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Engineering as a Profession

Engineering as a Profession
Profession
a. An occupation requiring training and specialized study.
b. The body of qualified persons in an occupation or field.
In a broad sense, any kind of occupation that provides a
means by which to earn a living is a profession.
In the sense intended for our course, however, there are
criteria for an occupation to be considered as a profession.
1. Advanced expertise.
2. Self-regulation.
3. Concerted service to the public good.

Engineering as a Profession
Requirements:
1. Advance expertise
a. Sophisticated skills (Knowing-how)
b. Theoretical knowledge (Knowing-that)
c. Continuing education (Update of knowledge)
2. Self-regulation
a. Public and the government representation (Organization)
b. Set of standards for admission to the profession (Quality
not quantity)
c. Professional code (Code of Ethics)
2. Concerted service to the public good
a. The occupation serves important aspect of the public
good(Mission)
b. Maintain high ethical standards in practice of the
profession (Concerted effort)

Engineering as a Profession
Issue
Exactly how these criteria (for an occupation to be considered as a
profession) are understood and applied involves judgments about
value standards. Because there are innumerable forms of work or
occupations which contribute to the public good (like hair cutting
and garbage collection) but does not meet these set of criteria.
Indeed, some critics argue that this is an elitist attempt and a
discrimination to distinguish professions from other forms of work.

How will you reply to this criticism?

Engineering as a Profession

Issue
In reply, we agree that these forms of work (like garbage
collection and hair-cutting) are valuable and professionalism
should not be primarily about social status.
Nevertheless, concerted efforts to maintain high standards of
moral responsibility, together with a sophisticated level of
required skill and the requisite autonomy to do so, warrants the
recognition traditionally associated with the word profession.

Comments?

Importance of Engineering Ethics

Importance of Engineering Ethics

Why do I need to take a course in


Engineering Ethics?
I am an ethical person.

Importance of Engineering Ethics


Why?
Because,
Engineering Ethics
is not the same as Personal Ethics

Importance of Engineering Ethics


Different types of moral standards involved in the study of
Engineering ethics.
1. Common Morality
2. Personal Morality
3. Professional Ethics.
Common Morality
The dominant set of moral ideas in our culture, based
historically on Christian morality.
There are Two Levels:
a. First order
Principles and judgements about what is right
and wrong in our culture or society. (Actions)
b. Second order
Principles about how we judge individuals (People
who perform the actions) These are influenced by intention,
voluntary/involuntary, and culpable
(blameworthy)/inculpable ignorance.

Importance of Engineering Ethics


Example of common morality.
(First order)
An action can be wrong (Killing) but an individual might
not be blameworthy, because the individual:
(Second order)
1) was forced to do it.
2) believed the action was right.
3) did not intend to do it.

Importance of Engineering Ethics


Example of common morality.

What is the Golden Rule?

Importance of Engineering Ethics


Personal Morality
Usually this is closely related to Common Morality but
may differ especially in controversial areas. You may think
Euthanasia is okay even though common morality says (or
has said) it is wrong.

Who thinks Euthanasia is Okay?

Importance of Engineering Ethics


Professional Ethics (Code of Ethics)
1. Professional Ethics are governed by impersonal
standards that are created by their profession, stated in
codes, and enforced by law.
2. Professional standards are supposed to enable engineers
to better serve the public.
3. These standards are applied to all engineers regardless
of their personal morality.
4. Requires a degree of separation (distance) from the
client. One relates to them as a professional, not a person.
5. Apply equally to all engineers so the client can count of
the engineer to provide ethically responsible service, even
if the client has no prior knowledge of the engineer.

Importance of Engineering Ethics


Engineering Ethics
1. Focuses on behavior.
2. Allows individuals to accommodate their own personal
values to some extent. One can refuse services if it violates
personal values.
3. Are not independent of common morality.
Moral skills related to engineering ethics.
1. Moral awareness (Recognizing potential moral problem)
2. Moral reasoning (Clarifying and assessing on moral
issues)
3. Moral coherence (Forming consistent viewpoint based on
facts)
4. Moral imagination (Finding alternative solutions to moral
issues)
5. Moral communication (Use of common ethical language)
6. Respect for persons (Genuine concern for others as well
as oneself)
7. Tolerance of diversity (Respect for differences in moral

Ethics and Excellence in Engineering

Ethics and Excellence in Engineering


Standards of Excellence in Engineering Projects.
1. Technical skill
2. Moral Skill
These two always need to go together for the most important
part of the project and in the long run.
Dimensions of Engineering Projects
Let us gain a more detailed understanding of moral
complexity in engineering projects.
3. Initiation of task (Idea, Request, Demand)
4. Design (Goals, Performance specs., Analysis)
5. Manufacture (Scheduling, Purchasing, Fabrication,
Assembly, Q.C.)
6. Implementation (Sales, Shipping, installation, Maintenance,
environmental effects)
7. Final task (Rebuilding, Recycling, Proper waste disposal)
Engineers always encounter both moral and technical
problems from mental concept to physical completion.

Example: IEEE Code of Ethics


IEEE: Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers
Professional organization for EEs, CMPEs, CS professionals
Code of ethics established in Feb. 2006
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:
1. to accept responsibility in making decisions consistent
with the safety, health and welfare of the public, and to
disclose promptly factors that might endanger the public
or the environment;
2. to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest whenever
possible, and to disclose them to affected parties when
they do exist
3. to be honest and realistic in stating claims or estimates
based on available data;
4. to reject bribery in all its forms;
5. to improve the understanding of technology, its
appropriate application, and potential consequences;
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 pertinent limitations;
7. to seek, accept, and offer honest criticism of technical
work, to acknowledge and correct errors, and to credit
properly the contributions of others;
8. to treat fairly all persons regardless of such factors as
race, religion, gender, disability, age, or national origin;
9. to avoid injuring others, their property, reputation, or
employment by false or malicious action;
10. to assist colleagues and co-workers in their
professional development and to support them in
following this code of ethics.

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