Ethics

Objectives:
1.Whatareethics?
2.Whatethicaltheoriesandframeworkscanimpactouranalysisofethicalbehavior
examplestodemonstratetheseframeworksyouarealreadylearning
3.Professionalethics

Engineersshallholdparamountthesafety,health,andwelfareofthepublicintheperformance
oftheirprofessionalduties. ASCECodeofEthics

1.Whatareethics?

Ethics:asetofvaluesorgroupofmoralprinciplesthatarerightandgood
acodeorprinciplesofbehaviororconductgoverninganindividualorgroup

EngineeringEthics:activityordisciplineaimedatunderstandingthemoralvaluesthatshould
guideengineeringpractice
(onlysincelate1970shassystematicattentiontoethicsbeendevotedbyengineers
andothers,asspurredbyanationalengineeringethicsprojectsponsoredbytheU.S.
Government(NSF,NEH)in19781980)

Whystudyethics?toincreaseyourabilityasengineerstoresponsiblyconfrontmoralissues
raisedbytechnologicalactivity

notalwaysinshorttermbestinterest,andbringlongtermintodecisionmaking
ethicsareimprecise,complex,andinagivensituationmayconflict
vague=whichmoralconsiderationstoapplytoasituationandinwhathierarchy
conflictingmoralreasonsarecommon,resultinginamoraldilemma
disagreementoverhowtointerpret,apply,andbalancemoralreasonsinparticularsituations

IllustrativeThinkingExercise
Youandyourbestfriendgraduatefromhighschoolanddecidetotakeacruisethe
summerbeforestartingcollegeatYaleUniversityinthefall.Whileontheboat,tragedystrikes
andtheboatbeginstosink.Yourfriendisseverelyinjured,butyoubothmanagetogetintoa
lifeboat.Youfloatintheocean,withonlyalittlewaterandsharkscircling.Yourfriendsasks
youtopromisethatifforsomereasonyouarerescuedthatyouwillseethatalltheirmoneyis
donatedtothelocalCountryClub.Youagree.Yourfrienddies,andasyouwaittodieyou
begintoseelifedifferently.Byamiracle,anoiltankerrescuesyou.Youmakeitback,but
decidetodonatethemoneytotheBurnWardatthelocalchildrenshospitalinstead.Wasyour
decisionethical?
Whyorwhynot?

QuestionstoaskyourselftodetermineIsaDecisionEthical?
 Isitlegal?Doesitconformtopoliciesandcodes?Isithonest?
Doesitpassthebenefit/harmtest?Whomdoesitharm?Whomdoesitbenefit?
Canthesebejustified?>cost/benefitanalysis;riskassessment
Doesittreateveryoneequally?equitably?Ifnot,canthedifferencesbejustified?
(thinkaboutaffirmativeaction,AmericanDisabilitiesAct)
Doesitdenyanyonehisorherrights?(sometimesthesecollide?)
CanIlivewithmydecision?Doesitrestcomfortablyonmyconscience?
Canitpassthetestofpublicscrutiny?CouldIdiscloseitfullywithouthesitationtomy
supervisor,myfamily,ortoareporterfromtheNewYorkTimes?

doethicalprinciplesapplytononhumans?
EnvironmentalEthicsAldoLeopoldsLandEthic:Athingisrightwhen...
TheValdezPrinciples:tomodifycompanypoliciestoincorporateenvironmentalethic

2.Ethicaltheoriesandframeworksthatcanimpactananalysisofethicalbehavior
examplestodemonstratetheseframeworksyouarealreadylearning

FourPrincipalEthicalTheories:
1.RightsEthicsactismorallyrightwhenitrespectsrightsrelevanttoasituation
Examples:rightsforlife,liberty,pursuitofhappiness
otherrights:privateproperty,privacy,freedomofspeech,fairtrial,...
humanrightsandnonhumanrights?
2.DutyEthicsactitrightwhenitconformswithduties
Examples:upholdpromise,befair,respectpersonalfreedom
dutytoprotecttheweak,dutytocomplywithlaws,...?
dutytodojobtobestofability
3.Utilitarianismrightactionconsistsentirelyinproducinggoodconsequences
Interpretation:goodintentions,outcomes,results;endsjustifymeans
Example:mostgoodformostpeopleisoptimal
4.VirtueEthicspersonsaremorallygoodwhentheircharacterisvirtuousand
expressedinaction,attitude,andrelationships(oldest,prominentinclassicalGreekthoughtand
religion).ExampleVirtues:honesty,fairness,conscientiousness,etc.

Notethatyoumayormaynotagreewithalloftheaboveethicaltheories.Morespecifically,you
maygenerallyagreewiththeoveralltheory,butindividualsoftendisagreeaboutwhatare
specificrights,duties,andvirtues.

FourSecondaryTheories:
1.EthicalEgoismactiscorrectwhenitmaximizesonesowninterests
2.CorporateEgoismactisacceptablewhenitmaximizestheinterestofacorporation
3.EthicalRelativismactisrightwhenitisapprovedbyagroup(conformstolaws)
4.DivinecommandethicsactiscorrectwhenitisapprovedbyGod

SituationalethicsvsAbsolutism
 Situationalethicsmeansthatdependingonthespecificcircumstances,differentrights,
duties,values,etc.mayapply.Absolutismimpliesthatregardlessofasituation,thebasicethical
foundationsremainthesame.Forexample,mostpeoplewouldagreethatkillingiswrong/
unethical.However,absolutismimpliesthatitisalwayswrong.Therefore,apersonwhowas
absolutistwouldnotbeinthemilitaryandwouldnotusedeadlyforcetodefendthemself.
Alternatively,situationalethicswouldallowthatkillinginsomesituationsISethical.For
example,theideaofjustifiablehomicide,suchasinselfdefense.Ordefenseofonescountryin
timeofwar.Again,neitherviewiseitherrightorwrong.Ethicaltheorycansupporteither
argument.

Stagesofmoraldevelopment:
Itisgenerallyrecognizedthatpeopletendtotransitionbetweendifferentlevelsofmoral
understandingthroughouttheirlifetime.Assmallchildren,wedontinnatelyunderstandright
fromwrong,donotknowwhatlawsgovernsociety,etc.Aswelearn,ourviewsevolveover
time.Thesesocalledstagesofmoraldevelopmentareoftenclassifiedasfollows:
1.obedienceorpunishment
2.marketplacemorality
3.conformity
4.lawandorder
5.socialcontract
6.universalhumanrights
7.integritywholeenvironmentethic

Alternatively,Kohlberggroupedmoraldevelopmentinto3MAINlevels:
preconventional =selfbenefit,avoidpunishment,defertoauthorityorpower
conventional =conformblindlytosocietalnormsorcustoms
postconventional =autonomous,reasonedpositionsbeyondselfinterest

Stepstoconfrontmoraldilemma:
1.Identifyrelevantmoralfactorsandreasons
whataretheconflictingresponsibilities,competingrights,andclshingidealsinvolved
2.Gatherallavailableinformationthatisrelevanttothemoralfactorsinvolved
3.Rankthemoralconsiderationsinorderofimportance(ifpossible)
4.Consideralternativecoursesofactiontoresolvethedilemma,consideringtheFULL
implicationsofeach
5.Talkwithotherstogetalternativeperspectivesonthedilemma
6.Arriveatareasonedjudgmentbyweighingallmoralfactorsonthebasisofyourinformation

EthicsofRulesandRightsvsEthicsofCARE

CaseStudies

1.Whatwouldapersonateachstageofmoraldevelopmentdo?
2.Whatdosocietalvaluesrequireinthiscase?
3.Whatdoprofessionalethicalstandardsrequireinthiscase?
4.Whatwouldyoudo?

Tosolvecasestudyhomeworkproblems,youmustbewillingtotoleratesomeuncertaintyin
makingdifficultmoraljudgments....butbeabletoadequatelyexpressanddefendyourviews.
Also,realizethatinyourcareerasanengineeryoushouldaimtointegrateyourpersonal
convictionsintoyourprofessionalactivities.

3.ProfessionalEthics

Thissectiondiscussessomeofthekeyfacetsofprofessionalethics.Specificsforeachofthese
areasareprovidedintheprofessionalcodesofethicsfromtheNationalSocietyofProfessional
Engineers(NSPE)andtheAmericanSocietyofCivilEngineers(ASCE).

DutytothePublicandClients
Beingethicalalsomeansbeinghonest.Incarryingoutlargeandcomplexassignments,we
confrontissuesthatarentpurelytechnical.Therearebusinessandfinancialramificationsto
considerinourprojects,andsometimeswemustsuppressourengineeringegosinfavorofthe
clientsinterests.JoelCerwick,vicepresidentBurns&McDonnell

Avoidconflictofinterest:nofavoritism,basedonpersonalbiases,duringengineeringpractice.
Thiscanincludethingssuchasinfluencingdecisionsthatwillyieldpersonalgain.

TheArchitectureandEngineeringFirmanditsclientcannotforgettheirdutytothegeneral
public.Wedesignfacilitiesthatareusedbypeoplewhorelyontheengineersskill,diligence
andethicsfortheirsafety.Sometimesgovernmentalorganizationsareourclientswhich
meansthatthepulbicatlargeisourultimateclient.JohnRiley,vicepresident,Burns&
McDonnell

Donotperformataskforwhichyouarenotqualified.
Itisimportantnottofakeknowledge.Whatyoudontknowcouldresultinafailureofyour
project,lossofhumanlife,costoverruns,etc.

Engineeringdisastersinhistoryhavefrequentlybeenlinkedtoethicaljudgmentsregardingthe
balanceofsafetyandrisk
Challenger ExxonValdezoilspill
3MileIsland,Chernobyl asbestosuse
ChemicalplantinBhopal cigarettes

Keyprofessionalethicsare:
1.holdparamountthesafety,health,andwelfareofthepublic
2.performservicesonlyinareasofcompetence
3.issuepublicstatementsonlyinobjectiveandtruthfulmanner
4.actinprofessionalmannerforeachclientandavoidconflictsofinterest
5.notcompeteunfairlywithothers
6.actinamannertoupholdandenhancethehonor,integrity,anddignityoftheprofession
7.enhancepersonaldevelopmentofselfandothers

..thereare,underpeerreviewforpeoplefoundtohaveblatantlyviolated[thecodeofethics],
economicpenaltiesassociatedwiththekindsofsanctionsthattheprofessioncanapply.In
extremecasestheengineeringsocietycanremoveanengineerfromthesociety,andwhenthe
wordgetsouttheywillbasicallybeblacklisted.Stratmoen,S.TheEthicsofEngineering.
IowaEngineer,March1991,p.1819.

ThreePrinciples
Therearethreedifferentprinciplesthatengineerssometimesusetoguidetheirdecisionmaking.
Differentengineerssubscribetodifferentprinciples.Noneoftheseisexclusivelyrightor
wrong...justdifferentpointsofview.

1.Engineersshouldnotimposetheirmoralviewsonsociety;theyshouldletsocietydecidewhat
projectsareundertaken.
gunsforhireview
shouldwe...acceptthehazardsofpesticidesinordertofeedhungrypeople?Stop
buildingadamandthusprotectanendangeredfish?Thesearepoliticalquestions:itis...alittle
frighteningtoseecitizensabdicatetheirresponsibilitiesbyassigningthemtotherealmof
engineeringethics.
...eachpersonisentitledtolegalrepresentation,isitnotequallyimportanttheeach
legitimatebusinessentity...shouldhaveaccesstoexpertengineeringadvice?...engineerswill
sometimeslaboronbehalfofcausesinwhichtheydonotbelieve

2.Engineersshouldrefusetoworkonprojectswhichconflictwiththeirmoralvalues.
engineersshouldnotbeneutral...refusetoworkoncertainprojects...usetheirskillsonly
forprojectsofpositivevaluetohumanity
impliesthatmoralvaluesarepersonalandnotprofessional
maythereforebedisagreementsaboutwhatisgoodforhumanity

3.Engineersshouldrefusetoworkonprojectsthatincreaseriskunlessthepublicisinformed
abouttheriskandgiventheopportunitytoconsenttotheproject.
engineeringassocialexperimentation,andalwaysinvolvingrisk
adequatelyinformingthepublic:neithertheextremeviewsofoneortwo

secrecyinengineering?
thebuildingofatomicweapons...
decisionmaking(suchastheFordPinto)
evengivenfulldisclosure,canthepublicfullyappreciatethebalanceofcosts:benefits,
risks:rewardsthatenterintoengineeringdecisions?

EthicalIssuesAssociatedwithWhistleBlowing
loyaltytoacorporationisanonissue?
whatisgoodaboutloyalty?isitalwaysgoodtobeloyal?ifnot,when?
whatshouldyoudoifloyaltiesconflict?
NSPECodestates..willservewithdevotionhisemployer,hisclients,andthe
public...thesesometimesDOconflict

WhistleBlowing:theactbyanemployeeofinformingthepublicontheimmoralorillegal
behaviorofanemployerorsupervisor(obligationtopublicoverridesobligationtoemployer?)
maybeother,bettersolutionstotheproblemsthanwhistleblowing
problem:howtomaximizesafetyorreduceunsafetytoaminimum
precludetheneedforwhistleblowing
Onascaleof1to7rankthefrequencyyoubelievetheseethicalissues
ariseforpracticingengineers,where1=neverand7=veryfrequently

Onascaleof1to7ranktheseriousnessoftheseproblems,
1=notseriousatall,7=extremelyserious
Compareyourratingstotheaverageresultswhenconsultingengineerswerepolled.

Yourratings Consulting
Engineers
EthicalIssue Frequency Serious Frequency Serious
Rating Rating Rating Rating
TechnicalIncompetenceor 4.14 5.95
misrepresentationof
competence
Conflictsofinterest 3.70 5.60
Failuretoprotectpublichealth, 2.88 6.12
safetyorwelfare
Improperrelationswithclients, 3.12 5.40
contractors,etc.
Poorqualitycontrolorquality 4.72 5.69
ofwork
Failuretoprotectthe 3.19 5.36
environment
Koehn,E.EthicalIssuesExperiencedbyEngineeringStudentsandPractitioners.1992.
JPIEEP,Vol119(4):402408.
References

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BenchMark,Aug1990,BurnsandMcDonnel,Ethics.
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Johnson,D.G.1991.EthicalIssuesinEngineering.PrenticeHall.
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