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1 Introduction To Engineering Values Ethics Edited

The document discusses the importance of engineering ethics, highlighting the role of engineers as problem solvers who benefit society while facing public perception challenges. It defines engineering ethics as the study of moral issues in engineering practices and emphasizes the need for ethical decision-making across various engineering processes. The document also outlines the impacts of ethical decisions on products, society, and the profession, and encourages moral awareness and reasoning among engineering students.

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Rufa Cabatingan
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15 views15 pages

1 Introduction To Engineering Values Ethics Edited

The document discusses the importance of engineering ethics, highlighting the role of engineers as problem solvers who benefit society while facing public perception challenges. It defines engineering ethics as the study of moral issues in engineering practices and emphasizes the need for ethical decision-making across various engineering processes. The document also outlines the impacts of ethical decisions on products, society, and the profession, and encourages moral awareness and reasoning among engineering students.

Uploaded by

Rufa Cabatingan
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPTX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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INTRODUCTION TO

ENGINEERING VALUES
& ETHICS

Reference:

Introduction to Engineering Ethics (2nd Edition)


By Mike W. Martin; Roland Schinzinger
McGraw Hill Higher Education
THE ENGINEERING
PROFESSION
How we should view ourselves:
 Problem Solvers
 Engineering is enjoyable
 Engineering benefits people, provides public service
 Engineering provides the most freedom of all professions
(Florman, 1976)
 Engineering is a honorable profession.
THE ENGINEERING
PROFESSION
 How the public views engineering:
– The Engineer’s Role
• Engineers as Utilitarians
• Engineers as Positivists
• Applied Physical Scientists
– This role does not mesh well with an overarching “social
science” bias of the public.
– Rational, pragmatic, logical and systematic approaches to
problem solving tend to alienate the engineer from the public
– Only a 50% “Very High” or “High” rating on honesty
• Consistently behind medical field and teachers
• A public relations problem, not an ethics issue per se.
• “Best Practices” to include applied social science
What is
Ethics?
What is
Engineering
Ethics?

The study of the moral issues and


decisions confronting individuals
and organizations engaged in
engineering
What is
Engineering
Ethics?

The study of related questions


about the moral ideals, character,
policies, and relationships of
people and corporations involved
in technological activity.
ETHICS & ENGINEERING
 Where the ethical issues can arise:
– Conceptualization, Design, Testing,
Manufacturing, Sales, Service
– Supervision and Project Teams
• Project timelines and budgets
• Expectations, opinions, or judgments
– Products: Unsafe or Less than Useful
• Designed for obsolescence
• Inferior materials or components
• Unforeseen harmful effects to society
ETHICS & ENGINEERING
 Other fields where ethics are critical
– Medical Ethics
– Legal Ethics
– Business Ethics (closest to Engineering Ethics)
– Scientific Ethics

 An “applied ethics” domain (rather than a theoretical


analysis of philosophy)

 Engineering occurs at the confluence of technology,


social science, and business
– Engineering is done by people and for people
– Engineers’ decisions have a impact on all three areas in the
confluence
– The public nature of an engineer’s work ensures that ethics
will always play a role
ETHICS & ENGINEERING
 Impacts of an engineer’s ethical decisions:
– The Products & Services (safety and utility)
– The Company and its Stockholders
– The Public and Society (benefits to the people)
– Environment (Earth and beyond)
– The Profession (how the public views it)
– The Law (how legislation affects the profession and
industry)
– Personal Position (job, internal moral conflict)

 Typically, good ethical decisions…


– …may be just that: “good,” but rarely “great” or “ideal”
– …will not always be in the best interest (irrespective of the
timeline) of all stakeholders
– …are not automatic but require thought, consideration,
evaluation, and communication (much like the “design
process”)
WHY STUDY “Engineering
Ethics”?
1. Moral Awareness
2. Cogent Moral Reasoning
3. Moral Coherence
4. Moral Imagination
5. Moral Communication
6. Moral Reasonableness
7. Respect for people
8. Tolerance of diversity
9. Moral Hope
10. Integrity
ETHICS, MORALS and LAW
 Morals Classification of Actions:
– Principles of right Unethical
and wrong
 Ethical
Ethics
– A set of moral
principles guiding Legal Illegal
behavior and
action
 Laws
– Binding codes of
conduct; formally
recognized and Unethical Ethical but
but Legal Illegal
enforced
– Company
Policies
Assignment
1) As a student, what potential
issues in ethics have you seen
occurring in your own home?,
2) As a student, what potential
issues in ethics have you seen
occurring in school?
3)As a student, what potential
issues in ethics have you seen
occurring in the country?
4) What issues have you considered to tackle
ethical concerns? Why do you think so? How
did you deal in this situation?

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