Professional Ethics for Engineers: A

Discussion on Engineering Ethics

What is Ethics?

Statements of what
is right or wrong,
which usually are
presented as
systems of valued
behaviours & beliefs
What is Applied
Ethics?
Ethics

Normative
Metaethics
Ethics Applied Ethics

Etc.

Professional Bioethics
Business Ethics
ethics Environment Ethics
Legal ethics

Medical ethics Accounting

Engineering ethics
ethics
 6 Ethical Principles
• Respect Autonomy - It is assumed that individuals have the
right to decide how they live their lives, as long as their actions
do not interfere with the welfare of others. One, therefore, has
the right to act as a free agent, and has freedom of thought and
choice.

• Do No Harm - The obligation to avoid inflicting either physical or

psychological harm on others may be a primary ethical
principle.

• Benefit Others - There is an obligation to improve and enhance

the welfare of others, even where such enhancements may
inconvenience or limit the freedom of the person offering the
assistance.
 6 Ethical Principles
• Be Just - To be just in dealing with others assumes equal
treatment of all, to afford each individual his or her due
portion, and in general, to observe the golden rule.

• Be Faithful - One should keep promises, tell the truth, be

loyal, and maintain respect and civility in human discourse.
Only in so far as we sustain faithfulness can we expect to be
seen as truly trustworthy.

• Within the allowance of religions

 What is Engineering
Ethics?
Engineering ethics is the study of the moral values,
issues, and decisions involved in engineering practice
(Schinzinger & Martin, 2000)
Engineering ethics as much a part of what engineers in
particularly know as factors of safety, testing procedures,
or ways to design for reliability, durability, or economy
(Harris, C.E., et al, 1996,p.93).
Engineering practices revolve around 03 variables; cost,
schedule, and quality. A little compromise in one
component affect others.
 Occupation Vs.

Profession
Carpenter Engineers
Goldsmith Doctors
Builder Lawyer, etc.
Handicraft worker Professors??
Tailor?? Social recognition
Bank officer?? A member of a
Television anchor?? profession is expected/
Etc. anticipated others’
Individual choice behaviour on a certain
situation.
Not having code of
Morally permissible
ethics
standards
 Occupation Vs.

Profession
Carpenter Engineers
Goldsmith Doctors
Builder Lawyer, etc.
Handicraft worker Professors??
Tailor?? Social recognition
Bank officer?? A member of a
Television anchor?? profession is expected/
Etc. anticipated others’
Individual choice behaviour on a certain
situation.
Not having code of
Morally permissible
ethics
standards
 Who is a
Professional?
Criteria to consider someone as a professional (Sociological)
-- Extensive training
-- Vital knowledge and skills
-- Control of services
-- Autonomy in the workplace
-- Know the ethical regulations (Harris, C., et al., 2003, pp.2-3)
Professional responsibilities for engineers
*** Concern for public safety
*** Technical Competence
*** Timely communication of positive and negative
results to management
Personal vs Professional Ethics
Personal Ethics
• Personal Ethics is a category of philosophy that
determines what an individual believes about morality
and right and wrong.
• deals with how we treat others in our day to day lives
• one’s conscience
What influenced Personal
Ethics?

Media
Family
Religious

Friends
Peers

Mentor
Personal vs Professional Ethics
Professional Ethics
• involves choices on an organizational level
rather than a personal level.
• adherence to a professional code.
5 Steps Resolving Ethical
Dilemma
1. Identify the
relevant moral
values

5. Make a
2. Clarify key
reasonable
concepts
decisions

4. Consider all 3. Obtain

available relevant
options information
 Why ETHICS in Engineering

 Engineers responsibility to society in not only bringing new

technology, discoveries, and designs to the world
but
also in protecting the public interest

 On the beginning of 20th century there had been significant

structural failures like Ashtabula River Railroad Disaster
(1876), Tay Bridge Disaster (1879), and the Quebec Bridge
collapse (1907), Boston molasses disaster etc…
 These disasters forced the engineering profession to confront
shortcomings in technical and construction practice, as well as
ethical standards
 engineers are reminded of their responsibilities starting in early-
college coursework and progressing throughout their careers in
continuing education courses.

 It is not for preaching virtue rather, its objective is to increase

your ability as engineers to responsibly tackle the moral
issues raised by technological activity.
What should be the common
goals of engineering ethics
To stimulate the ethical imagination of students
education?
 To assist students to recognise ethical issues
Conflict of interest vs. conflict of commitment
conflicting roles vs. conflicting obligations
To help students to analyze the key ethical concepts and
principles that are relevant to the particular profession
Public health & safety, usefulness, efficiency, quality, cost-risk-
benefit analysis, damaging the environment, truthfulness, etc.
To help students to deal with ethical disagreement,
ambiguity, and vagueness.
To encourage students to take ethical responsibility
seriously
Significance of teaching
engineering ethics (EE)
Make the engineers understood that ethical responsibility
should be a central concern of engineering profession and
practices.
Teaching EE can increase student knowledge of relevant
standards.
Knowledge of standards includes more than just knowing
what is written in codes or handbooks.
Danger of partial knowledge on codes of ethics
Teaching EE helps students to improve their ethical
judgments
Teaching EE can accelerate the students’ ethical will-
power.
How should it be
taught?
By using case studies
By adopting different modes of ethical analysis
-- Drawing the line (Gift giving and bribery)
--Conflict of interest (obligation towards employee & public
safety and welfare)
--Trade secrets and Industrial Espionage
By analyzing different concepts those found recursively in
EE.
When should it be taught?
Before earning a particular degree
Before granting license to an engineer
Etc..
NSPE
 One American engineering society, the
National Society of Professional Engineers
(NSPE) has sought to extend professional
licensure and a code of ethics across the field
regardless of practice area or employment
sector.
National Society of
Professional Engineers
(NSPE)

“ Engineers, in the fulfillment of their

professional duties, shall: Hold paramount the
safety, health, and welfare of the public.”
American Society of
Mechanical Engineers
(ASME)
“Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health
and welfare of the public in the performance of
their professional duties.”
Institute of Electrical and
Electronics Engineers
(IEEE)
“We, the members of the IEEE, . . . Do hereby
commit ourselves to the highest ethical and
professional conduct and agree: 1. to accept
responsibility in making decisions consistent with
the safety, health, and welfare of the public, and
to disclose promptly factors that might endanger
the public or the environment;”
American Institute of
Chemical Engineers
(AIChE)
“To achieve these goals, members shall hold
paramount the safety, health and welfare of
the public and protect the environment in
performance of their professional duties.”