BME / IHE 6010 Academic Engineering Integrity Engineering Ethics Dave Kender December 25, 2020

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BME / IHE 6010Academic Engineering
IntegrityEngineering Ethics Dave Kender
December 25, 2020
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General Definition of Ethics

• The study of the characteristics of morals.
• The study of the moral choices made by each
  person in his or her relationships with other
  persons.

Reference Engineering Ethics by Fleddermann
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Personal vs. Professional Ethics

• Personal Ethics
• Deals with how we treat others in our day-to-day
  lives.
• Business/Professional Ethics
• Involves choices regarding relationships between
  organizations and other organizations,
  government, and groups of individuals.
• The complexity of these relationships often pose
  dilemmas not encountered in personal ethics.

Reference Engineering Ethics by Fleddermann
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Engineering Ethics

• The rules and standards which govern the conduct
  of engineers in their role as professionals.
• Engineering ethics are similar to general ethics,
  but apply to the specific issues which affect
  engineering professionals.
• Decisions made by engineers can impact public
  health, safety, business practices and politics
  and as a result engineers must be aware of moral
  implications as they make decisions in the
  workplace.

Reference Engineering Ethics by Fleddermann
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Why study engineering ethics?

• There is an increased awareness of its importance
  to engineers due to publicity surrounding recent
  high profile engineering failures
• Decisions made by engineers can impact public
  health, safety, business practices and politics
• Engineers should be aware of moral implications
  as they make decisions in the workplace

Reference Engineering Ethics by Fleddermann
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Why study engineering ethics?continued

• Ethical problems in engineering are often complex
  and involve conflicting ethical principles.
  Engineers must be able to intelligent resolve
  these conflicts and reach a defensible decision
• The study of ethics can help engineers to develop
  a moral autonomy
• The ability to think critically and independently
  about moral issues
• The ability to apply this moral thinking to
  situations that arise in the course of
  professional engineering practice

Reference Engineering Ethics by Fleddermann
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Engineering Ethics

• Standards, Rules, Guidelines
• Moral or Socially Approved Conduct
• Honesty, Truthfulness, Trustworthiness
• Acting in the best interest of society
• Ethical Standards exist independently -
• accessible to all rational thinkers
• Codification merely summarizes, rather than
  defines
• Applies only to conduct that has significant
  impact

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Ethics vs. Legalities

• Legal Standards are defined in legal documents by
  a properly appointed body. Legal documents and
  legal experts determine what the law is and who
  must obey the law.
• Ethical Standards are assumed to exist
  independently of any sanctioning body and are
  apparent to rationale thinking. Written forms of
  the standards merely describe the pre-existing
  standards rather than define their very nature.
• Ethical standards always supersede legal
  standards.

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NCEES Model Rules of Professional Conduct

• Preamble -
• Safeguard life, health, and property
• Promote the public welfare
• Maintain high standards of integrity and
  practice
• Issues -
• Registration is a privilege not a right
• Fair competition and avoid of conflict of
  interest
• Rules -
• Obligations to Society, Employers / Clients,
  other Engineers

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Professional Engineering Web Resources

• http//www.cs.wright.edu/dkender/ihe6010/engineer
  ing.htm