Engineering Ethics Chapter 1 PDF
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UAEU College of Engineering, United Arab Emirates University
2021
Omar Alkhatib, Mohammed Hamadan, Jon, Mohammed Esmaail Shakfah
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This document is a chapter on engineering ethics. It is part of a course at the UAEU College of Engineering. The chapter covers several topics on engineering ethics, such as morals, ethics, legal issues, virtues, accountability, responsibility, professional obligations and other considerations. It also includes several case studies regarding real-world scenarios.
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Engineering Ethics Chapter 1 Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hamadan 1 and Jon, Modified by Mohammed Esmaail Shakfah Spring 2021 Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 ed Esmaail Shakfah Contents 1....
Engineering Ethics Chapter 1 Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hamadan 1 and Jon, Modified by Mohammed Esmaail Shakfah Spring 2021 Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 ed Esmaail Shakfah Contents 1.1 Scope of Engineering Ethics 1.2 Accepting and Sharing Responsibility 1.3 Responsible Professionals and Ethical Corporation Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 2 ed Esmaail Shakfah Ethics Vocabulary Morals Professionalism Ethics Honesty Legal Integrity Virtue Courage Accountability Self-Respect Responsibility Character Obligation Ideals Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 3 ed Esmaail Shakfah Ethics Vocabulary Morals: Concerns the goodness of voluntary human conduct that affects the self or other living things” Human Behavior” Morals: (Latin mores) usually refers to any aspect of human action. Morality: Standards or principles derived from society or person about the right or wrong, Or it can define also as synonymous with "goodness" or "rightness". It concerns respect of persons, both others and ourselves. It involves being fair and just, meeting obligations and respecting rights Moral Framework: (Normative) An ethical framework is a set of codes that an individual 0r society uses to guide his or her behavior “Ex. Personal value, society believe” Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 4 ed Esmaail Shakfah Ethics Vocabulary Ethics (Greek ethos) commonly refers only to professional behavior. It studies which actions, goals, principles, policies and lows are morally justified. Ethical Framework: (Descriptive) An ethical framework is a set of professional guidelines “Ex: Code of Ethics, Company polices, Company Values” uses to guide professional behavior Value: The personal beliefs on what right or wrong on our action and between each other Ethical or Moral Issue: a working definition of an issue of moral or ethical concern is presented as any issue with the potential to help or harm anyone, including oneself, set to evaluate or solve several actions as right or wrong, ethical or unethical. Ethical Responsibility: The ability to recognize, do obligation, interpret and act upon multiple principles and values according to the standards within a given field “Laws, Duties, and regulation set” Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 5 ed Esmaail Shakfah Ethics Vocabulary Legal: Set of rules or action “Law” by the government or country. Classification of Actions: Morals Unethical Principles of right and wrong Ethical Ethics A set of moral principles guiding Legal Illegal behavior and action Legal Binding codes of conduct; formally recognized and enforced Unethical Ethical but Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modifiedbut by Mohamm Legal Illegal 01/15/2025 6 ed Esmaail Shakfah Example Which one of the following examples consider as Moral/ Immoral, Ethical/ Unethical, Legal/ Illegal: Respecting parents Respecting collogues in the work Honesty Smoking inside the Airplane Smoking inside your company Smoking in an open area near to your house Your boss asks you to throw unharmful chemical material in the desert Produce a product with side effect while using Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 7 ed Esmaail Shakfah Scope of Engineering Ethics Seven Themes Should be explain in detail to understand Scope of Engineering Ethics : 1. Engineering projects are social experiments that generate both new possibilities and risks, and engineers share responsibility for creating benefits, preventing harm, and pointing out dangers. 2. Moral values permeate all aspects of technological development, and hence ethics and excellence in engineering go together. 3. Personal meaning and commitments matter in engineering ethics, along with principles of responsibility that are stated in codes of ethics and are incumbent on all engineers. 4. Promoting responsible conduct is even more important than punishing wrong-doing. 5. Ethical dilemmas arise in engineering, as elsewhere, because moral values are myriad and can conflict. 6. Engineering ethics should explore both micro and macro issues, which are often connected. 7. Technological development warrants cautious optimism—optimism, with caution Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 8 ed Esmaail Shakfah 1- Engineering As Social Experimentation Engineering projects are social experiments that generate both new possibilities and risks, to prevent risks: Engineers share responsibility for creating benefits, Engineers must prevent harm, Engineers must point out dangers. Preventive Ethics Engineers must expect all possible risks and hazards Engineers must put people life into consideration Engineers must monitor any project done Engineers must always be ready for any alert or danger Case Study: Space Shuttle Columbia disaster 2003 Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 9 ed Esmaail Shakfah Space Shuttle Columbia disaster The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster was a fatal incident in the United States space program that occurred on February 1, 2003 Killed 7 astronauts Happened because of insulation foams foam from the fuel tank Ethical issue: similar incident happened before with Challenger disaster in January 1986 and no extra evaluation done. Moral issues be ignored like escape plan “Exit”, Safety, and life of people Ethical issues be ignored like Full evaluation for the joint, engineers' action. Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 10 ed Esmaail Shakfah 2- Ethics and Excellence: Moral Values are Embedded in Engineering Moral values are embedded at several stages in engineering projects, including: The basic standards of safety and efficiency The structure of technological corporations as communities of people engaged in shared activities The character of engineers who spearhead technological progress The very idea of engineering as a profession that combines advanced skill with commitment to the public good. Case Study: Students in a freshman course at Harvey Mudd College, “Design a chicken coop that would increase egg and chicken production” Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 11 ed Esmaail Shakfah Design a chicken coop that would increase egg and chicken production Student find themselves : They had to create safe access for the villagers They had to ensure humane conditions for the chickens They must find way for protection from local predators that could dig under fences In engineering, ethics involves Much more than problems and punishment, duties and dilemmas. Ethics involves the full range of moral values in structuring our relationships and communities. the ancient Greeks, “arete” translates into English as either “excellence” or as “virtue.” Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 12 ed Esmaail Shakfah Moral or Ethical Dilemmas Situations in which two or more moral obligations, duties, rights, or ideals come into conflict. Situations in which moral reasons come into conflicts, or in which the application of moral values is problematic, and it is not immediately obvious what should be done. Conflicting demands: Loyalty to company and colleagues Concern for public welfare Personal gain, ambition Ethical standards are usually relative and personal, there is seldom an absolute standard Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 13 ed Esmaail Shakfah 3- Personal Commitment and meaning Personal Commitment includes: All engineering is about people as well as products All engineers are required to meet the responsibilities specified in their code of ethics. The personal commitments of individual engineers need to be aimed at and integrated with these shared responsibilities. Case Study: Artificial lung Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 14 ed Esmaail Shakfah Artificial Lung A team of engineers are redesigning an artificial lung marketed by their company. They are working in a highly competitive market, with long hours and high stress without any contact with customers. Change in mode by family's thanks and saving life The workers were energized by concrete evidence that their efforts Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 15 ed Esmaail Shakfah 4- Promoting Responsible Conduct and Preventing Wrongdoing Individual should be: Comply to Professional Standards and Avoid wrongdoing. There is a need for what we have referred to as “preventive ethics”, at preventing moral harm and unnecessary ethical problems. “Prevent wrongdoing.” The main emphasis in ethics should be supporting responsible conduct. Wild majority of engineers are morally committed. Underlining the connection between ethics and excellence Individuals and corporations should primarily be “value-driven,” rather than simply concerned with “compliance-based” procedures, to refer terms used in management theory Case Study: Enron scandal, 2001 Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 16 ed Esmaail Shakfah Enron scandal Enron became the largest bankruptcy in U.S. history, erasing about $60 billion in shareholder value. Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 17 ed Esmaail Shakfah 5- Myriad Moral Reasons Generate Ethical Dilemmas The moral reasons might be obligations, rights, goods, ideals, or other moral considerations. Moral values are myriad, and they can come into conflict, requiring good judgment about how to reconcile and integrate them. This could be solved by 1. Code of Ethics 2. Ethical / Moral theories Case Study: Manufacturing Chemical Product Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 18 ed Esmaail Shakfah 6- Micro and Macro Issues Micro Ethical Issues: Concern the decision made by individuals and companies. Macro Ethical Issues: Concern more global issues, such as The directions in technological development The laws that should or should not be passed The collective responsibilities of groups such as engineering professional societies and consumer groups Case Study: Ford explorer and Bridgestone/Firestone Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 19 ed Esmaail Shakfah Ford explorer and Bridgestone/Firestone 1990, 2002 Debates/argument about sport utility vehicle (SUVs), 300 people had died, and thousands were injured. Ford, Bridgestone/Firestone blamed each Other and led to breakup. As a result, hazard has multiple sources. Micro issues arose, concerning the Ford explorer and Bridgestone/Firestone who provided tires for Explorer that separated from others and has led to blowout. Poor quality control at a major manufacturing facility. Macro in the most harmful vehicle on the road SUV, (instability, reducing vision of drivers, gas-guzzling and Excessive Pollution) Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 20 ed Esmaail Shakfah 7- Cautious Optimism About Technology Technology: Improve our life but increase risk. Ethically: Technology can be used widely, but carful about Safety Environment Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 21 ed Esmaail Shakfah Engineering Ethics Ethics is the study of morality. It studies which actions, goals, principles, policies, and laws are morally justified Engineering Ethics is the study of the decisions, policies and the values that are morally desirable in engineering practice and research. One descriptive sense, referring thereby to what specific individuals or groups believe and how they act, without implying that their beliefs and actions are justified. Another descriptive sense, social scientists study ethics when they describe and explain what people believe and how they act; written by professional societies. In its normative senses, “engineering ethics” is about Morality, right and wrong, good and bad, values and what ought to be done. Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 22 ed Esmaail Shakfah Why We Study Engineering Ethics It is important for contributing to safe and useful technological product and to engineers’ endeavor. It is complex that call for serious reflection throughout a profession. To responsibly confront moral issues raised by technological activity and to recognize and resolve moral dilemmas. To achieve moral autonomy. Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 23 ed Esmaail Shakfah Moral Autonomy Autonomy means “self-determining” or “independent Autonomous individuals think for themselves and do not assume that customs are always right. They seek to reason and live by general principles. Their motivation is to do what is morally reasonable for its own sake, maintaining integrity, self-respect, and respect for others. Moral autonomy can be viewed as the skill and habit of thinking rationally about ethical issues on the basis of moral concern Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 24 ed Esmaail Shakfah Practice and Skill to improve, Autonomy 1.Moral awareness: Proficiency in recognizing moral problems and issues in engineering. 2.Cogent moral reasoning: Knowing, clarifying, and assessing arguments on opposing sides of moral issues. 3.Moral coherence: Forming consistent and comprehensive viewpoints based upon a consideration of relevant facts. 4.Moral imagination: Sensitive alternative responses to moral issues and receptivity to creative solutions for practical difficulties. 5.Moral communication: Precision in the use of a common ethical language, a skill needed to express and support one’s moral views effectively to others Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 25 ed Esmaail Shakfah Practice and Skill to improve, Autonomy, Goals “Practical Skills” 6.Moral reasonableness: The willingness and ability to be morally reasonable. 7.Respect for persons: Genuine concern for the well-being of others as well as oneself 8.Tolerance of diversity: Within a broad range, respect for ethnic and religious differences, and acceptance of reasonable differences in moral perspectives. 9.Moral hope: Improved appreciation of the possibilities of using rational dialogue in resolving moral conflicts. 10.Integrity: Maintaining moral integrity Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 26 ed Esmaail Shakfah Accepting and Sharing Responsibility The Engineering It is a great profession, but: The Engineer cannot hide his mistakes in the grave like the doctors. The engineer simply cannot deny that he did it. The products of engineering are “out in the open”. Case Study: Saving Citicorp Tower Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 27 ed Esmaail Shakfah Citicorp Tower In 1972 well design building Citicorp design with huge columns and church in the corner under the building design by LeMessurier. 1977 Group of Master Students ask for welded connections and wind load Direction calculation for the wind load ignoring 16 years diagonal wind load that may collapse the building Shocking moments, Contractor change welding to bolts connection Fixing required mostly 2M $ for welding and done in night after building empty Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 28 ed Esmaail Shakfah Citicorp Tower Ethical Issue 1. Analysis of wind loads. Check all calculations and not rely just on building codes; these set minimum requirements and not the state of the art. 2. Design changes. In this case change from welded to bolted connections. Changes are considered in the overall design context and by everyone involved and not a spur of the moment decision. 3. Professional responsibility. To follow the codes of conduct for every chartered institution. LeMessurier did not consider the public safety first. 4. Public statements. In this case the public statements issued by LeMessurier and Citigroup set out to mislead the public deliberately. 5. Public safety. The public statement denied the public the right to ensure their own safety and to make their own critical decisions. 6. Advancement of professional knowledge. Concealing this problem for almost 20 years prevented ethical and engineering learning that could have taken place. Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 29 ed Esmaail Shakfah Sense of Responsibility includes Obligation Incumbent and role responsibility Types of actions that are morally mandatory. Some are: Incumbent on each of us. (e.g. to be honest, fair and decent). Role responsibilities such are parents, employees, or professionals. (e.g. safety engineering making regular inspection) Accountable Means being responsible. Means having the general capacities for moral agency, including the capacities for moral agency, including the capacity to understand and act on moral reasons. Means being answerable for meeting particular obligations. Example: being careful engineer Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 30 ed Esmaail Shakfah Sense of Responsibility includes Conscientious, Integrity (virtue) Morally admirable engineer who accept their obligations and are conscience in meeting them Blameworthy/Praiseworthy When it is clear the responsibility of wrongdoing becomes synonym for blameworthy or responsibility of right conduct is synonym for praiseworthy. Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 31 ed Esmaail Shakfah Number of Responsibility Engineer Should do Moral Causal consists simply in being a cause of some event Job consists of one’s assigned tasks at the place of employment Legal whatever the law requires including legal obligations and accountability for meeting them Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 32 ed Esmaail Shakfah Dimension of Engineering The sequence of tasks that leads from the concept of a product to its design, manufacture, sale, use, and ultimate disposal Iterative process, with some of the possible recursive steps indicated by the thin lines and arrows on either side of figure 1-2 Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 33 ed Esmaail Shakfah Dimension of Engineering The underlying failing causes can have different forms. Lack of vision just follow traditional vision. Incompetence among engineers carrying out technical tasks. Lack of time and poor management. A silo mentality that keeps information rather than shared. The notion that there are safety engineers somewhere down the line to catch potential problems. improper use or disposal of the product. Dishonesty pressure by management to take shortcuts. Inattention to how the product is performing after it is sold and when in use. Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 34 ed Esmaail Shakfah Dimension of Engineerin g Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 35 ed Esmaail Shakfah Responsible Professionals and Ethical Corporation Advanced Self- expertise regulation Public good Possesses Serves an specialized Belongs to and abides by the important aspect knowledge and of the public good skills standards of a society Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 36 ed Esmaail Shakfah What Are Professions? a profession is any occupation that provides a means by which to earn a living. Profession are those form of work involve: 1. Advanced expertise. Professions require complex skills (“knowing-how”) and theoretical knowledge (“knowing-that”). This requires technical studies as well as broader studies and continuing education and updating knowledge are also required. 2. Self-regulation. Well-established societies of professionals are allowed by the public to play a major role in setting, standards for admission to the profession, drafting codes of ethics, enforcing standards of conduct, a representing the profession before the public and the government. Often this is referred to as the “autonomy of the profession,” 3. Public good. The occupation serves some important public good, or aspect of the public good, and it does so by making a concerted effort by profession. Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 37 ed Esmaail Shakfah Morally Committed Corporations Companies place a high priority on concern for worthwhile products and ethical procedures. Larger corporations characterized by more intense competition and profit-making pressures face a greater challenge in maintaining an ethical climate. But many of them are finding ways to deal with these pressures. Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 38 ed Esmaail Shakfah Social Responsibility Movement Raised attention to product quality, the well-being of workers, the wider community, and the environment. The movement is reflected in what is called “stakeholder theory” Corporations have responsibilities to all groups that have a vital stake in the corporation, including employees, customers, dealers, suppliers, local communities, and the general public In order to ensure the confluence of good engineering, good business, and good ethics, it is essential for engineering and corporations, in their major dimensions, to be “morally aligned.” Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 39 ed Esmaail Shakfah Senses of Corporate Responsibility All the senses we distinguished in connection with individuals also apply to corporations: 1. Responsibilities (obligations). corporations have internal structures consisting of policy manuals and flowcharts assigning responsibilities to individuals. 2. Accountable for meeting their obligations, so corporations are accountable to the general public, to their employees and customers, and to their stockholders. 3. Virtue of responsibility it makes sense to ascribe virtues such as honesty, fairness, and public spiritedness to certain corporations and not to others. 4. Wrongdoing or blameworthy/praiseworthy Causal responsibility, which consists simply in being a cause of some event. Prepared Legal responsibility, which by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, is simply what Dr. Mohammed the Hmadan andlaw Jon,requires. Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 40 ed Esmaail Shakfah Quiz Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 41 ed Esmaail Shakfah Quiz Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 42 ed Esmaail Shakfah Quiz Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 43 ed Esmaail Shakfah Quiz Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 44 ed Esmaail Shakfah Quiz Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 45 ed Esmaail Shakfah Quiz Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 46 ed Esmaail Shakfah Backup Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 47 ed Esmaail Shakfah Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 48 ed Esmaail Shakfah Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 49 ed Esmaail Shakfah Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 50 ed Esmaail Shakfah Prepared by Dr. Omar Alkhatib, Dr. Mohammed Hmadan and Jon, Modified by Mohamm 01/15/2025 51 ed Esmaail Shakfah