Download Ethics – Part 1

IE496
Industrial Engineering
Internship
Dr. Barnes
October 23, 2006
Lecture #7
Ethics – Part 1


The study of the characteristics of
morals.
Engineering Ethics –
• Rules and standards governing conduct
of engineers.
• A body of philosophy indicating ways
that engineers should conduct
themselves in their professional
capacity.
Why study?
Several notorious cases –
 Achieved great attention and led
engineers to gain an increased sense
of professional responsibilities.
 Led to an awareness of the
importance of ethics, how engineers
have far reaching impact on society.
Goal


Sensitize you to the important
ethical issues before you have to
confront them.
Moral autonomy –
• To think critically and independently
about moral issues.
• To apply this moral thinking to
situations that arise in professional
engineering practice.
Where is line drawn between
ethical – unethical decision?


Where does an engineering team strike
the balance between safety and
affordability and, simultaneously, the
ability of the company to sell a product
and make a profit?
Example – Ford Pinto 1978
• Car designed with a rear gas tank that
frequently exploded on contact.
• Design was cost-effective and allowed car to
be sold at a competitive price.
Origins of today’s ethics





Ancient Greeks - especially Socrates,
Aristotle
Judeo – Christian tradition
Islam
Buddhists
Hindus
Western ethics have principally evolved from
first two.
Origins - continued
Philosophy
Law
Religion
Ethical Behavior – grounded in concern for others
Ethics and religion


Some people’s ethics are based in
religion (however, nominally religious
people may not be ethical).
Persons who are ethical don’t have
to be religious.
Ethics and law
Engineering and business are
governed by laws at the
international, federal, state and local
levels.
Ethics and law - continued


Things that are legal might be
considered unethical – e.g., releasing
a known toxic material that is
unregulated into the air.
As an engineer, you are minimally
safe if you follow the law.
Personal vs. Business Ethics


Personal ethics deal with how we
treat others in our day-to-day lives.
Professional (business) ethics often
involves choices on an organizational
level rather than a personal level.
Ethics problems



Rarely have a correct answer that
everyone will come up with.
There will be a range of solutions
that are clearly right, some of which
will be better than others.
There will be a range of solutions
that are clearly wrong.
4 Ethical Theories




Utilitarianism
Duty Ethics
Rights Ethics
Virtue Ethics
Utilitarianism



John Stuart Mill
(1806 – 1873)
Individual actions
should be judged on
whether the most
good was produced in
a given situation.
Rules should be
broken if doing so will
lead to the most good.
Utilitarianism has given us –
Techniques familiar to engineers –


Risk – benefit analysis
Cost – benefit analysis
Duty ethics



Immanuel Kant
(1724 – 1804)
Duty ethics –
ethical acts are the
result of proper
performance of
one’s duties.
Be honest, be fair,
don’t cause
suffering.
Rights ethics



John Locke (1632 –
1704)
People have
fundamental rights
that other people have
a duty to respect.
Humans have a right
to –
• Life
• Liberty
• Property
Virtue ethics



What kind of people should we be?
Actions are right if they support
good character qualities – virtues:
responsibility, honesty, competence,
loyalty.
Actions are wrong if they support
bad character qualities – vices:
dishonesty, disloyalty,
irresponsibility.
Engineering is a profession



Work that requires sophisticated skills,
the use of judgment, and the exercise of
discretion.
Membership requires extensive formal
education.
Special societies or organizations
• Set standards for admissions to the profession.
• Set standards of conduct for its members.
• Enforces the standards.

The practice results in significant public
good.
Code of Ethics



Provides a framework for ethical
judgment.
Expresses commitment to ethical
conduct.
Defines the roles and responsibilities
of professionals.
Order of an Engineer
I am an Engineer, in my profession I take deep pride. To it
I owe solemn obligations.
Since the Stone Age, human progress has been spurred
by the engineering genius. Engineers have made usable
Nature’s vast resources of material and energy for
Humanity's [Mankind’s] benefit. Engineers have vitalized
and turned to practical use the principles of science and
the means of technology. Were it not for this heritage of
accumulated experience, my efforts would be feeble.
Order of an Engineer – continued
As an Engineer, I pledge to practice integrity and fair
dealing, tolerance and respect, and to uphold devotion
to the standards and the dignity of my profession,
conscious always that my skill carries with it the
obligation to serve humanity by making the best use of
Earth’s precious wealth.
As an Engineer, I shall participate in none but honest
enterprises. When needed, my skill and knowledge
shall be given without reservation for the public good.
In the performance of duty and in fidelity to my
profession, I shall give the utmost.
NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers
Preamble
Engineering is an important and learned profession. As
members of this profession, engineers are expected to exhibit
the highest standards of honesty and integrity. Engineering
has a direct and vital impact on the quality of life for all
people. Accordingly, the services provided by engineers
require honesty, impartiality, fairness, and equity, and must be
dedicated to the protection of the public health, safety, and
welfare. Engineers must perform under a standard of
professional behavior that requires adherence to the highest
principles of ethical conduct.
NSPE - I. Fundamental Canons
Engineers, in the fulfillment of their professional duties, shall:
1. Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public.
2. Perform services only in areas of their competence.
3. Issue public statements only in an objective and truthful
manner.
4. Act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees.
5. Avoid deceptive acts.
6. Conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically, and
lawfully so as to enhance the honor, reputation, and
usefulness of the profession.
NSPE - II. Rules of Practice
1. Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and
welfare of the public.
2. Engineers shall perform services only in the areas of
their competence.
3. 3. Engineers shall issue public statements only in an
objective and truthful manner.
4. Engineers shall act for each employer or client as faithful
agents or trustees.
5. Engineers shall avoid deceptive acts.
NSPE - III. Professional Obligations
1.
2.
3.
4.
Engineers shall be guided in all their relations by the
highest standards of honesty and integrity.
Engineers shall at all times strive to serve the public
interest.
Engineers shall avoid all conduct or practice that
deceives the public.
Engineers shall not disclosure, without consent,
confidential information concerning the business affairs
or technical processes of any present or former client
or employer, or public body on which they serve.
NSPE - III. Professional Obligations continued
5. Engineers shall not be influenced in their
professional duties by conflicting interests.
6 Engineers shall no attempt to obtain employment
or advancement or professional engagements by
untruthfully criticizing other engineers, or by
other improper or questionable methods.
7. Engineers shall not attempt to injure, maliciously
or falsely, directly or indirectly, the professional
reputation, prospects, practice, or employment of
other engineers. Engineers who believe others
are guilty of unethical or illegal practice shall
present such information to the proper authority
for action.
NSPE - III. Professional Obligations continued
8. Engineers shall accept personal
responsibility for their professional
activities, provided, however, that
engineers may seek indemnification for
services arising out of their for other than
gross negligence, where the engineer’s
interests cannot otherwise be protected.
9. Engineers shall give credit for engineering
work to those to whom credit is due, and
will recognize the proprietary interests of
others.
Case – Pentium microprocessor
Chip design flawed, 1994
 Reports in newspapers, magazines.
 How situation progressed –
• 1st – denied problem.
• Next – said they knew about it, said
difficulty was only in limited situations.
• Finally – public outcry – chips replaced
when requested.
Space Shuttle – Challenger, 1986
The shuttle exploded shortly after take-off,
all aboard died. O-ring on solid booster
failed, hot gases leaked and blew up a
liquid fuel tank.
 Pre-launch pressure –
• Popular – schoolteacher on team.
• Postponed a few times.
• Budget was under review.


Engineer recommended no launch;
overruled by management.
Temperature a concern –
• Previous low for a launch was 53oF.
• Designed to operate as low as 31oF.
• Expected temperature at launch was 29oF.
Info source
Engineering Ethics, 2nd Edition, Charles
B. Fleddermann,Chapters 1 – 3,
Pearson Prentice Hall, 2004.