Introduction to Engineering and Ethics Lecture 3 PDF

Lecture3 Moral Frameworks& EthicalTheories 1400111011 Introduction to Engineering and Ethics Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  Moral Frameworks & Ethical Theories What are sometimes called moral theories or approaches to moral thinking ar...

Lecture3 Moral Frameworks& EthicalTheories 1400111011 Introduction to Engineering and Ethics Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  Moral Frameworks & Ethical Theories What are sometimes called moral theories or approaches to moral thinking are attempts to identify the fundamental idea(s) in common morality. They are not always necessary for resolving a moral problem, but, when they are, it is better to use more than one approach. The utilitarian approach finds the fundamental idea of common morality to be the imperative to maximize overall well-being. The respect for persons (RP) approach finds the basic idea of common morality to be the imperative to act so as to respect humans as free and equal moral agents. There are several ways of applying the RP approach. The virtue ethics approach finds the basic idea of common morality to be the imperative to act in the way the virtuous person would act. It supplies concepts for understanding moral motivation and development and gives guidance when moral and professional rules provide insufficient direction. 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç Moral Frameworks & Ethical Theories In 1993, it was publicly revealed that Germany's Heidelberg University had in the past used more than 200 cadavers, including those of 8 children, in automobile crash tests. Is it really the case that important factual information that will save lives can only be gained from crash testing with cadavers? It may be difficult or even impossible to determine with certainty whether using information from testing cadavers produces a significant decrease in accidents, as opposed to using information from other sources, such as computer simulations or testing with dummies Suppose there is simply no way to confirm or deny the claim that cadaver testing results in a higher level of safety. How shall we decide what to do? If you begin by thinking about respecting cadavers you seem to come to one conclusion and that if you think about the lives that might be saved by using the cadavers in crash tests, you come to another conclusion. Both the value of promoting the public good (a utilitarian approach) and the value of protecting the dignity of cadavers (an RP approach) are important and widely accepted ways of moral thinking. Both the utilitarian and RP approaches are necessary in order to understand the moral considerations underlying the controversy. 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  Moral Frameworks & Ethical Theories The Utilitarian Approach: «We should maximize overall well-being of the audiance.» Audiance: the population over which well-being is maximized. Ideally, perhaps the audience should include all humans, or at least all humans who might be affected by the action to be evaluated. If we limit the audience so that it includes only our country, company, or community, then we face the criticism that others have been arbitrarily excluded. Therefore, in practice, those with utilitarian sympathies need to develop acceptable ways of limiting the audience. The Cost Benefit Test The Test of Maximizing Good Consequences The Rules and Practices Test 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  Moral Frameworks & Ethical Theories The Respect for Persons Approach: «Act so that you respect all humans as free and equal moral agents» A moral agent must be distinguished from knives or airplanes, which can only fulfill goals or purposes that are imposed upon them from the outside. Inanimate objects cannot evaluate actions from a moral standpoint. A paradigm example of a moral agent is a normal adult human being who, in contrast to inanimate objects, can formulate goals or purposes of his or her own. Such a being is said to have autonomy. From the RP standpoint, maximizing the welfare of the majority, as utilitarianism suggests, must take second place to the goal of respecting the moral agency of all individuals. People may not be killed, deceived, denied their freedom, or otherwise violated simply to bring about a greater total amount of utility. The Golden Rule Test The Self-Defeating Test The Rights Test 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  Moral Frameworks & Ethical Theories The Virtue Ethics Approach: «Act in the way the good or virtuous person would act in the circumstances.» A virtue is usually described as a dispositional trait, that is, a character trait that disposes or inclines a person to do the right thing. A virtuous person exhibits virtue not only in actions but also in emotional reactions, in interests, and in general sensibilities. In order to better understand what a virtue is, virtue ethicists such as Aristotle have found it useful to think of virtues as occupying a middle position (or mean ) between vices. We can think of courage as a middle ground between the vice of cowardice on the one hand and the vice of foolhardiness on the other. The Greek philosopher Aristotle, the first and probably most important virtue ethicist, provided a very short list that includes «courage», «truthfulness», «self-respect», «wittiness», «friendliness», «modesty», and «generosity» or «magnificence». Contemporary psychologists Christopher Peterson and Martin Seligman have surveyed cultures throughout the world and come up with what they believe is a comprehensive list of core virtues and associated character strengths (listed in parentheses in Box 2.16). 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  Moral Frameworks & Ethical Theories Vices are morally undesirable habits or tendencies. Words for specific virtues: competence, honesty, courage, fairness, loyalty, and humility. Words for specific vices: incompetence, dishonesty, cowardice, unfairness, disloyalty, and arrogance. The most comprehensive virtue of engineers is responsible professionalism. This umbrella virtue implies four (overlapping) categories of virtues: public well-being, professional competence, cooperative practices, Aristotle tutoring Alexander and personal integrity. by J. L. G. Ferris, 1895 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  Moral Frameworks & Ethical Theories Public-spritied virtues: are focused on the good of clients and the wider public. The minimum virtue is nonmaleficence, that is, the tendency not to harm others intentionally. Generosity, which means going beyond the minimum requirements in helping others, is shown by engineers who voluntarily give their time, talent, and money to their professional societies and local communities. Finally, justice within corporations, government, and economic practices is an essential virtue in the profession of engineering Profiecenty virtues: are the virtues of mastery of one’s profession, in particular mastery of the technical skills that characterize good engineering practice. Competence: being well prepared for the jobs one undertakes. Diligence: alertness to dangers and careful attention to detail in performing tasks by, for example, avoiding the deficiency of laziness and the excess of the workaholic. Creativity is especially desirable within a rapidly changing technological society. Bronze statuette of Roma or Virtus, 50–75 CE (Getty Villa) 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  Moral Frameworks & Ethical Theories Teamwork virtues: are those that are especially important in enabling professionals to work successfully with other people Collegiality, cooperativeness, loyalty, and respect for legitimate authority. Leadership qualities: the responsible exercise of authority and the ability to motivate others to meet valuable goals. Self-governance virtues: are those necessary in exercising moral responsibility. Moral understanding and perception: self-understanding and good moral judgement Commitment and on putting understanding on action: courage, self-discipline, perseverance, conscientiousness, fidelity to commitments, self-respect, and integrity. Honesty: truthfulness in speech and belief and trustworthiness in committmesnts. 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç  Moral Frameworks & Ethical Theories Self-Realization Ethics Each of the preceding ethical theories leaves considerable room for self-interest, that is, for pursuing what is good for oneself. Utilitarianism says that self-interest should enter into our calculations of the overall good; Rights (or RP) ethics says we have rights to pursue our legitimate interests; Duty ethics says we have duties to ourselves; Virtue ethics links our personal good with participating in communities and social practices. Self-realization ethics, however, gives greater prominence to self-interest and to personal commitments that individuals develop in pursuing self-fulfillment. The community-oriented version of self-realization ethics says that each individual ought to pursue self-realization, but it emphasizes the importance of caring relationships and communities in understanding self-realization. It emphasizes that we are social beings whose identities and meaning are linked to the communities in which we participate. In ethical egoism, the self is conceived in a highly individualistic manner. The theory is ethical in that it is a theory about morality, and it is egoistic because it says the sole duty of each of us is to maximize our well-being. Self-interest is understood as our long-term and enlightened well-being (good, happiness), rather than a narrow, short-sighted pursuit of immediate pleasures that leaves us frustrated or damaged in the long run. 1400111011 | Introduction to Engineering and Ethics | 2024-2025 Fall | Asst. Prof. Mete Öğüç