Ethics Section Chapter 6 Principles of

Engineering Ethics
Ethical problems frequently occur in engineering
Example: Engineer may have to choose between risking the health of workers on
a project, or stop the project to install safety equipment
Stopping the project would cause delays, and increase costs for the engineers
clients or employers
Another example: An engineer in a position of authority may have to decide
whether giving a small gift is a kindness, or a serious attempt for bribery
When an engineer is faced with a technical problem, there is usually more than
one solution, and the goal is to select the best, or optimum solution
This is similar to an ethical problem. There may be several possible solutions, but
the goal is to determine the best solution from an ethical standpoint

Codes of Ethics as Guides to Conduct:

Duty to Society: An engineer is required to consider their duty to the public, or
society in general, as most important.
o The purpose of awarding engineers the authority to practice is to create a
greater benefit for society in general
o You protect the average person from physical or financial harm by
ensuring that professional engineers are competent, reliable, professional
and ethical
Duty to Employers: Engineer has a duty to his or her employer to act fairly and
loyally, and to keep the employers business confidential
o Engineer has to disclose any conflict of interest benefitting the engineer,
and harming the business that may arise
Duty to Clients: Engineer in private practice is employed by clients, and therefore
has the same obligation to a client as the employee engineer has to the employer
Duty to Colleagues: Engineer has a duty to act with courtesy and good will
towards colleagues
Duty to Employees and Subordinates: Engineer has a duty to recognise the rights
of others
Duty to the Engineering Profession: Engineer has a duty to maintain the dignity
and prestige of the engineering profession, and not bring shame to the profession
by dishonourable, or disgraceful conduct
Duty to Oneself: An engineer must ensure that the duties to others are balanced by
the engineers own rights
o An engineer must insist on adequate payment, a satisfactory work
environment, and the rights awarded to everyone through the Charter of
Rights and Freedoms
A Strategy for Solving Complex Ethical Problems:

There is a similarity between ethical problem solving, and engineering design

methods

The Engineering Design Process:

Design process usually begins with a vaguely perceived need, or problem, and
ends with the manufacture or device that satisfies the need
The solution to an ethical problem can be developed by following a comparable
series of steps
They are usually as follows:
o 1. Recognizing that a problem or need exists
o 2. Gathering information and defining the problem to be solved, or gal to
be achieved
o 3. Generating alternative solutions or methods to achieve the goal
o 4. Evaluating benefits and costs of alternative solutions
o 5. Decision making and optimization
o 6. Implementing the best solution

Applying the design process to ethical problems:

1. Recognizing the need or problem

Ethical problems may be poorly defined and difficult to recognize
Recognizing that a problem exists is the first step
2. Gathering information and defining the problem
Its recommended to act on an ethical problem quickly and decisively, but
equally important to have all the facts
When the problem is clearly defined, the proper course of action is usually
perfectly clear
However, in some cases, there may be conflicts that lead to a moral dilemma
3. Generating alternative solutions
When a moral dilemma results, where the engineer must choose between two
courses of action, each of which is undesirable, the engineer should try to
generate a new, positive, desirable course of action
This part requires creative thought, and is usually difficult
The new course of action may be a compromise, or modification of one
alternative to eliminate the negative qualities
4. Evaluating Alternatives
When two or more conflicting courses of action exist, they must be analyzed
to see what consequences are likely to result before a decision can be made
5. Decision Making and Optimization
If the previous steps have been followed, decision making is simply
comparing the consequences of each course of action with the code of ethics,
and selecting the best, or optimum solution
In some cases, it may look like that a solution cant be achieved
 What this means is that alternatives exist which conflict with each other
In this case, the arguments for these conflicting alternatives ma be so equally
balanced that no course of action is clearly superior
Therefore, the engineer should pose the following questions
a. Is the problem stated clearly?
b. Was all necessary information obtained?
c. Did you seek advice from the people concerned?
d. Has an alternative, or compromise solution been overlooked?
e. Have all the consequences for each alternative choice been fully
evaluated?
f. Is a personal benefit or conflict of interest affecting your judgment?
If these questions can be answered satisfactorily, and there isnt an optimum
course of action, then its recommended to choose a course of action that
doesnt benefit the person making the decision
If the choices are equally balanced, and the possibility of personal benefit
exists, then this choice will ensure that the decision is seen to be morally right
6. Implementation
Implementing the decision is the final step
Its usually advisable to act hastily, and unequivocally when ethical decisions
are needed