Engineering Ethics and Moral Philosophy

Mid Term Suggestions

No. of questions: 5
1. What are engineering standards and ethics of care?

Key Points:

 Engineering Standards: Guidelines (regulatory, procedural, standard of care)

for quality, safety, and efficiency in projects.
 Ethics of Care (EoC): Moral responsibility to consider the well-being of all
stakeholders (clients, employers, community, environment). Originator of EoC:
Carol Gillgan.
 NSPE Code of Ethics: The NSPE Code of Ethics is a set of guidelines for
professional engineers in the United States, created by the National Society of
Professional Engineers (NSPE). It basically boils down to putting public safety,
honesty, and professionalism first.

Explanation:

 Imagine engineering standards as a recipe book for good engineering. These

standards guide projects to be high-quality, safe, and efficient. They encompass
regulations set by governments, best practices for completing tasks, and the
expected level of skill and judgment engineers should possess.
 However, ethics of care goes beyond simply meeting these standards. Ethics of
care would ask you to consider how your decision would impact the people you
care about and their needs. It emphasizes the ethical obligation of engineers to
consider the impact of their work on everyone involved and the environment. This
means not only following the rules but also using their judgment to ensure
projects are beneficial and responsible for society as a whole.
2. Define legal liabilities and moral responsibilities with special focus on harms
with technological update.

Key Points:

 Legal Liabilities: Legal obligations for engineers (e.g., safety violations, property
damage, privacy breaches).
 Moral Responsibilities: Ethical duties beyond legal requirements (e.g.,
anticipating harm, prioritizing public safety, transparency).

Explanation:

 Engineers face both legal and moral obligations in their work. Legal liabilities
arise from violating established safety regulations, causing harm to property or
individuals, or infringing on privacy or intellectual property rights. Moral
responsibilities, however, go beyond legal boundaries. Engineers have an ethical
duty to consider the potential long-term consequences of their work and take
steps to minimize risks. This includes prioritizing public safety, being transparent
about limitations, and holding themselves accountable for ethical decisions.
Technological advancements often present new ethical dilemmas, so engineers
must navigate an ever-changing landscape, ensuring their work benefits society
and minimizes potential harm.
 One important difference between legal liability and moral responsibility is that,
whereas the former typically requires actual harm, the latter does not. Whether or
not harm is involved may be a matter of luck. However, the good fortune of not
actually causing harm does not relieve one of moral responsibility, as one's
sense of guilt, or of falling short morally, is still operative, as is the critical
assessment of others.

Types of harms:

 A person can intentionally, or knowingly and deliberately, cause harm

 Someone can recklessly cause harm, not by aiming, or intending to cause harm
but by being aware that harm is likely to result. If someone recklessly causes
harm, the causal factor is present, so the reckless person is both legally liable
and morally responsible for the harm.
 A third kind of legal liability is associated with negligently causing harm. Unlike
recklessness, where an element of deliberateness or intent is involved (such as a
decision to drive fast) in negligent behavior, the person may simply overlook
something, or not even be aware of the factors that could cause harm. The
person is responsible because of a failure to exercise due care, which is the care
that would be expected of a reasonable person in the circumstances.
 In some areas of the law, there is strict liability for harms caused; there is no
attribution of fault or blame, but there is a legal responsibility to provide
compensation, make repairs, or the like. Strict liability is usually directed at
corporations rather than individual engineers within the organization.
3. What is the role of engineers as managers? Describe.

Key Points:

 Challenges: Conflicts arise between engineering and management perspectives

(background, values, priorities).
 Communication Gap: Difficulty explaining technical matters to non-technical
managers.
 Ethical Dilemmas: Balancing professional obligations as engineers with
managerial duties.

Explanation:

 When engineers become managers, they encounter new challenges. Their

technical expertise may clash with managerial priorities due to differences in
background and values. Communication becomes crucial as engineers may
struggle to explain complex technical issues to managers who lack the same
understanding. This can lead to misunderstandings and hinder effective decision-
making. Additionally, engineers in managerial roles may face ethical dilemmas,
balancing their professional obligations to uphold ethical standards with the
demands and expectations of their managerial roles. Navigating these conflicts
requires a deep understanding of both engineering and management
perspectives, fostering collaboration and ensuring ethical considerations are
prioritized within the organization.
 Engineers have a paramount obligation to protect the health, safety, and welfare
of the public. Some engineers may aspire to become managers. This does not
change their paramount obligation as engineers.
 Some managers prefer to think in terms of trade-offs between moral principles,
on the one hand, and expediency, on the other hand. Therefore, moral principles
are sometimes compromised due to professional obligations.
4. What is organizational culture? Explain recommendations of employees and
their organization.

Key Points:

 Organizational Culture: Values and priorities set by leadership that influence

employee behavior.
 "Scripts" Shape Perceptions: Established practices can limit ethical
considerations.
 Fostering an Ethical Culture:
o Open communication
o Critical loyalty
o Focus on issues, not personalities
o Whistleblower protection

Explanation:

 The values and priorities set by top management create a unique organizational
culture that significantly shapes how employees, including engineers, behave
and make decisions. This culture acts as a filter through which employees view
ethical dilemmas.
 Established practices and expectations, sometimes referred to as "scripts," can
unintentionally limit ethical considerations if they don't prioritize them.
 To create an environment where engineers feel empowered to act ethically,
organizations should promote open communication where concerns can be
raised without fear of retribution. This requires fostering "critical loyalty," where
loyalty to the organization is balanced with the engineer's ethical principles and
public safety concerns. When disagreements arise, maintaining a professional
focus on the issues at hand, rather than personalities, is crucial.
 Additionally, protecting whistleblowers who raise ethical concerns sends a strong
message that the organization values ethical behavior over protecting internal
wrongdoing.
 By implementing these recommendations, organizations can cultivate a culture
that promotes ethical decision-making and empowers engineers to act
responsibly.
5. What is whistleblowing? How to, when to avoid complicity?

Key Points:

 Whistleblowing: Reporting organizational wrongdoing to external parties.

 Justification for Whistleblowing:
o Seriousness of harm (DeGeorge)
o Avoiding complicity (Davis)
 Challenges and Importance:
o Loyalty vs. whistleblowing
o Promotes transparency and accountability

Explanation:

 Whistleblowing involves disclosing confidential information about unethical or

illegal activities within an organization to external parties, often when internal
channels fail to address the issue.
 Ethical considerations around whistleblowing arise because engineers challenge
organizational norms by revealing sensitive information, raising questions of
loyalty. However, whistleblowing serves a vital purpose in promoting
transparency and accountability within engineering practice.
 Two main frameworks for justifying whistleblowing exist: Richard DeGeorge
emphasizes the seriousness of potential harm and exhausting internal channels
before going public. Michael Davis' theory focuses on avoiding participation in
wrongdoing itself.
 While both perspectives offer valuable insights, whistleblowing is a complex
issue with motivations beyond strict frameworks. Despite the challenges,
whistleblowing plays a critical role in ensuring ethical standards are upheld and
potential harms caused by organizational misconduct are addressed promptly.