Nathan Kallal

E E 394
Ethics Essay
The engineering industry is one of the backbones of technological and scientific
advancement. Thus, engineers wield significant power in the fact that their work can shape how
society functions. With that power comes a multitude of responsibilities as well. It is up to each
engineer to handle these responsibilities, and upholding a code of ethics is one of the most
important responsibilities that an engineer has.
A code of ethics is defined as a set of values, principles, and standards used to guide
decision-making and conduct for a person or group. In other words, a code of ethics shapes how
a person acts, how they go about making decisions, and what values they consider to be
important. The importance of a code of ethics cannot be understated. A person’s or group’s code
of ethics is one of the driving forces behind their actions, and that code of ethics ensures that
those actions align with human values and societal well-being. For engineers, their code of ethics
ensures that their projects, designs, and all decisions are made to better the world around them.
When tough decisions need to be made, a person’s code of ethics is what they will rely
upon to guide them. Whenever I run into a tough decision, my first reaction is to take a step back
and look at the problem so I can look at the big picture. Then once I formulate an answer to the
problem, I analyze how my answer will affect the different groups involved. This way I can
make sure that I can analyze the situation and ensure that I am making the best decision based on
my code of ethics.
We covered multiple ethical issues involving engineering during this unit. The one I
wrote about in my discussion post involved a car company using a special type of software so
they could pass government emissions tests. They used this software to skirt the requirements
when they had over 10 million cars out on the street pumping out way more toxic emissions and
chemicals than they were supposed to. This presented a huge ethical issue in terms of public
safety and environmental concerns. The company, Volkswagen Motors, puts its bottom line over
the environment and people's health. Another issue that was discussed dealt with the topic of
smart home devices. There was an issue with an Amazon Echo device, where the police wanted
data from a person’s Echo who was involved in a murder case, but Amazon refused to give them
access to the data. This prompts an ethical debate about how that data on smart home devices can
be used against you. With devices like that your conversations are always being recorded and
maybe not even with your knowledge, which presents a lot of liability. There was also 2 other
issues discussed, one focused on sharing sensitive data and information between coworkers,
while the other one centered around a different car company installing faulty equipment in their
vehicles.
 In discussion with my group, we all pretty much came to a consensus that the leaders and
executives at Volkswagen were one hundred percent at fault. They knowingly installed that
software in millions of cars, purposefully harming the environment and spreading harmful
chemicals and emissions into the air. We also noted how the engineers who helped install the
software were also at fault. They didn’t adhere to a good code of ethics, and they helped the
company skirt regulations by not reporting their bosses and letting those vehicles out of the
factory.
When thinking about an ethical dilemma there are a couple of virtues and ideals that I
like to think about. The most important one I always fall back on is my integrity. I consider my
integrity to be a big part of the person I am, and I must stick to my morals. When faced with a
hard decision I have learned that is it always a good decision to trust your gut and stick to your
morals, because that’s how you can almost always be sure you are using your best judgment.
Another virtue that I like to think about is my sense of self-discipline. Self-discipline is
something that I have always tried to work on so that I can better myself, whether it be with
work, my diet, or my physical/mental health. Having good self-discipline can help with ethical
problems because, like integrity, it helps ensure you are in the right state of mind and making the
best decision for yourself and others. One last virtue I hold in high regard is simply
responsibility. Responsibility encompasses a lit of different ideals, but at the end of the day, it
comes down to the fact that you have a moral responsibility to do good for yourself and other
people in the world. Whenever you are faced with a tough problem, remember your
responsibility, and do your best to make the world a better place. All three of these virtues could
have helped the workers and executives at Volkswagen avoid the ethical dilemma we read about.
If the executives and leaders at Volkswagen held their and the company’s integrity in higher
regard, they probably would not have made the wrong decision and chose to pump out harmful
chemicals into the environment. Additionally, they didn’t have the self-discipline to know what
they were doing was wrong and continued to do it for millions of cars that were produced. And
lastly, the engineers and everyone working at Volkswagen didn’t adhere to their sense of
responsibility and report the illegal activities going on, as well as not fulfilling their
responsibility to make the world a better and safer place.