1. HS3050: Professional Ethics
SATYA SUNDAR SETHY, Ph.D.
Dept. of Humanities & Social Sciences
Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Chennai , India

2. What is Applied Ethics? Ethics Normative Ethics Metaethics
Etc.
Bioethics
Professional Ethics
Business ethics
Environment Ethics
Legal ethics
Medical ethics
Accounting ethics
Engineering ethics

3. What is Engineering Ethics?
Engineering ethics is the study of the moral values, issues, and decisions involved in engineering practice (Schinzinger & Martin, 2000).
Engineering ethics as much a part of what engineers in particularly know as factors of safety, testing procedures, or ways to design for reliability, durability, or economy (Harris, C.E., et al, 1996,p.93).
Engineering practices revolve around 03 variables; cost, schedule, and quality. A little compromise in one component affect others.

4. Occupation Vs. Profession
Carpenter
Goldsmith
Builder
Handicraft worker
Tailor??
Bank officer??
Television anchor??
Etc.
Individual choice
Not having code of ethics
Engineers
Doctors
Lawyer, etc.
Professors??
Social recognition
A member of a profession is expected/ anticipated others’ behaviour on a certain situation.
Morally permissible standards

5. Who is a Professional? Professional responsibilities for engineers
Criteria to consider someone as a professional (Sociological)
-- Extensive training
-- Vital knowledge and skills
-- Control of services
-- Autonomy in the workplace
-- Know the ethical regulations (Harris, C., et al., 2009, pp.2-3)
Professional responsibilities for engineers
*** Concern for public safety
*** Technical Competence
*** Timely communication of positive and negative results to management

6. Ethics Vs. Professional Ethics
Each and every rational person
Don’t lie
Don’t kill, steal, cheat to others, so on
Exception of these moral rules and standards
Self-defense (may kill others)
Moral permissible standards of conduct that ideally every member of a profession wants every other member to follow, even if that would mean having to do the same (Harris, C.E., et al, 1996).
Engineering ethics as much a part of what engineers in particularly know as factors of safety, testing procedures, or ways to design for reliability, durability, or economy (p.93).
Personal Ethics

7. Two faces of Professional Ethics
Preventive ethics (prevention of professional malpractice and harm to the public)
NSPE, section 1 b: “engineers shall not reveal facts, data or information without the prior consent of the client or employer except as authorized by law or this code”.
It says, engineers shall not approve engineering documents that are not in conformity with applicable standards.
NSPE, ii, 3, a: engineers shall not be biased and deceitful in their professional judgments
NSPE, iii, 9, e: engineers shall not neglect their professional development
National society of professional engineers

8. Continue Aviation industry of USA
The DC-10 case
Aviation industry of USA
Pressure to increase cargo and cabin area of the flights
The flight must be able to withstand pressures up to 38 pounds per square inch
1st year service: a rear cargo door was improperly closed.
An engineer told the company manager that I am not satisfied with “Band-Aid” service (cargo door lock and latch system)
March 3, 1974: Paris to London = 346 passengers
National society of professional engineers

9. Aspirational Ethics
Aspirational ethics (use knowledge and expertise to promote public good, welfare of the public; positive dimension of professional ethics)
Be positive; get energy and enthusiastic
Determine to make a difference in the world
Medical devices - save lives, less fuel - more mileage, less polluting vehicles (HET)
Improve the quality of human life
NSPE: fundamental canon- engineers must promote the welfare of the public as well as prevent violations of safety and health
E.g. the sealed-beam headlight, Air bags, etc.
National society of professional engineers
Engineer E. Sreedharan (Metro man), HET: Honda Eco Technology

10. Responsibility in Engineering
Personal character – don’t violate confidentiality
Responsibility and accountability are intertwined with each other
The concept of responsibility is many-faceted.
Accountability: legal liabilities, job-defined roles, moral accountability
NSPE: engineers are expected to commit themselves to high standards of conduct.
Individual engineer, unit of a section, etc.
Challenger Disasters (January 28, 1986)
Columbia, Kennedy space center (Jan 16, 2003)
National society of professional engineers

11. Objectives of Engineer Ethics Education
Stimulate the ethical imagination of students
Assist students recognize ethical issues
Help students analyze key ethical concepts & principles
Help students deal with ambiguity
Encourage students to take ethics seriously
Enhance student sensitivity to ethical issues
Escalate student knowledge of relevant standards
Improve ethical judgment
Proliferate ethical will power (Harris, et al,1996)

12. Continue.. All these objectives can be brought under three categories.
Emotional engagement
Intellectual engagement
Particular engagement
---Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) ethics code-1946
--- National Institute of Engineering Ethics (NIEE)
--- National Society of Professional Engineers-1912
--These ethical codes may serve as the formal basis for investigating unethical behaviour.

13. Who is an Engineer? Operating diesel locomotive???
Received degree in mechanical engineering and got license to work on diesel engines.
Genetic engineers???
Physicists do some works as engineers do???
Scientists??
What is engineering?—Engineering will be what engineers at the time in question typically do that members of other occupation don’t (Davis, 2001, p.386)

14. THANK YOU
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