care for other human beings, and the need
to maintain self-respect all combine to motivate excellence in engineering.
Personal commitments we have in mind both commitments to shared responsibilities and to these
more individual commitments as they affect professional endeavors.
4. Promoting Responsible Conduct and Preventing Wrongdoing
Compliance issues are about making sure that individuals comply to professional standards and
avoid wrongdoing
Procedures are needed in all corporations to deter fraud, theft, bribery, incompetence, and a host
of other forms of outright immorality.
5. Myriad Moral Reasons Generate Ethical Dilemmas
Ethical dilemmas or moral dilemmas are situations in which moral reasons come into conflict, or
in which the applications of moral values are problematic, and it is not immediately obvious
what should be done.
Moral reasons might be obligations, rights, goods, ideals or other moral considerations.
Ethical dilemmas need not be a sign that something has gone wrong; instead, they indicate the
presence of moral complexity
6. Micro and Macro Issues
Micro issues concern the decisions made by individuals and companies
Macro issues concern more global issues such as the directions in technological development, the
laws that should or should not be passed, and the collective responsibilities of groups such as
engineering professional societies and consumer groups.
7. Cautious Optimism About Technology
Pessimists view advanced technology as ominous and often out of our control.
Optimists highlight how technology profoundly improves all our lives.
WHY STUDY ENGINEERING ETHICS?
Engineering ethics should be studied because it is important, both contributing to safe and useful
technological products and giving meaning to engineers’ endeavors.
It is also complex, in ways that call for serious reflection throughout a career, beginning with earning a
degree.
SPECIFIC AIMS THAT GUIDE THE STUDY OF ENGINEERING ETHICS
To increase one’s ability to deal effectively with moral complexity in engineering.
Strengthens one’s ability to reason clearly and carefully about moral questions.
To invoke a term widely used in ethics, the unifying goal is to increase moral autonomy.
Autonomy – self-determining or independent, viewed as the skill and habit of thinking rationally about
ethical issues based on moral concern
Moral concern – or general responsiveness to moral values, derives primarily from the training we
receive as children in being sensitive to the needs and rights of others, as well as ourselves
SKILLS RELATED TO ENGINEERING ETHICS
1. MORAL AWARENESS – proficiency in recognizing moral problems and issues in eng’g
2. COGENT MORAL REASONING – comprehending, clarifying, and assessing arguments on opposing
sides of moral issues
3. MORAL COHERENCE – forming consistent and comprehensive viewpoints based upon a
consideration of relevant facts
4. MORAL IMAGINATION – discerning alternative responses to moral issues and receptivity to creative
solutions for practical difficulties
5. MORAL COMMUNICATION – precision in the use of a common ethical language, a skill needed to
express and support one’s moral views adequately to others
6. MORAL REASONABLENESS – the willingness and ability to be morally reasonable
7. RESPECT FOR PERSONS – genuine concern for well-being of others as well as oneself
8. TOLERANCE OF DIVERSITY – within a broad range, respect for ethnic and religious differences,
and acceptance of reasonable differences in moral perspective
9. MORAL HOPE – enriched appreciation of the possibilities of using rational dialogue in resolving
moral conflicts
10. INTEGRITY – maintaining moral integrity, and integrating one’s professional life and personal
convictions
MEANINGS OF RESPONSIBILITY
If we say that LeMessurier was responsible, as a person and as an engineer we might mean several things:
He met his responsibilities (obligation)
He was responsible (accountable) for doing so
He acted responsibly (conscientiously)
He is admirable (praiseworthy/blameworthy)
CAUSES OF SHORTCOMINGS
LACK OF VISION which in the form of tunnel vision biased toward traditional pursuits overlooks
suitable alternatives, and in the form of groupthink (a term coined by Irving Janis) promotes acceptance
at the expense of critical thinking
INCOMPETENCE among engineers carrying out technical tasks
LACK OF TIME OR LACK OF PROPER MATERIALS both ascribable to poor management
A SILO MENTALITY that keeps information compartmentalized rather than shared across different
departments
The notion that there are safety engineers SOMEWHERE DOWN THE LINE to catch potential
problems
IMPROPER USE OR DISPOSAL OF THE PRODUCT by an unwary owner or user
DISHONESTY in any activity and pressure by management to take shortcuts
INATTENTION to how the product is performing after it is sold and when in use
CHAPTER 2: MORAL REASONING AND CODES OF ETHICS
ETHICAL DILEMMAS
Ethical (or moral) dilemmas are situations in which moral reasons come into conflict, or which in the
application of moral values are unclear, and it is not immediately obvious what should be done.
RESOLVING ETHICAL DILEMMAS
Reasonable solutions to ethical dilemmas are clear, informed, and well-reasoned.
Clear refers to moral clarity – clarity about which moral values are at stake and how they pertain to the
situation. It also refers to conceptual clarity – precision in using the key concepts (ideas) applicable in
the situation.
Informed means knowing and appreciating the implications of the available facts that are morally
relevant, that is, relevant in light of the applicable moral values.
Well-reasoned means that good judgment is exercised in integrating the relevant moral values and facts
to arrive at a morally desirable solution.
STEPS IN RESOLVING ETHICAL DILEMMAS
1. MORAL CLARITY: Identify the Relevant Moral Values
The code of ethics of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) indicates the engineer
has at least three responsibilities in the situation:
o To be honest
o To the employer
o To the public and to protect the environment
2. CONCEPTUAL CLARITY: Clarify Key Concepts
3. INFORMED ABOUT THE FACTS: Obtain Relevant Information
4. INFORMED ABOUT THE OPTIONS: Consider All Options
5. WELL-REASONED: Make a Reasonable Decision
RIGHT-WRONG OR BETTER-WORSE?
Right means that one course of action is obligatory, and failing to do that action is unethical (immoral).
DESIGN ANALOGY: WHITBECK
Whitbeck identifies several aspects of engineering decisions that highlight important aspects of moral decisions
in general.
1. There are alternative solutions to design problems, more than one satisfactory or “satisfices”.
2. Multiple moral factors are involved, and among the satisfactory solutions for design problems.
3. Some design solutions are clearly unacceptable.
4. Engineering design often involves uncertainties and ambiguities
5. Design problems are dynamic.
CODES OF ETHICS
Codes of ethics state the moral responsibilities of engineers as seen by the profession, and as represented by a
professional society.
ESSENTIAL ROLES OF CODES OF ETHICS
1. Serving and Protecting the Public
2. Guidance
3. Inspiration
4. Shared Standards
5. Support for Responsible Professionals
6. Education and Mutual Understanding
7. Deterrence and Discipline
8. Contributing to the Profession’s Image
ABUSE OF CODES
Probably the worst abuse of engineering codes is to restrict honest moral effort on the part of individual
engineers in the attempt to preserve the profession’s public image and protect the status quo.
LIMITATIONS OF CODES
This limitation of codes connects with a wider issue about whether professional groups or entire societies can
create sets of standards for themselves that are both morally authoritative and not open to criticism
ETHICAL RELATIVISM
Ethical relativism, or ethical conventionalism the view that actions are morally right within a particular society
when, and only because, they are approved by law, customs, or other conventions of that society.
JUSTIFICATION OF CODES
A sound professional code will stand up to three tests:
1. It will be clear and coherent.
2. It will organize basic moral values applicable to the profession in a systematic and comprehensive way,
highlighting what is important.
3. It will provide helpful guidance that is compatible with our most carefully considered moral convictions
about concrete situations.
