Engineering Ethics

An Introduction to Ethics and its

Relevance to the Profession of
Engineering
Module 0 in the Teaching Engineering Ethics Series
Outline of Material

What are ethics and morals?

Ethical theories

Professional Ethics

What is the engineering profession?

What is an engineer

How we see ourselves

How the public views us

he social impact of engineering

!erving the public needs

he double"edged sword of engineering

Professional #icensing

he process$ education% e&amination% e&perience

What the stamp and signature means'

Engineering ethics
Herbert Hoover (on engineering)

*The great liability of the engineer compared to men of

other professions is that his works are out in the open
where all can see them. His acts, step by step, are in
hard substance. He cannot bury his mistakes in the
grave like the doctors. He cannot argue them into thin
air or blame the judge like the lawyers.He cannot, like
the politician, screen his shortcomings by blaming his
opponents and hope that the people will forget. The
engineer simply cannot deny that he did it. If his
works do not work, he is damned forever+,
Engineering (past and present)

Past

he independent craftsman and consultant

Individualism and accountabilit-

he personall- identifiable engineer

Present

Engineer is now less visible to the public

echnolog- is the domain of the *corporation,

Anon-mit- of the Engineer

.ocused on serving the organi/ation rather

than the public
Ethics 0ocabular-
Morals
Virtue
Integrity
Responsibility
Obligation
Honesty
Courage
Self-Respect
Accountability
Professionalism
Character
Ideals
Unethical
Ethics% Morals% and the #aw

Morals

Principles of right
and wrong

Ethics

A set of moral
principles guiding
behavior and action

#aws

Binding codes of
conduct1 formall-
recogni/ed and
enforced

2ompan- Policies
Ethical Ethical
Illegal Legal
Unethical
but Legal
Ethical but
Illegal
Classification of Actions:
Ethical heories$ 3ohlberg

#awrence 3ohlberg4s theor- of moral reasoning

development

5uilt on 6ean Piaget4s theor- of developmental stages

A transitional development process occurring through

maturation from childhood to adulthood+

!i& (7) stages across three (8) levels

Moral reasoning is not learned but constructed

through interaction with societ- and environment

Environmental factors ma- affect the speed of

development% but not the direction+

!tages cannot be s9ipped

#evel :$ Pre"conventional

;riving mechanisms$

Egocentrism

Personal Interests (see9 reward and avoid

punishment)

Interpersonal and societal roles are not

conceptuali/ed

Also labeled *Pre"Moral, #evel+ 3ohlberg

considered those in this level as not -et
e&hibiting a philosophical *moral,
foundation+
#evel :$ Pre"conventional

!tage :$ Obedience

2onse<uences of
action determine
future behavior

Actions rewarded are

*right, and are repeated

Actions punished are

*wrong, and are
avoided

Punishment avoidance
is primar- motivator

!tage =$ uid pro !uo

>ood behavior results in

others4 actions that satisf-
one4s own personal needs

Rewards are primar-

motivators

Interpersonal interaction is
important onl- to the e&tent
that the situation can be
manipulated for personal
benefit? *When I do
something good% I get
something good,
#evel =$ 2onventional

Also labeled *Role"2onformit-, #evel+

3ohlberg considered those in this level as
starting to recogni/e themselves as a part
of the larger societ-

;riving mechanisms$

rust and #o-alt-

2iti/enship

Recognition of others4 feelings

*>olden Rule, thin9ing begins

#evel =$ 2onventional

!tage 8$ !ociabilit-

*>ood 5o- @ Aice >irl,

orientation

Approval see9ing
behavior drives moral
reasoning

!tage B$ #aw C Order

Obe- the letter of the

law

!ocial s-stem is stable

and predictable

2onformation to laws
is construed as
*moral, and correct

Avoidance of guilt and

or censure is primar-
motivator
#evel 8$ Post"2onventional

Also labeled *Principled, #evel+ 3ohlberg

considered those in this level as
consciousl- validating societ-4s laws while
developing their own universal ethical
principles

;riving mechanisms$

Resolving conflicts between what is *legal,

and what is *moral,

Personal 2onscience
#evel 8$ Principled

!tage D$ !ocietal
2onsensus

2onsensus of the maEorit-

(the democratic process)
results in *good laws,

*>ood laws, are followed to

the e&tent the- do not
interfere with life% libert-
and the pursuit of
happiness (individual
rights)+

Fse of *due process, to

change laws

!tage 7$ Principled

Fniversal principles
are recogni/ed and
accepted+

When principles are in

conflict with the law%
however% the principle
is the guide in
determining moral
reasoning+

2onscience"based
Ethical heories$ 3ohlberg

2riticisms

Moral reasoning does not necessaril-

correlate with moral behavior (action)

2ulturall-"biased toward democratic societies

espousing strong *individual rights,

A *communit-"centered, viewpoint was a

significant omission in #evels = and 8

Research% however% tends to support the

*universalit-, of the theor- for !tages : through D

!ome researchers have posited that the

theor- has a gender"bias (against females)
Ethical heories

2ognitive";issonance and Ethical Reasoning

2"; heor- proposed b- #eon .estinger (:GDG)

A clash between one4s reasoning% actions or behavior and

one4s attitudes or beliefs+

hese inconsistencies can cause unpleasant tension%

an&iet-% and feelings of stress (dissonance H not in harmon-)

Methods to reduce discomfort$

2hange Attitude to better align with 5ehaviorIReasoning

2hange Reasoning to better align with 5eliefs

5ring Attitude and Reasoning closer together (*meet

halfwa-,)

Ethical Reasoning ma- involve 2ognitive";issonance

Reasoning
Behavior
Attitudes
Beliefs
Professional Moral Reasoning

Mc2uen (:GJG)

Adaptation of
3ohlberg4s heor- of
Moral Reasoning

;raws parallels
between personal and
professional ethics

;efines categories or
*dimensions, rather
than developmental
stages

*Regression, is realistic

A lens through which to

view reasoning and
behavior
Mc2uen4s Ethical ;imensions
McCuens Six Categories of Professional Engineering Morality (McCuen !" H" (#$%$&" '()e Et)ical *imensions of
Professionalism"' Issues in Engineering 105(E#+&, -$.#/0"&
LEVEL 1
Pre-professional
LEVEL 2
Professional
LEVEL 3
Principled
Professional
Stage 1, Concern is for
t)e gain of the
individual (not t)e
com1any client or
1rofession&

Stage 3: 3oyalty to
com1any is 1rimary
focus" ea!-pla"er
#ehavior 1recludes
concern for society and
en4ironment"
Stage 5, Service to
hu!an $elfare is
para!ount" Societal
rules morays and
4alues may trum1
1rofessional standards
and cor1orate loyalty"
Stage 2, Corporate
lo"alt"% client
con&dence 1ro1er
conduct are 1ursued
but again onl" for
personal gain and
ad4ancement"
Stage ': 3oyalty to
com1any is connected
to lo"alt" to the
profession" 5ood
engineering is good for
t)e 1rofession but t)e
societal concerns are
not em1)asi6ed"
Stage (, Professional
conduct is guided solely by
a sense of fairness and
genuine concern for
society indi4iduals and
t)e en4ironment"
)ecisions are #ased
onl" on $ell-esta#lished
personal principles and
!a" contradict
professional codes and
even social rules*
he Engineering Profession

How we view ourselves$

Problem"solvers

Engineering is enEo-able1 esprit de corps

Engineering benefits people% provides a

public service

Engineering provides the most freedom of all

professions (.lorman% :GJ7)

Engineering is an honorable profession

he Engineering Profession

How the public views engineering$

he Engineer4s Role

Engineers as Ftilitarians

Engineers as Positivists

Applied Ph-sical !cientists

his role does not mesh well with an overarching *social

science, bias of the public+

Rational% pragmatic% logical and s-stematic approaches to

problem solving tend to alienate the engineer from the
public

Onl- a DKL *0er- High, or *High, rating on honest-

2onsistentl- behind medical field and teachers

A public relations problem% not an ethics issue per se+

*5est Practices, to include applied social science

he Engineering Profession

>allup Poll *Honest- and Ethics in Professions,

Engineering: Honesty and Ethics in the Profession
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:GJD :GMK :GMD :GGK :GGD =KKK =KKD
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Rating ;ata (L)
Ran9 ;ata
he Engineering Profession
L 0er- HighIHigh Rating RAA3IA>
Profession "$$% "$$1 "$$$ 1&&& "$$% "$$1 "$$$ 1&&&
Aurses M8 MB JG J8 : : : :
Medical ;octors 7M 77 78 DM = B B B
0eterinarians 7M 77 78 8 8 8
Pharmacists 7J 7M 7J 7G B = = =
;entists 7: D7 DM D= D M J J
2ollege eachers DG DM DG D= 7 J 7 7
Engineers & '$ ' $ ( ' ) &
Policemen DG 7M DD D= M 8 G M
2lerg- D7 7B DG D7 G D D D
Ps-chiatrists 8M :K
5an9ers 8D 8B 8J 8K :: G :K :K
2hiropractors 8: =7 := ::
!tate >overnors =7 8: =B :8 :: :=
6ournalists =D =G =: =B :B :K :B :8
!enators =K =B :J :D := :D
5usiness E&ecs :M =D == =8 :7 :: :8 :B
2ongressmen :J =D =: :: :J := :D :M
#aw-ers :7 :M :J :8 :M :B :J :J
!toc9bro9ers :D :G :G :7 :G :8 :7 :7
Advertising practitioners := :: :K G =K :7 :G =:
Insurance salesmen := :8 :: :K =: :D :M :G
HMO managers :: :K == =K
2ar salesmen J M J M =8 :J =K ==
What is Engineering EthicsN

he stud- of the moral issues and

decisions confronting individuals and
organi/ations engaged in engineering

he stud- of related <uestions about the

moral ideals% character% policies% and
relationships of people and corporations
involved in technological activit-+
7 from Martin" M" 8 Sc)in6inger !" Et)ics in Engineering (9
rd
Ed"& (:e; <or=,
Mc5ra;.Hill #$$> 11" +.9"
Ethics and Engineering

Where the ethical issues can arise$

2onceptuali/ation% ;esign% esting%

Manufacturing% !ales% !ervice

!upervision and ProEect eams

ProEect timelines and budgets

E&pectations% opinions% or Eudgments

Products$ Fnsafe or #ess than Fseful

;esigned for obsolescence

Inferior materials or components

Fnforeseen harmful effects to societ-

Ethics and Engineering

Other fields where ethics are critical

Medical Ethics

#egal Ethics

5usiness Ethics (closest to Engineering Ethics)

!cientific Ethics

An *applied ethics, domain (rather than a theoretical

anal-sis of philosoph-)

Engineering occurs at the confluence of technology%

social science% and business

Engineering is done b- people and for people

Engineers4 decisions have a impact on all three areas in the

confluence

he public nature of an engineer4s wor9 ensures that ethics will

alwa-s pla- a role
Ethics and Engineering

+!pacts of an engineer,s ethical decisions:

()e Products 8 Ser4ices (safety and utility&

()e Com1any and its Stoc=)olders

()e Public and Society (bene?ts to t)e 1eo1le&

En4ironment (Eart) and beyond&

()e Profession ()o; t)e 1ublic 4ie;s it&

()e 3a; ()o; legislation a@ects t)e 1rofession and

industry&

Personal Position (Aob internal moral conBict&

-picall-% good ethical decisions'

'ma- be Eust that$ *good%, but rarel- *great, or *ideal,

'will not alwa-s be in the best interest (irrespective of the timeline)

of all sta9eholders

'are not automatic but re<uire thought% consideration% evaluation%

and communication (much li9e the *design process,)