I tried to figure out the basics about Engineering Ethics by summarizing different raports

1. Aylin Şahin
03/2013
Marmara University Engineering Faculty
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2. Ethics, also known as moral philosophy, is a branch of
philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and
recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct.
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3.  The creative application of scientific principles
to design or develop
structures, machines, apparatus, or
manufacturing processes, or works utilizing
them singly or in combination; or to construct
or operate the same with full cognizance of
their design; or to forecast their behavior under
specific operating conditions; all as respects an
intended function, economics of operation or
safety to life and property
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5. 5

6. 6

7. http://youtu.be/t19kvUiHvAE
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8. Born Klaus Emil Julius Fuchs
29 December 1911
Rüsselsheim, Germany
Died 28 January 1988 (aged 76)
Dresden, East Germany
Residence Germany
United Kingdom
United States of America
East Germany
Nationality German
British
Fields Theoretical physics
Institutions Los Alamos National
Laboratory
Harwell Atomic Energy Research
Establishment
Institute for Nuclear Research in
Rossendorf
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9.  Is it ethical to start up a weapon improvement
project to stop Germany’s rise?
 Thousands of people worked in the Manhattan
Project without knowing the real goal of the
project. Ethic?
 With spying of Mr. Fuchs time changed. Ethic?
Decisions made by engineers usually have serious
consequences to people -- often to multitudes of people.
Ethics and ethical reasoning guide decision-making.
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10. Study by Swiss Federal Institute of Technology-Zurich 800 cases of structural failure, 504 killed, 592
injured, millions of dollars in damage incurred. 10

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12.  Study of human morality
 Determining values in human conduct
 Deciding the “right thing to do” - based upon a
set of norms
 In Engineering:
 dealing with colleagues
 dealing with clients
 dealing with employees
 dealing with “users’
 dealing with public
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13.  Safety
 Acceptable risk
 Compliance
 Confidentiality
 Environmental health
 Data integrity
 Conflict of interest
 Honesty/Dishonesty
 Societal impact
 Fairness
 Accounting for uncertainty, etc.
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14.  Ethics is part of engineering for two main
reasons.
a) Engineers need to be socially responsible when
building products and processes for society.
b) Social responsibility requires professional
responsibility.
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15. 1. Who are the “stakeholders?”
2. What are the KEY statements (clues) in the
problem?
3. What are the legal considerations?
4. What are the possible actions to be taken?
(generate options)
5. Is there a clearly “right” action to be taken?
(evaluate options)
Dr. C. Dianne Martin 15

16. ETHICAL BEHAVIOR UNETHICAL BEHAVIOR
• Quality products • Shoddy products
• Conservation of resources • Waste, fraud, greed
• Pride in work • Abuse of expertise
• Public safety • Guilt, fear
• Timeliness • Lack of safety
• GOOD BUSINESS • Cutting corners
• poor design
• rushed testing
• DISASTERS!
Dr. C. Dianne Martin 16

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18. http://www.nspe.org/Ethics/CodeofEthics/index.html
Current Codes of Ethics
 National Society of Professional Engineers: Code of ethics for engineers.
 The Engineering Code of Ethics: Principles and canons of engineer code of ethics.
 Software Engineering Code of Ethics: A brief copy of software engineering code of
ethics.
 Online Ethics Center: Ethical standard and guidelines for engineering.
 Code of Ethics: Code of ethics for chemical engineers.
 Civil Engineering: Code of ethics for civil engineering.
 Naval Engineers: Code of ethics for Naval engineers by the American Society of Naval
Engineers.
 Mechanical Engineers: Code of ethics geared towards all engineers. The American
Society of Mechanical Engineers provides interpretation of the codes for mechanical
engineers.
 Electrical Engineers: Code of ethics applicable to engineers of all disciplines.
 Chemical Engineers: Code of ethics for chemical engineers.
 Professional Engineers: Code for registered professional engineers.
Shttp://engineeringmastersonline.ohio.
edu/articles-and-resources/ultimate-
guide-to-engineering-ethics/ 18

19. The Engineering Code of Ethics has three
components:
 The Fundamental Canons: which articulate the basic
components of ethical engineering.
 The Rules of Practice: which clarify and specify in
detail the fundamental canons of ethics in
engineering.
 Professional Obligations: which elaborate the
obligations that engineers have.
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20. Engineers in the fulfillment of their
professional duties shall:
Hold paramount the
safety, health, and welfare of the
public.
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21.  Engineers in the fulfillment of their
professional duties shall:
Perform services only in areas of their
competence.
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22.  Engineers in the fulfillment of their
professional duties shall:
Issue public statements only in an
objective and truthful manner.
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23.  Engineers in the fulfillment of their
professional duties shall:
Act for each employer or client as
faithful agents or trustees.
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24.  Engineers in the fulfillment of their
professional duties shall:
Avoid deceptive acts.
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25.  Engineers in the fulfillment of their
professional duties shall:
Conduct themselves
honorably, responsibly, ethically, an
d lawfully, so as to enhance the
honor, reputation, and usefulness of
the profession.
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26.  1. Boston Molasses Disaster
The Boston Molasses Disaster, also
known as the Great Molasses
Flood and the Great Boston
Molasses Tragedy, occurred on
January 15, 1919, in the North
End neighborhood
of Boston, Massachusetts in
the United States. A large
molasses storage tank burst, and a
wave of molasses rushed through
the streets at an estimated 35 mph
(56 km/h), killing 21 and injuring
150.
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27.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=COZ-
GKfwQX8
KEY DATES
1974 - Morton-Thiokol awarded contract to build
solid rocket boosters.
1976 - NASA accepts Morton-Thiokol's booster
design.
1977 - Morton-Thiokol discovers joint rotation
problem. November 1981 - O-ring erosion
discovered after second shuttle flight.
January 24, 1985 - shuttle flight that exhibited the
worst O-ring blow-by.
July 1985 - Thiokol orders new steel billets for
new field joint design.
August 19, 1985 - NASA LevelI management
briefed on booster problem.
January 27, 1986 - night teleconference to
discuss effects of cold temperature on booster
performance.
January 28, 1986 - Challenger explodes 72
seconds after liftoff.
Engineering Ethics Case Study: The
Challenger Disaster Mark P.
Rossow, P.E., Ph.D. 27

28. 1. Ethical issue: Did NASA take extra risks because of
pressure to maintain Congressional funding?
2. Ethical issue: Did Thiokol take extra risks because of
fear of losing its contract with NASA?
3. Ethical issue: Was the Principle of Informed Consent
violated?
4. Ethical issue: What role did whistle blowing have in
the Challenger story?
5. Ethical issue: Who had the right to Thiokol
documents relating to the Challenger disaster?
6. Ethical issue: Why are some engineering disasters
considered ethical issues and others are not?
Engineering Ethics Case Study: The
Challenger Disaster Mark P.
Rossow, P.E., Ph.D. 28

29.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ethics
 http://www.yourdictionary.com/library/reference/defin
e-ethics.html
 Engineers' Council for Professional Development.
(1947). Canons of ethics for engineers
 http://iweb.tms.org/Communities/FTAttachments/materi
al_disasters_Nik_Chawla.pdf
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boston_Molasses_Disaster
 http://engineeringmastersonline.ohio.edu/articles-and-
resources/ultimate-guide-to-engineering-ethics/
 Engineering Ethics Case Study: The Challenger Disaster
Mark P. Rossow, P.E., Ph.D.
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