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Lecture 8 Dr. Khaled BakroEngineering Ethics

Introduction to Engineering and Profession Ethics

ObjectivesAfter reading this chapter, you will be able toDetermine whether engineering is a profession.Understand what codes of ethics are, and Examine some codes of ethics of professionalengineering societies.

Patent, Trademark, and Copyright(1)In the early days, trade information and invention were kept in the family and passed on from one generation to the next. For example, when a plow maker came up with a better design, he kept the details of the design to himself and shared the specications of the new invention only with his family, including son(s), brother(s), and so on. The new designs and inventions stayed in the family to protect the business and to prevent others from duplicating the inventors design. However, new designs and inventions need to be shared if they are to bring about improvements in everyones lives.

Patent, Trademark, and Copyright(2) At the same time the person(s) who comes up with a new idea should benet from it. Traded information and invention, if not protected, can be stolen. So you can see that, in order for a government to promote new ideas and inventions, it must also provide means for protecting others from stealing someones new ideas and inventions, which are considered intellectual property.

Patents, trademarks, service marks, and copyrights are examples of means by which intellectual property is protected by United States laws.

Laws, Morals, Ethics:Whats the Difference?

Laws: A set of rules for personal or corporate behavior; civil and/or criminal penalties applyMorals: A set of standards for (personal) behaviorEthics: A set of standards for (professional) behavior

Morals and ethics are voluntary in some senseLike laws, they are open to many interpretations

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What is the Basis forEthical and Moral Standards?Innate and intrinsic?A product of culture?Based on religious beliefs?Developed from logical reasoning?Based on concepts? On consequences?

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Example Moral Standard:The Categorical Imperative(Critique of Pure ReasonImmanuel Kant, 1724-1804)

Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.

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Using the Categorical Imperative to Judge an ActionConvert the action to a principleWould it be logical for you to want everyone to follow that principle?Yesaction is moral/ethicalNoaction is immoral/unethicalExample: is it ever morally acceptable to lie?

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How Does Engineering Ethics Relate to Your Life Now?You are already expressing your ethical standards. They are in what you do.

Personal and professional ethics are connected

Ethics is not just doing the right thing, its making tough decisions about ambiguous things

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What Is a Profession?Extensive training, mastery of subjectProfessional associationStandards and codesSelf-regulating, via certifications and licensingSignificant impact on public welfare Accountability to society

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Professional Ethics: More than Following Rules

Maturity of judgmentBalancing a variety of considerationsConsideration of various means to a desired endSupporting the professionServing the welfare of the public

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A Simple Google Search Reveals:Online Ethics Center for Engineering & ScienceNational Institute for Engineering Ethics*NSPE Engineering Ethics websiteCodes of Ethics: IEEE*, ASME, ACM, etc.Web Clearinghouse for Engineering and Computing EthicsCourse and resource pages at many universities

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What are the Core Ethical Values of Engineering? (NIEE)Honesty: truthfulness, fairness, sincerity Integrity: good judgment, adherence to principles Fidelity:to clients, to the public trust, to employer, to the profession Charity: kindness, caring, good will, tolerance, compassion/mercy, adherence to the Golden Rule Responsibility: reliability/dependability, accountability, trustworthiness Self-Discipline: acting with restraint, not indulging in excessive behavior

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Applied Ethics: Real-World Problems In theory, theres no difference between theory and practice. In practice, there is. Yogi Berra

Rarely is there clear right or wrong

Often you are choosing between competing interests, both of which matter

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To avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest whenever possible, and to disclose them to affected parties when they do exist

What is conflict of interest?

Is conflict of interest common?

Is it wrong?

What do you do about it?

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Ethics as DesignCaroline Whitbeck

What distinguishes design from the other engineering you have studied?

Analyzing the situation is not enoughPractical constraints, objectives, criteriaThere may not even be a solutionThere is no unique right answer

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Designing a Solution to an Ethical DilemmaDefine the problemWhats known? Whats ambiguous?Explore solutionsBrainstormgo beyond the obviousIdentify criteriaPersonal values, professional standards, lawsConsider outcomes and consequencesProfessional, personal, legal, moral

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WhistleblowingHow can you do the right thing and not lose your job?

Dont trust everyone to do the right thingproceed with cautionGather the evidence you need Make sure youre rightDont exaggerate or overstate your caseWait for the right time to come forwardRemain anonymousthe problem is the issue, not you

For more, see: http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/careers/careerstemplate.jsp?ArticleId=w040104

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Thinking AheadWould you carry a partner through an MQP?If you accept a job, would you turn it down if a better one comes along?Would you accept a job in the defense industry?Would you accept gifts and hospitality from a prospective vendor?What would you do if a co-worker is negligent in his/her work?

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Case Study

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SummaryYou should understand the importance of engineering ethics and why you should live by these codes of ethicsYou should understand the engineers creed and reasons why you should take the pledge