Unit-1 Module-2 1. Engineering Ethics
Unit-1 Module-2 1. Engineering Ethics
1. Engineering Ethics
1. Understanding the moral values that ought to guide engineering profession or practise.
It deals with set of moral problems and issues connected with engineering.
Engineering ethics is defined by the codes and standards of conduct endorsed by engineering
(professional) societies with respect to the particular set of beliefs, attitudes and habits displayed by the
individual or group.
Another important goal of engineering ethics is the discovery of the set of justified moral principles of
obligation (commitments), rights and ideals that ought to be endorsed by the engineers and apply them
to concrete situations. Engineering is the largest profession and the decisions and actions of engineers
affect all of us
Scope
1. Ethics of the workplace which involves the co-workers and employees in an organization.
2. Ethics related to the product or work which involves the transportation, warehousing, and use, besides
the safety of the end product and the environment outside the factory.
Approach
1. Micro-ethics which deals with decisions and problems of individuals, professionals, and companies.
For example, global issues, collective responsibilities of groups such as professional societies and consumer
groups.
There are two different senses (meanings) of engineering ethics. They are
2. Descriptive sense
1. Normative Sense
This includes
Knowing moral values, finding accurate solutions to moral problems and justifying moral judgments in
engineering practices,
Study of decisions, policies, and values that are morally desirable in the engineering practice and
research, and
Using codes of ethics and standards and applying them in their transactions by engineers.
Example:
“Murder is wrong.”
2. Descriptive Sense
Refers to what specific individual or group of engineers believe and act, without justifying their beliefs or
actions.
Example
“9 out of 10 experts agree that our product is better than all the rest.
It would be relevant to know why and how do moral issues (problems) arise in a profession or why do
people behave unethically?
The reasons for people including the employer and employees, behaving unethically may be classified
into three categories:
1. Resource crunch
2. Opportunity
3. Attitude
1. Resource crunch
• Due to pressure, through time limits, availability of money or budgetary constraints, and technology
decay or obsolescence(the process of becoming outdated). Pressure from the government to complete
the project in time (e.g., before the elections), reduction in the budget because of sudden war or natural
calamity (e.g., Tsunami) and obsolescence due technology innovation by the competitor lead to
manipulation and unsafe and unethical execution of projects.
Giving ethics training for all, recognizing ethical conduct in work place, including ethics in
performance appraisal, and encouraging open discussion on ethical issues, are some of the directions to
promote positive attitudes among the employees. To get firm and positive effect, ethical standards must
be set and adopted by the senior management, with input from all personnel.
2. Opportunity
a) Double standards or behavior of the employers towards the employees and the public. The unethical
behaviors of World Com (in USA), Enron (in USA as well as India) executives in 2002 resulted in
bankruptcy for those companies,
b) Management projecting their own interests more than that of their employees. Some organizations
over-emphasize short-term gains and results at the expense of themselves and others,
4. TYPES OF INQUIRIES
1. Normative inquiry,
1. Normative Inquiry
1. It seeks to identify and justify the morally-desirable standards that should guide individuals and groups.
2. It also has the theoretical goal of justifying particular moral judgments. Normative questions are about
what ought to be and what is good, based on moral values.
Examples
1. How far does the obligation of engineers to protect public safety extend in any given situation?
2. When, if ever, should engineers be expected to blow whistle on dangerous practices of their
employers?
3. Whose values ought to be primary in making judgment about acceptable risks in design for a public
transport system or a nuclear plant? Is it of management, senior engineers, government, voters or all of
them?
4. When and why is the government justified in interfering with the organisations?
5. What are the reasons on which the engineers show their obligations to their employees or clients or the
public?
2. Conceptual Inquiry
It is directed to clarify the meaning of concepts or ideas or principles that are expressed by words or by
questions and statements
Example,
3. What is a bribe?
4. What is a profession?
When moral concepts are discussed, normative and conceptual issues are closely interconnected.
It is aimed to obtain facts needed for understanding and resolving value issues. Researchers conduct factual
inquiries using mathematical or statistical techniques. The inquiry provide important information on business
realities, engineering practice, and the effectiveness of professional societies in fostering moral conduct, the
procedures used in risk assessment, and psychological profiles of engineers. The facts provide not only the
reasons for moral problems but also enable us to develop alterative ways of resolving moral problems. For
example,
3. What are short-term and long-term effects of drinking water being polluted? and
Moral Development theories are concerned with the development of moral principles in Humans.
At the early age, children develops some moral perceptions of what is right or wrong.
Example
Some children would be willing to share things with other children, whereas some children show temper if their
things are even touch bu other children.
1. Piaget’s Theory,
2. Kohlberg’s Theory
3. Domain Theory
1. Kohlberg’s Theory
• Inspired by piaget’s theory, kohlberg extended the development of moral judgement to age groups
beyond those studied by piaget.
• He proposed that the process of attaining moral maturity was more gradual and took much more time
what piaget had suggested.
• Based on his research, kohlberg classified moral reasoning into six stages grouped under three major
levels.
Used various hypothetical scenarios to gauge the responses of his sample and define stages.
Heinz Dilemma
Heinz Dilemma
• Doctor’s advised that there’s only one drug that can save her
B. Conventional
C. Post-Conventional
A. People understand there can be multiple perspectives and multiple types of society
A. People have their own moral guidelines which may not tie in with the society
B. Act accordingly and defend principles
Short comings
2. The sample used was an male sample. So only male definition of morality is considered.
2. Gilligan’s Theory
Carol Gilligan, a former student and colleague of Kohlberg, has criticized Kohlberg‘s theory as
male biased.
She also charged Kohlberg that Kohlberg‘s studies were concluded with male samples only.
According to Gilligan, males have tendency to over-ride the importance of moral rules and
convictions while resolving moral dilemmas.
whereas females have tendency to try hard to preserve personal relationships with all people
involved in a situation.
Also Gilligan felt that men mostly focus their attention on content of the problem, whereas women
focus their attention on the context i.e., situation of the problem.
Gilligan refers her context-oriented emphasis on maintaining personal relationships as the ethics of
care.
A. Pre-conventional level
B. Conventional level
According to Gilligan, women will not hurt others and have a willingness to sacrifice their own
interests in order to help others.
C. Post-conventional level
In this level, the individual is able to maintain balance between his own needs with the needs of others.
The balancing can be achieved through context-oriented reasoning i.e., examining all facts, people and
circumstances involved, rather than by applying abstract rules ranked in a hierarchy of importance.
• While exercising the moral autonomy, One may not get the same results as that of others.
• In this case, good amount of tolerance is required among the individuals while exercising autonomy.
• Many reasonable solutions can be obtained for a given ethical problem.
• This ethics make the engineers to realize the importance of tolerance among them in case of
disagreement.
7. Profession
Profession is defined as any occupation/ job/vocation that requires advanced expertise (skills and
knowledge), self regulation, and concerted (coordinate) service to the public good. It brings a high status,
socially and economically.
There are several role models to whom the engineers are attracted. These models provoke their
thinking, attitudes and actions.
1. Saviour
2. Guardian
3. Bureaucratic Servant
4. Social Servant
6. Game Player
1. Saviour
The engineer as a savior, save the society from poverty, illiteracy, wastage, inefficiency, ill health,
human (labor) dignity and lead it to prosperity, through technological development and social planning.
2. Guardian
He guards the interests of the poor and general public. As one who is conversant with technology
development, is given the authority befitting his expertise to determine what is best suited to the society. For
example, Lawrence of Arabia (an engineer).
3. Bureaucratic Servant
He serves the organization and the employers. The management of an enterprise fixes its goals and
assigns the job of problem solving to the engineer, who accepts the challenge and shapes them into concrete
achievements.
4. Social Servant
It is one who exhibits social responsibility. The engineer translates the interest and aspirations of the
society into a reality, remembering that his true master is the society at large.
6. Game Player
He is neither a servant nor master. An engineer is an assertive player, not a passive player who may
carry out his master’s voice. He plays a unique role successfully within the organization, enjoying the
excitement of the profession and having the satisfaction of surging ahead in a competitive world.
There are four types of theories on ethics, which help to create the fundamental principles of obligation
suitable and applicable to professional and personal conduct of a person in his everyday life.
These theories are essential for cause of right action and morality. They are:
1. Virtue Theory
2. Rights theory
4. Utilitarian Theory
1. Virtue Theory
“Golden mean” ethics (Aristotle, 384 – 322 B.C.). The best solution is achieved through reason and
logic and is a compromise or “golden mean” between extremes of excess and deficiency.
• The Rights based ethical theory was proposed by John Locke. According to this theory, the solution to
a problem is by realizing that every person has a right to live. Live and let live is the philosophy behind
this theory. The rights of a person towards life, health, liberty, possession, etc. are taken care of under
this theory.
• The ethics refer to the basic human rights whether they are positive or negative. Everyone has a right to
live, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
• The natural law states that human laws are defined by morality and not by some authority. This law is
derived from the belief that human morality comes from nature. Any action done by a person that
would prevent a fellow being from living a good and happy life, is considered immoral or unnatural.
Any law should have some morals. Moral duty is the obligation to act based on ethical beliefs.
3. Duty Theory
The duty-based ethical theory was proposed by Immanuel Kant. According to this theory, every
person has a duty to follow which is accepted universally, with no exceptions.
An example of this can be expecting all to be honest, kind, generous and peaceful.
On the other hand, the DUTY ethics theory, as enunciated by John Rawl, gave importance to the
actions that would be voluntarily agreed upon by all persons concerned.
1. Each person is entitled to the most extensive amount of liberty (freedom) compatible with an equal
amount for others, and
2. Differences in social power and economic benefits are justified only when they are likely to benefit
every one, including members of the most disadvantaged groups.
The first principle is of prime importance and should be satisfied first. Without basic liberties other
economic or social benefits can not be sustained for long.
The second principle insists that to allow some people with great wealth and power is justified only
when all other groups are benefited.
In the business scenario, for example, the free enterprise is permissible so far it provides the capital
needed to invest and prosper, thereby making job opportunities to the public and taxes to fund the
government spending on the welfare schemes on the poor people.
4. Utilitarian Theory
Utilitarian theory is based on the principle that an action is morally right if it produces a greater
quantity of good or happiness than any other possible action.
Whether an action is morally right or wrong depends entirely on its consequences. An action is right if
it brings about the best outcome of the choices available. Otherwise it is wrong.
1. Act utilitarian
It focuses on actions, rather than on general rules. An action is right, if it generates the most overall
good for the most people involved
2. Rule utilitarian
It stress on the rules, such as ‘do not steal’, ‘do no harm others’, ‘do not bribe’, as of primary
importance.
For example,
stealing an old computer from the employer will benefit the employee more than the loss to the
employer. As per Act, utilitarian this action is right. But rule utilitarian observes this as wrong, because
the employee should act as ‘faithful agent or trustee of the employees’.
In another example, some undisciplined engineers are terminated with the blame for the mistakes they
have not committed. The process is unfair although this results in promotion of overall good
10. Self-interest
• Valuating oneself is important to find the right meanings in one’s life and work.
• Self esteem is a psychological concept. It refers to the virtue of valuing oneself properly.
• Just as we have to respect others for their integrity and other good qualities, so too we must value
ourselves and respect self.
• Self respect is connected to all other major values like integrity, dignity, self control, courage and good
judgment.
• Customs play a vital role in deciding one’s moral values. Relativism is a position that all points of view
are equally valid and the individual determine what is relative and true for him. Relativism theorizes
that truth is different for different people, not simply that different people believe different things to be
true.
• Moral values have a deep connection and influence of religion and its beliefs. The main social function
of religion is to motivate right action and right thoughts. The main personal function of religion is to
sustain peoples convictions (judgment) to promote tolerance and moral concern for others. Religion
help people to set a higher moral standard than the normal standard.
1. Ethical theories are very important and useful in many to a human being.
4. Ethical theories are useful in expressing everyday moral experience and justifying the professional
morality.