Philosophy & Ethics 314

Applied Ethics
Dirk Louw
Department of Philosophy, US
Lecture 1 (2016)
(Compiled by Johan Hattingh)
(Revised by Dirk Louw)

Overview of this lecture

Why

study ethics?

What

is a profession?

Study material
Harris,

Pritchard, Rabins,
Engineering Ethics (4th / 5th
Edition) Chapter 1

What is a profession?
Profession:

definition

Etymological

Voluntary commitment to a certain

way of life
Medieval connection
Monks
Public promise to live a certain way of life
Commitment to the highest moral values

Profess that you choose to be a

certain person, with a special social
role
4

17 century secularized
meaning
th

Whoever claims to have a thorough

qualification and training, exercises a
certain vocation that is based on
certain learning that is used to
render services to others, or to
practice a certain art

Characteristics of a
profession
In

sociological perspective

An extended period of training of

an intellectual nature, usually at a
university
Knowledge and skills essential for
the well-being of society
Control / Monopoly on certain
professional services
Extremely high degree of autonomy
Regulation by ethical standards
6

The profession as a social

practice
Alasdair

MacIntyre
Definition of a social practice:
Coherent, complex form of socially
established human cooperation

Aim / goal especially associated with the practice

Aim / goal establishes the practice
Aim / goal must be morally justifiable
Aim / goal provides criteria for the assessment of
those that participate in the practice

Emphasizes

the moral character of the

practice, and the moral goal of the practice

A Socratic concept of a
profession
Michael

Davis
More than one person
A public element
A source of livelihood (occupation)
Voluntary entry and exit
Serves a morally praiseworthy goal
The aim must by realized in a morally
acceptable manner
Requires more of you than asked by the law,
the market, (conventional) morality, and
public opinion
8

Questions?
Are

the conceptualizations above

adequate to capture the meaning of
the profession? If not, what is still
outstanding?
Is your training as engineers
adequate to form you as
professionals?
Would it have been without studying
professional ethics?

How

does your training comply to the

requirements stated in the

Etymological definition
The 17th century conception
The sociological description
Alasdair MacIntyres concept of social
practice
Michael Davis Socratic conception

10

The business model of a

profession
Primary

interest

motivation: economic self-

Profits within the boundary of the law

Knowledge

becomes merely a

commodity
Necessity of knowledge motivation
for autonomy.
Self-regulation a smokescreen to
keep authorities of their backs
Claim to high ethical standards a
ruse to gain social status
11

The public service model of a

profession
Involves

an agreement between
profession and society
A social contract
If the profession fulfils certain duties,
society will grant it certain privileges
and freedoms
If the profession does not fulfill their
duties, these privileges and
freedoms are withdrawn
12

Duties and privileges

Attain

and retain
knowledge

Serve

public good

Autonomy

Control

of service
delivery

Self-regulation
High

ethical
standards
13

Recognition of a fiduciary
relationship
Professional

service rests on an

Asymmetry of knowledge
Asymmetry of power
The

professional thus stands in a

fiduciary relationship to the client
and public
Have to act in the best interest of the
client, without losing sight of the public
good
Is a double trustee
14

Thus understood
professionalism necessarily
involves ethical standards
Restricts

self-interested
behaviour
Restricts abuse of power
Builds trust
Without

ethical standards, TRUST

is impossible
We fall into a system of suspicion
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Outcomes of Applied
Ethics
The ability to distinguish between the

morally right and the morally wrong in an

applied context.
To be able to

Recognize
Conceptualize
Analyse and asses
Independently resolve

Ethical problems in engineering practice

Competence in the formulation, analysis,
justification, and implementation of
ethically responsible actions in engineering
practice
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