Introduction To Engineering And Ethics Lecture 1 PDF

Lecture1 Professional Responsibility & Ethical Dilemmas 1400111011 Introduction to Engineering and Ethics Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç What is a profession? In the Middle Ages, "profession" was associated with a monk's public...

Lecture1 Professional Responsibility & Ethical Dilemmas 1400111011 Introduction to Engineering and Ethics Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç What is a profession? In the Middle Ages, "profession" was associated with a monk's public declaration of a way of life that carried strict moral requirements. By the late seventeenth century, the term had been secularized to apply to those who professed to be duly qualified to perform certain services of value to others. Three approaches to professionalism: Sociological account Social contract account Philosopher Michael Davis’s account 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  What is a profession? Sociological account: Characteristics especially associated with professionalism defines what «profession» is. Social contract account: Professionals have an implicit agreement with the public. On the one hand, professionals agree to attain a high degree of professional expertise, to provide competent service to the public, and to regulate their conduct by ethical standards. On the other hand, the public agrees to allow professionals to enjoy above- average wages, to have social recognition and prestige, and to have a considerable degree of freedom to regulate themselves. Michael Davis’s account: A profession is a number of individuals in the same occupation voluntarily organized to earn a living by openly serving a moral ideal in a morally permissible way beyond what law, market, morality, and public opinion would otherwise require. 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç Three stages in the development of professional identity Independent Operator: Professionalism is meeting fixed and clearly defined guidelines and expectations that are external to one’s character. Team-Oriented Idealist: Rather than identifying professionalism with fixed rules and behaviors, professionalism is seen as conforming to the expectations of other professionals, especially of the exemplary type. Self-Defining or Integrated Professional: Rather than identifying professionalism with external expectations of one’s peers, one has integrated his personal values with those of his profession. Professional values are a part of who one is. This stage is often not fully achieved until mid-life. 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  Registration of Engineers The engineering profession does not have complete control over the practice of engineering, because, in some countries, such as the United States, one does not have to be a registered professional engineer (PE) in order to practice engineering. In fact, in the United States, only about one-third of engineers are registered with their state licensing boards. While engineers who work in business and public organizations may not be as autonomous as lawyers or doctors who have their own practice, they probably have more autonomy than most nonprofessionals. Engineers, like other professionals, have ethical codes that are supposed to regulate their conduct for the public good. 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  The Primacy of the Public Good In addition to not requiring registration, engineering has another feature that differentiates it from most of the other major professions: the clear primacy of the obligation to the good of the public, as opposed to the good of employers, clients, and patients. Model Rules of Professional Conduct of the American Bar Association: «A lawyer, as a member of the legal profession, is a representative of clients, an officer of the legal system, and a public citizen having special responsibility for the quality of justice.» Code of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants Responsibility to the «public» but goes on to list «clients» as the first member of the public, along with «credit grantors, governments, employees, investors, the business and financial community, and others....» Code of Medical Ethics of the American Medical Association: «…developed primarily for the benefit of the patient.», «…the physician must hold responsibility to patients foremost, as well as to society, other health professionals" 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  The Primacy of the Public Good The 1828 charter that established the Institution of Civil Engineers in the United Kingdom defines engineering as «The art of directing the great sources of power in nature for the use and convenience of man.» The first canon of the 1912 code of the American Institute of Electrical Engineers says that «Engineers should consider the protection of a client’s or employer’s interests his first professional obligation.» The first canon of the 1963 code of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers: «An engineer should serve with devotion his employer, his clients and the public.» (Note here that employers and clients appear to take first place) Fundamental Canons of the code of the National Society of Professional Engineers (NSPE): «Engineers shall at all times recognize that their primary obligation is to protect the safety, health, property and welfare of the public. If their professional judgment is overruled, under circumstances where the safety, health, property, or welfare of the public are endangered, they shall notify their employer or client, and such other authority as maybe appropriate.» 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  The Primacy of the Public Good The 2004 general assembly decision of Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) : «Engineers and Architects; accept the use of science and technology for the benefit of humanity and in a way that preserves the natural balance as the basic principle of their profession.» Social Responsibilities; «Engineers and Architects develop relationships by respecting human rights, peace, democracy and society.» «Engineers and Architects carry out their services within this understanding by striving to protect a multicultural structure and develop cultural richness without discriminating based on religion, language, race, any kind of belief, gender difference or geographical distinction.» «They support behaviors that will develop the healthy development of society by prioritizing the environment. For this purpose, they prioritize the healthy development of the natural and social environment.» Responsibilities Towards Nature and the Environment; «...Engineers and Architects consider it a responsibility to develop behaviors by accepting the survival of the earth with future generations, other living beings and living organisms as a right and value.» 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  The Primacy of the Public Good The 2004 general assembly decision of Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) : «Engineers and Architects, 1. They use their professional knowledge, skills and experience for the common interests of society; the protection of universal human achievements and cultural heritage and the development of human welfare. The responsibility they feel for the health, safety and welfare of society always takes precedence over their own personal interests, the interests of their colleagues or the interests of the community of architects and engineers. 2. If they conclude that the work requested from them will pose a serious danger to society and the environment and if their professional judgments on this matter are not taken into consideration by the employer or the client, they shall notify their opinions in writing to the employer or the client; if they cannot obtain a result, they shall inform the professional organizations and, when necessary, the competent authorities and the public. 3. They shall explain their opinions and reports on technical issues of interest to society in a correct, complete and objective manner, having researched and examined the subject thoroughly and appropriately, and having been equipped with sufficient information and data, leaving aside commercial and personal concerns. 4. They shall take the necessary measures to protect the health of workers and ensure occupational safety in workplaces and inform employees in workplaces about these issues. 5. They treat everyone in society, including their employers, customers, and colleagues, fairly, honestly, and in good faith. 6. They strive to ensure that the society understands technology, its appropriate use, and its potential results to increase the country's technological and engineering talent. 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  The Primacy of the Public Good The 2004 general assembly decision of Union of Chambers of Turkish Engineers and Architects (TMMOB) Responsibilities to the Employer and the Client; Engineers and Architects, 1. Always act as a reliable employee or representative or consultant in their professional exchanges on technical issues with the employer/client and work at a suitable and proper level of work, using their professional skills and experience to the fullest, for the benefit of the employer/client, without endangering the welfare, health, and safety of society. 2. They do not accept any gift, money, service, or job offer, directly or indirectly, that will affect their business relationships with their employers or clients; they do not offer it to others, and they do not make political donations in order to improve their professional relationships. 3. They do not disclose the commercial and technological secrets of the employer/client to others without permission and do not use them for their personal interests. 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  Potential Moral Problems Lack of vision; Positivity bias; The form of tunnel vision biased toward traditional pursuits The notion that there are safety engineers somewhere down overlooks suitable alternatives, and in the form of groupthink the line to catch potential problems. promotes acceptance at the expense of critical thinking. Unwariness; Incompetence; Improper use or disposal of the product by an unwary owner or Incompetence among engineers carrying out technical tasks. user. Poor management; Dishonesty and pressure by management; Lack of time or lack of proper materials Taking shortcuts. Silo mentality; Inattention; Keeping information compartmentalized rather than sharing Not monitoring a product’s performance after it is sold and across different departments. when in use. 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  Why Study Engineering Ethics? Moral awareness: Moral reasonableness: Proficiency in recognizing moral problems and issues in engineering The willingness and ability to be morally reasonable Cogent moral reasoning: Respect for persons: Comprehending, clarifying, and assessing arguments on opposing Genuine concern for the well-being of others as well as oneself sides of moral issues Moral coherence: Tolerance of diversity: Forming consistent and comprehensive viewpoints based on Within a broad range, respect for ethnic and religious differences consideration of relevant facts and acceptance of reasonable differences in moral perspectives Moral imagination: Moral hope: Discerning alternative responses to moral issues and finding creative Enriched appreciation of the possibilities of using rational dialogue in solutions for practical difficulties resolving moral conflicts Moral communication: Integrity: Precision in the use of a common ethical language, a skill needed to Maintaining moral integrity and integrating one’s professional life express and support one’s moral views adequately to others and personal convictions 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç Professional Responsibility & Ethical Dilemmas A person’s profession is a part of their personal identity. Engineering is a profession, although the absence in a jurisdiction of a requirement for registration in order to practice engineering weakens its Professional status in that jurisdiction. Engineering codes and other statements from leaders of the engineering profession impose on engineers an obligation to promote the public good, sometimes interpreted as well-being and also as welfare or quality of life. Promoting the well-being of the public includes not engaging in professionally prohibited actions, preventing harm to the public, and actively promoting the public’s well-being. In designing for well-being, engineers must keep in mind the social context of engineering and technology, and the need for a critical attitude toward technology. 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç