Introduction to Engineering
Lecture 7: Engineering Ethics
Prepared by: Eng. Sandy Chaaban
1. Introduction
Engineer A is a licensed professional engineer and a principal in a large-sized
engineering firm. Engineer B is a graduate engineer who works in industry and has
also worked as a student in Engineer A’s firm during one summer. Although Engineer
B was employed in Engineer A’s firm, Engineer A did not have direct knowledge of
Engineer B’s work. Engineer B is applying for licensure as a professional engineer and
requests that Engineer A provide him with a letter of reference testifying as to Engineer
B’s engineering experience and that the engineer (Engineer A) was in direct charge of
Engineer B. Engineer B was under the assumption that Engineer A had personal
knowledge of Engineer B’s work. Engineer A inquired about Engineer B’s experience
from someone who had direct knowledge of Engineer B’s experience. Based on the
inquiry, Engineer A provides the letter of reference explaining the professional
relationship between Engineer A and Engineer B. Does he have the right to do so?
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2. Why ethics?
If the bridge has an inadequate support, it will fail.
If the gas tank is positioned too close to the bumper, it might explode from a
small accident.
If a medical instrument isn’t accurate, improper doses of medication can be
given.
If the process for refining gas produces too much toxins, it harms the local
community
Where the ethical issues can arise:
Conceptualization, Design, Testing, Manufacturing, Sales, Service
Supervision and Project Teams
Project timelines and budgets
Expectations, opinions, or judgments
Products: Unsafe or Less than Useful
Designed for obsolescence
Inferior materials or components
Unforeseen harmful effects to society
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Quote: Herbert Hoover (1874-1964)
“The great liability of the engineer compared to
men of other professions is that his works are out
in the open where all can see them. His acts, step
by step, are in hard substance. He cannot bury his
mistakes in the grave like the doctors. He cannot
argue them into thin air or blame the judge like
the lawyers….He cannot, like the politician,
screen his shortcomings by blaming his
opponents and hope that the people will forget.
The engineer simply cannot deny that he did it.
If his works do not work, he is damned forever.”
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3. Law and ethics
Classification of Actions:
Legal & Ethical Designing a system to be Unethical
safe. Ethical
Legal & Owning a slave pre-civil
Unethical war in the US.
Legal Illegal
Illegal & Ethical Parking in a no parking
zone, to come to the aid
of an injured person
Illegal & Killing an innocent
Unethical person.
Unethical Ethical but
but Legal Illegal
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4. Engineering ethics
Ethics is a branch of philosophy that investigates between right
and wrong actions performed by individuals, groups or society.
Ethics defines concepts of good, evil, right, wrong, virtue,
justice, and crime, most of which relate to human morality.
Engineering ethics is (1) the study of moral issues and
decisions confronting individuals and organizations involved
in engineering and (2) the study of related questions about moral
conduct, character, ideals and relationships of people and
organizations involved in technological development.
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5. Abet code of ethics
THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
Engineers uphold and advance the integrity, honor and dignity of the engineering profession by:
i. using their knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human welfare;
ii. being honest and impartial, and serving with fidelity the public, their employers and clients;
iii. striving to increase the competence and prestige of the engineering profession; and
iv. supporting the professional and technical societies of their disciplines.
THE FUNDAMENTAL CANONS
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 issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.
4.Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees,
and shall avoid conflicts of interest.
5.Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the merit of their services and shall not compete
unfairly with others.
6.Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold and enhance the honor, integrity and dignity of the
profession.
7.Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout their careers and shall provide
opportunities for the professional development of those engineers under their supervision.
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6. Back to ethics: the Volkswagen fiasco
Volkswagen’s installation of a software “defeat
device” in 11 million Volkswagen and Audi diesel
vehicles sold worldwide has led to a massive
vehicle recall in the United States
The clever and sneaky algorithm, installed in the
emissions-control module, detects when the cars
were undergoing emissions testing. It ran the
engine cleanly during tests and switched off
emissions control during normal driving conditions
Implication goes all the way up the corporate
ladder
The case highlights the failures of a compliance
mindset. It shows that ethics are typically Source: IEEE Spectrum
considered in terms of staying within certain
externally enforced rules
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7. “Subclasses” to engineering ethics
Academic Dishonesty: Honesty is very important in all aspects of life. Academic dishonesty
refers to behavior that includes cheating on tests, homework assignments, lab reports; plagiarism;
lying about being sick and not taking a test because of it; signing the attendance sheet for another
student, or asking another student to sign the sheet for you in your absence. Universities have
different policies that deal with academic dishonesty including giving the dishonest student a
failing grade for the course or requiring the student to drop the class or placing a student on
probation.
Plagiarism: Plagiarism refers to presenting someone else’s work as your own. You may use or
cite the work of others including information from journal articles, books, online sources, TV or
radio, but make sure that you cite where you obtain the information from. In Chapter 4, we
discussed in detail how you should give proper reference in your oral and written
communications.
Conflict of Interest: A conflict between the individual’s personal interests and the individual’s
obligations because of the position he or she holds.
Contract: Contract is an agreement among two or more parties, which they entered into freely. A
legal contract is one that is legally binding, meaning if not fulfilled it could have legal
consequences.
Professional Responsibility: It is the responsibility associated with the mastery of special kind
of knowledge that a person possesses and the use of knowledge for well-being and benefit of the
society.
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