professional ethics in science & engineering - Department of ...

PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN
SCIENCE & ENGINEERING
Prof. T.Swaminathan
Chemical Engineering Department
IIT Madras

TYPES OF EMPLOYMENT
JOB – low-skill level required
TRADE – manual skills, apprenticeships,
often unionized
KNOWLEDGE WORKER – specifically
educated or trained
PROFESSIONAL – regulated knowledge
worker
SELF-EMPLOYED – non-professional or
professional

PROFESSIONALS
Doctors
Dentists
Veterinarians Pharmacists
Lawyers
Accountants
Architects Teachers
Engineers Journalists
Stock Brokers Athletes (?)

WHO IS A PROFESSIONAL?
Originally, one who professed adherence to
monastic vows of a religious order.
* a free act of commitment to a specific
way of life
* allegiance to high moral standards
* skill, knowledge, practice of an art

WHO IS A PROFESSIONAL?
Today, it is one who is “duly qualified” in a
specific field
* special knowledge or education
* appropriate experience
* knowledge and skills vital to the wellbeing
of a large potion of society
* special sanction

PROFESSIONAL TRAITS
Extensive intellectual training (education)
Specialized knowledge
Skills vital to society
Monopoly on service provided
Autonomy, self-regulated
Privilege/prestige
Governed by a code of ethics

IS ENGINEERING A PROFESSION?
Engineering meets all the definitions of a
profession.
Engineers do not always hold the same
status in society as that of lawyers or
doctors.

MODELS OF PROFESSIONALISM
Social Contract Model
* professional are guardians of public
trust
* an implicit, unstated agreement
exists between professional and
society
* society may subsidize training of
professionals

THE IMPLICIT AGGREEMENT
Professionals agree to:
* provide a service
- for the public well-being
- promote public welfare, even at
own expense
* self-regulation
- enforce competence
- enforce ethical standards

THE IMPLICIT AGGREEMENT
Society agrees to:
* allow a certain autonomy
- freedom of self-regulation
- freedom to choose clients
* social status
- respect from society, titles
* high remuneration
- reward for services
- attract competent individuals

ENGINEERING - HISTORICAL
PERSPECTIVE
A profession that put power and materials to
work for the benefit of mankind.
In ancient times, there was no formal
engineering education.
Engineers built structures by trial and error.
Engineering advances were made by
learning from mistakes

ANCIENT CONSTRUCTION
Examples:
* Great wall of China
* The pyramids in Egypt
* The coliseum in Rome
* Hadrian’s wall in the U.K.
* The Pont du Gard in France
* The dikes in the Netherlands

“MACHINES” OF WAR
Examples:
* bows and cross-bows
* catapults
* assault towers & battering rams
* ships of war
* rockets
* Greek fire

SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING
It is a undeniable principle that the entire
practice of science and engineering is
based on a set of expected ethical
behaviors for all involved. This includes
the expectation of honesty and
truthfulness in all individual activities,
contacts, and interactions within the
profession.

HONESTY
“If we consider the engineering
profession to be like a building,
honesty is its foundation.
Without honesty, the value of
engineering services is
undermined.”
Harris, Pritchard and Rabins
Second Edition

MISUSING THE TRUTH
Engineers can misuse the truth by:
* failing to communicate the truth
* communicating the truth when they
should not
* allowing their judgment regarding the
truth to be corrupted

COMMUNICATING THE TRUTH
• Lying
• Deliberate deception
• Withholding information
• Failing to adequately promote
the dissemination of information
• Failure to seek out the truth

FAILURE TO PROMOTE DISSEMINATION
OF INFORMATION
Our ethical obligation to promote the health
and safety of the public:
* may require the engineer to disclose
information
* requires that the engineer ensure that
the information is disseminated
appropriately

FAILURE TO SEEK OUT THE
TRUTH
Suppose an engineer suspects that some of
the data received from the test laboratory
are inaccurate. In using the results as
they are, the engineer is not lying nor
concealing the truth. BUT, the engineer
may be acting irresponsibly by using the
data as they are without inquiring further
into their accuracy.

“HONEST” CONFLICT
• Requirements to never conceal the
truth result in conflicts for the
professional
• Places a strain on the need to
exercise confidentiality and hold
certain information proprietary

INFORMED CONSENT
Engineers have the same sorts of
responsibilities:
* to their employers and clients
* to the general public
* but may be more limited than those
of a physician
* focus on understanding the
consequences

CODES OF ETHICS
The engineer shall:
“…. be objective and truthful …..”
“…. be honest and realistic in stating
claims …”
“…. offer honest criticism…. “
“…. be honest and impartial ….”

CODES OF ETHICS
The engineer shall:
“…. be objective and truthful in professional
reports, statements, or testimony ....”
participate in “…. none but honest enterprise
....”
“…. avoid deceptive acts ….”

THE TEN COMMANDMENTS
Sixth :"You shall not kill.”
Seventh : "You shall not commit adultery."
Eighth : "You shall not steal."
Ninth : "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor."
Tenth :"You shall not covet your neighbor's house; you shall not covet
your neighbor's wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or
his ass, or anything that is your neighbor's."

WHY A CODE OF ETHICS?
Define ideal behavior for the purpose of
enhancing the pubic image
Establish rules of conduct for policing its
own members
Encourage value-laden decisions for the
public good

CODES OF ETHICS: THEIR
DEVELOPMENT
Not much known about early professional
codes
Medieval guilds codified their rules of
conduct
Underlying purpose of guild codes
* enhance the power of the guild
* provide job stability for members
* provide wealth for members

Example: ASCE Code of Ethics
Code is representative of most codes
One of the earliest codes
Adopted in 1914,
* interactions between engineers and
their clients
* interactions among engineers

Example: ASCE Code of Ethics
Fundamental Canon:
“Engineers shall hold paramount the safety,
health, and welfare of the public in the
performance of their professional duties”
Fundamental Principle:
“Engineers uphold and advance the integrity,
honor and dignity of the engineering profession
by using their skill for the enhancement of
human welfare.”

AIChE Code of Ethics
Members of the American Institute of Chemical
Engineers shall uphold and advance the
integrity, honor and dignity of the engineering
profession by: being honest and impartial and
serving with fidelity their employers, their
clients, and the public; striving to increase
the competence and prestige of the
engineering profession; and using their
knowledge and skill for the enhancement of
human welfare.
To achieve these goals, members shall

Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and
protect the environment in performance of their professional duties.
Formally advise their employers or clients (and consider further disclosure,
if warranted) if they perceive that a consequence of their duties will
adversely affect the present or future health or safety of their colleagues or
the public.
Accept responsibility for their actions, seek and heed critical review
of their work and offer objective criticism of the work of others.
Issue statements or present information only in an objective and truthful
manner.
Act in professional matters for each employer or client as faithful agents or
trustees, avoiding conflicts of interest and never breaching confidentiality.
Treat fairly and respectfully all colleagues and co-workers, recognizing
their unique contributions and capabilities.
Perform professional services only in areas of their competence.
Build their professional reputations on the merits of their services.
Continue their professional development throughout their careers, and
provide opportunities for the professional development of those under their
supervision.
Never tolerate harassment.
Conduct themselves in a fair, honorable and respectful manner.

PROFESSIONAL CODES
“Interaction Rules”
Increasingly severe consequences
Courtesy/Etiquette Morals/Ethics Professional Codes Laws
Indicate dedication to professional behavior
Recognition of professional responsibilities
Create ethical environment
Guide in specific circumstances
Serve as an educational tool

COMAPRISON OF CODES
NSPE AIChE IEEE ASCE ASME ABET
Uphold public welfare X X X X X X
Faithful to employer & clients X X X X X
Conflicts of interest X X X X X X
Practice only in areas of competence X X X X X X
Objective and truthful X X X X X X
Dignity & integrity X X X X X
Bribes X X X X
Promote and develop profession X X X X X X
Accept responsibility X X X X
Acknowledge contributions of others X X X X X
Recruiting X X
Adequate compensation X X
Public service X X X
Environment X X
Do not discriminate by race, gender, etc.
X
Stikes & picket lines
X

LIMITATIONS OF THE CODES
The codes are not a recipe for making
decisions
The codes cannot be used as a substitute
for good judgment
The codes do not cover every possible
situation
The codes are not a legal document

Responsibilities of engineers
• Legal responsibilities: Not to cause harm;
to compensate when harm is caused; to
practice in accord with Engineering
Practices Act
• Moral responsibilities: To recognize and
discharge our duties and obligations;
understand and adhere to a Code of
Ethics

Three models of responsibility
• Minimalist or Malpractice model
• Reasonable Care model
• Good Works or Supererogation model

Minimalist or Malpractice model of
responsibility:
• Engineers have a duty only to conform to
accepted practice and fulfill only basic duties
prescribed by terms of employment.
• Those who would follow this model might be
most concerned with not doing anything “wrong”.
– “That’s not my responsibility, someone else will take
care of that.” (Example: the Gilbane Gold case)

Reasonable Care model of responsibility:
• Adhere to accepted standards of practice,
and...
• Take reasonable care to ensure that mistakes
are prevented and the public welfare is
protected
• Exercise and apply skill, ability and judgement
reasonably and without neglect
– keep abreast of evolving changes in knowledge and
practice
– recognize when minimal standards of practice might
not be sufficient to prevent a harm, and take
additional actions to prevent such a harm in those
cases

Characteristics of the Reasonable
Care model
• Concern for preventing harm, rather than
trying to prevent causing harm
• Oriented towards the future, toward
avoiding problems and protecting the
public
• Attitude of concern or caring

Good Works (Supererogation)
model of responsibility:
• “...above and beyond the call of duty.”
• Example: A local consulting engineer
offers to design a parking lot for a church
at her cost, with no charge for her own
time.

Some impediments to responsibility
• Self-interest
• Fear
• Self-deception
• Ignorance
• Egocentric tendencies
• Microscopic vision
• Uncritical acceptance of authority
• Antagonism toward outside regulation
• “Groupthink”
• Cumbersome business organizations

Missouri City Antenna Tower
• For more details, see:
– http://ethics.tamu.edu/ethics/tvtower/tv3.htm#analysis

Scenario
• Antenna & 1000 ft. tower designed by
engineer
• Contractor (rigger) awarded erection
contract
• During erection, rigger realizes lifting
points on antenna sections can’t be used
without fouling antenna baskets
• Rigger asks to remove baskets and
replace them after erection

Scenario, cont’d.
• Engineer denies riggers’ request to
remove baskets (last contractor who
removed baskets caused expensive
damage to antennas)
• Rigger develops plan to mount extension
on antenna section to lift it
• Rigger asks engineer to review the plan

Scenario, cont’d.
• Engineer declines to review riggers’ plan
to mount extension on antenna, citing
increased liability
• Rigger proceeds with lift of antenna
• Extension boom fails, antenna falls striking
stay cable, tower falls, seven workers are
killed

Antenna section after collapse

Wreckage of antenna and
crane

Some questions...
Were the engineer’s actions
the right actions?
• No, seven workers died.

Should the engineer’s moral
responsibility take precedence over
his legal responsibility?
• What model of responsibility did the
engineer follow?
– Minimalist model?
– Reasonable care model?
– Good works model?
• Was the engineer’s responsibility for a
safe and workable design met with
lifting lugs that could not be used by the
rigger?

Were the riggers morally
responsible for this accident?
• Did they recognize that the modification
they attempted required engineering skills
to accomplish?
• Did they ask an engineer for assistance?

What could the engineer have
done differently?
• Agree to review the riggers’ plans?
• Allowed riggers to remove antenna
baskets?
• Offer to design a better extension
boom?
• Decline to review the plans, but suggest
to the riggers that they should hire an
engineer to review their plans?

ENGINEERING EDUCATION
“A student’s experience in engineering
school is a training period for his or her
professional career. If dishonesty is as
detrimental to engineering
professionalism as we have suggested,
part of this training should be on
professional honesty.”
Harris, Pritchard and Rabins
Second Edition