Engineering Professionalism: ENG101 Spring 2021

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Engineering Professionalism

ENG101
spring 2021
Resolving Moral Dilemmas

1.  Moral clarity


• Need to know something is wrong! Do not ignore problems!
• Loyalty to employer, responsibilities to public and environment
(and complex relations between these)
2.  Know the facts
• Get hard, documented facts, discuss with others
• Competence matters in gathering technical facts
3.  Consider options Diversity of actions to take?
Evaluate/discuss.
• Long-term, short-term perspectives, repercussions?
• “Creative middle solution”?
4.  Make a reasonable decision
• Weigh all factors, recognize “gray areas”/compromises
• An engineering design problem?

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NSPE, BER Case 96-4

Engineer A is employed by a software


company and is involved in the design of
specialized software in connection with the
operations of facilities affecting the public
health and safety (i.e., nuclear, air quality
control, water quality control). As the part
of the design of a particular software
system, Engineer A conducts extensive
testing and although the tests demonstrate…

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that the software is safe to use under existing
standards, Engineer A is aware of new draft
standards that are about to be released by a
standard setting organization-standards
which the newly designed software may not
meet. Testing is extremely costly and the
company’s clients are eager to begin to
move forward. The software company is
eager to satisfy its clients, protect the
software company’s finances, and protect…
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…existing jobs; but at the same time, the
management of the software company
wants to be sure that the software is safe to
use. A series of tests proposed by Engineer
A will likely result in a decision whether to
move forward with the use of the software.
The tests are costly and will delay the use of
the software by at least six months, which
will put the company at a competitive…
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…disadvantage and cost the company a
significant amount of money. Also,
delaying implementation will mean the state
public service commission utility rates will
rise significantly during this time. The
company requests Engineer A’s
recommendation concerning the need for
additional software testing.
Question: Should Engineer A design the
software to meet the new standards?
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Analyzing the case

Moral clarity:
• What is wrong? What is the core
issue/question?
• Will the software meet the new standards?
• Why are there new standards?
• Experience shows new failure modes
• New tests designed to test new failure modes
• Engineer’s role in new standards?
• Development of new standards
• Following new standards

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continued…

Know the facts


• It is critical software (health/safety of public)
• New standards to test new failure modes (that
you need to understand)
• Testing is costly, company finances at stake
• Need to protect existing jobs
• Testing will delay release by > 6 months
• Testing will hurt competitive advantage?
• Utility rates will rise

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continued…

Consider options
• Option 1: Ignore the new tests, take risk
to public safety/welfare, save time/money
• Option 2: Conduct the tests, risk jobs,
hurt finances, become certain software will
work, protect safety/welfare of the public
• Option 3: Creative middle of the road
solution: Is there are limited version of full
tests that could be conducted that would
partially test, but save some money/time?

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continued…

Make a reasonable decision


• Pick Option 2 since safety/health/welfare
of the public is paramount
• If company says no, pick Option 3 and
try to do a limited test for the failure
mode (your competence in coming up
with an economical test is critical here).
In this option, all constraints considered,
you try to protect the safety, health, and
welfare of the public

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Resolving moral dilemmas,
“line-drawing”
• Harris et al. idea to try to make solving
moral dilemmas more analytical/
quantitative
• Given moral dilemma
• Establish key features, issues
• Establish extremes of features/issues and
paradigms (indicating totally ethical vs.
clearly unethical aspects)
• Construct a line drawing
• Evaluate “test case” (your current moral
dilemma)
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Line-drawing, bribery example
(Harris et al.)
Victor is an engineer in a large construction firm. He has
been assigned the task of being the sole person to
recommend rivets for the construction of a large apartment
building. After some research and testing, he decides to
recommend ACME rivets for the job, which he determines
are of the lowest cost and highest quality. On the day after
Victor’s decision was made, an ACME representative
visits him and gives him a voucher for an all-expense-paid
trip to the annual ACME Technical Forum, which meets in
Jamaica. The trip will have considerable educational value,
but will also provide day trips to the beach and other points
of interest. Question: If Victor accepts, has he been
bribed?

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Line-drawing, bribery example
(Harris et al.)

-----------------X---
X – test case feature evaluation, X important issue
Do you see a “creative middle solution”?
What about affect on future decisions on ACME?
What is company policy? Is there an appearance of bribery?
May not be a bribe, but still may not be a good idea!
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Codes of Ethics

• Why are codes important?


• Serve and protect the public
• Guidance/support for engineers
• Inspiration, discipline
• Shared standards, education, mutual understanding
• Profession’s image

• Limitations of codes
• Too vague to be useful in every day ethical decision-
making?
• Impossible to cover all eventualities

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National Society of Professional
Engineers (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,

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National Society of Professional
Engineers (NSPE)

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.

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Fundamental Canons

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.
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Cont..

• Rules of Practice
• Professional Obligations

• Several pages long…


• Consider a shorter code…

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“Hold paramount the safety, health,
and welfare of the public”
• How to assess impact on human safety, health, and
“welfare”?
• Amartya Sen uses a “capabilities approach:”
– Being able to live a long life in health
– Being able to get an education, being able to work
– Being able to have freedom of expression and
association
– Others…

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Code of Ethics (IEEE)

We, the members of IEEE, in recognition of the


importance of our technologies in affecting the
quality of life throughout the world, and in
accepting a personal obligation to our profession,
its members and the communities we serve, do
hereby commit ourselves to the highest ethical
and professional conduct and agree:
Code of Ethics (IEEE)

1. to accept responsibility in making engineering


decisions consistent with the safety, health and
welfare of the public, and to disclose promptly
factors that might endanger the public or the
environment;

Concern: “Disclose” phrase nice, but “consistent” vs. ABET (NSPE),


“engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare”... is a
weaker statement? What does “consistent” even mean?
Code of Ethics (IEEE)

2. to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest


whenever possible, and to disclose them to
affected parties when they do exist;

Example: Ownership in a supplier’s company


Code of Ethics (IEEE)

3. to be honest and realistic in stating claims


or estimates based on available data;

Examples: When dishonest claims give you


an advantage over a competitor, or when
unrealistic claims endanger individuals
Code of Ethics (IEEE)
4. to reject bribery in all its forms;

Example: Supplier gifts, when are they


big enough to constitute a bribe?
Code of Ethics (IEEE)
5. to improve the understanding of
technology, its appropriate application,
and potential consequences;

Examples: Importance of teaching youth


about engineering, importance of
publishing engineering results in IEEE
publications
Code of Ethics (IEEE)

6. to maintain and improve our technical


competence and to undertake technological
tasks for others only if qualified by training
or experience, or after full disclosure of
relevant limitation;

Example: A student who took on task that


affected safety on a manufacturing line
Code of Ethics (IEEE)

7. to seek, accept, and offer honest criticism of


technical work, to acknowledge and correct
errors, and to credit properly the contributions of
others;

Note: Important to keep an emotional separation


to your work so that when it is criticized you do
not take it personally
Code of Ethics (IEEE)

8. To treat fairly all persons regardless of such


factors as race, religion, gender, disability, age or
national origin;

Note: There are certainly still problems in industry


with these issues. We will discuss this more later.
Code of Ethics (IEEE)

9. To avoid injuring others, their property,


reputation, or employment by false or
malicious action;

Example: Speaking poorly of someone’s


project results when they do not deserve
it
Code of Ethics (IEEE)

10. To assist colleagues and co-workers in their


professional development and to support them
in following this code of ethics.

Example: If you are a manager, giving them


opportunities for professional development
(e.g., taking courses or attending a conference)
ASSOCIATION OF COMPUTER
MACHINERY CODE OF CONDUCT

1. General ethical principles.


1.1 Contribute to society and to human well-being, acknowledging
that all people are stakeholders in computing.

1.2 Avoid harm to others.

1.3 Be honest and trustworthy.

1.4 Be fair and take action not to discriminate.

1.5 Respect the work required to produce new ideas, inventions,


creative works, and computing artifacts.

1.6 Respect privacy.

1.7 Honor confidentiality.

https://www.acm.org/code-of-ethics
ASSOCIATION OF COMPUTER
MACHINERY CODE OF CONDUCT

2. Professional responsibilities.
2.1 Strive to achieve the highest quality, effectiveness, and dignity in both
the process and products of professional work.

2.4 Accept and provide appropriate professional review.

2.5 Give comprehensive and thorough evaluations of computer systems and


their impacts, including analysis of possible risks.

2.6 Perform work only in areas of competence.

2.7 Foster public awareness and understanding of computing, related


technologies, and their consequences.

2.8 Access computing and communication resources only when authorized


or when compelled by the public good.

2.9 Design and implement systems that are robustly and usably secure.
https://www.acm.org/code-of-ethics
ASSOCIATION OF COMPUTER
MACHINERY CODE OF CONDUCT

3. Professional leadership principles.


3.1 Ensure that the public good is the central concern during all professional
computing work.

3.2 Articulate, encourage acceptance of, and evaluate fulfillment of social


responsibilities by members of the organization or group.

3.3 Manage personnel and resources to enhance the quality of working life.

3.4 Articulate, apply, and support policies and processes that reflect the principles
of the Code.

3.5 Create opportunities for members of the organization or group to grow as


professionals.

3.6 Use care when modifying or retiring systems.

3.7 Recognize and take special care of systems that become integrated into the
infrastructure of society.
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ACM CODE OF CONDUCT

4. Compliance with the code.


4.1 Uphold, promote, and respect the principles of the Code.

4.2 Treat violations of the Code as inconsistent with membership in


the ACM.

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Relevant portions of IEEE Code of
Ethics

We, the members of the IEEE, in recognition of the


importance of our technologies in affecting the
quality of life throughout the world, and in
accepting a personal obligation to our profession,
its members and the communities we serve, do
hereby commit ourselves to the highest ethical and
professional conduct and agree: ...

5. To improve the understanding of technology, its


appropriate application, and potential
consequences;

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National Society of Professional
Engineers (NSPE)

III. 2. A. Engineers shall seek


opportunities to participate in civic affairs;
career guidance for youths; and work for
the advancement of the safety, health,
and well-being of their community.

This is THE code for the professional


engineer!

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American Society of Civil Engineers
(ASCE), Code

Cannon 1(e) says “Engineers should seek


opportunities to be of constructive service
in civic affairs and work for the
advancement of the safety, health and
well-being of their communities, ...”.

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Software Engineering Code of
Ethics and Professional Practice
• ACM/IEEE-CS Joint task force on software
engineering ethics and professional practices

• Principle 1: Public: “…software engineers shall,


as appropriate:”
• 1.08. Be encouraged to volunteer professional skills to
good causes and contribute to public education
concerning the discipline.

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American Medical Association
(AMA), Principles of Medical Ethics
(June 2001)

• Section VII: A physician shall recognize a


responsibility to participate in activities
contributing to the improvement of the
community and the betterment of public health.

• For example: Free clinics, “Doctors Without


Borders”

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American Bar Association (ABA),
Model Rules of Professional Conduct,
ABA 2003

• Rule 6.1: Voluntary Pro Bono Publico Service:


“... Every lawyer has a professional
responsibility to provide legal services to those
unable to pay. A lawyer should aspire to render
at least (50) hours of pro bono publico legal
services per year.”

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The 1979 IEEE Code of Ethics

• Article IV: Members shall, in fulfilling


their responsibilities to the community:
• Protect the safety, health, and welfare of the
public and speak out against abuses in these
areas affecting the public interest;
• Contribute professional advice, as
appropriate, to civic, charitable or other
nonprofit organizations;
• Seek to extend public knowledge and
appreciation of the profession and its
achievements

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Individual obligations to serve vs. a
profession’s encouragement to
serve
• Does an engineer have an obligation to serve humanity
(e.g., for free)?
• Does an engineer have an obligation (even in paid
employment) to help with the worst cases of capability
deprivation?
• Are such obligations “duties” (certainly, engineers should
not be pressured in any way to do these things)?
• If individuals do not have an obligation, does the
profession as a whole? In connection with this, should
engineering profession’s codes of ethics “encourage”
engineers to do these things (or “aspire” to doing these
things)? Not a requirement that any one engineer does
these things.

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