Engineering Engineering EthicsEthics

Prof. Rick Vaz ECE 2799 April 23, 2007Prof. Rick Vaz ECE 2799 April 23, 2007

With material from:

Ethics and the Conduct of Business, John Boatright

Ethics in Engineering Practice and Research, Caroline Whitbeck

ieee.org

niee.org

wikipedia.org

space-shuttle.com

Ethics and Your Ethics and Your EducationEducation

Accreditation of this ECE program Accreditation of this ECE program requires that all graduates have requires that all graduates have “an “an understanding of professional and understanding of professional and ethical responsibility”ethical responsibility”

What Ethical Issues Have What Ethical Issues Have You Faced…You Faced…

……in this course?in this course?

……in your other courses?in your other courses?

……in summer jobs?in summer jobs?

……in your daily interactions with in your daily interactions with friends?friends?

Laws, Morals, Ethics:Laws, Morals, Ethics:What’s the Difference?What’s the Difference?

Laws:Laws: A set of rules for personal or corporate A set of rules for personal or corporate behavior; civil and/or criminal penalties applybehavior; civil and/or criminal penalties apply

Morals:Morals: A set of standards for (personal) A set of standards for (personal) behaviorbehavior

Ethics:Ethics: A set of standards for (professional) A set of standards for (professional) behaviorbehavior

Morals and ethics areMorals and ethics are voluntaryvoluntary in some sensein some sense Like laws, they are Like laws, they are open to many interpretationsopen to many interpretations

What is the Basis forWhat is the Basis forEthical and Moral Ethical and Moral

Standards?Standards?

Innate and intrinsic?Innate and intrinsic? A product of culture?A product of culture? Based on religious beliefs?Based on religious beliefs? Developed from logical reasoning?Developed from logical reasoning? Based on concepts? On Based on concepts? On

consequences?consequences?

Example Moral Standard:Example Moral Standard:The Categorical ImperativeThe Categorical Imperative

((Critique of Pure ReasonCritique of Pure Reason—Immanuel Kant, 1724-1804)—Immanuel Kant, 1724-1804)

“Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.”

Using the Categorical Using the Categorical Imperative to Judge an Imperative to Judge an

ActionAction

Convert the action to a principleConvert the action to a principle Would it be Would it be logicallogical for you to for you to want want

everyoneeveryone to follow that principle? to follow that principle? Yes—action is moral/ethicalYes—action is moral/ethical No—action is immoral/unethicalNo—action is immoral/unethical

Example: Example: is it ever morally is it ever morally acceptable to lie?acceptable to lie?

How Does How Does EngineeringEngineering Ethics Relate to Your Life Ethics Relate to Your Life

Now?Now? You are already expressing your You are already expressing your

ethical standards. ethical standards. They are in what They are in what you do.you do.

Personal and Personal and professionalprofessional ethics are ethics are connected connected

Ethics is not just “doing the right Ethics is not just “doing the right thing,” it’s thing,” it’s making tough decisions making tough decisions about ambiguous thingsabout ambiguous things

What Is a What Is a ProfessionProfession??

Extensive training, mastery of Extensive training, mastery of subjectsubject

Professional associationProfessional association Standards and codesStandards and codes Self-regulating, via certifications and Self-regulating, via certifications and

licensinglicensing Significant impact on public welfare Significant impact on public welfare Accountability to societyAccountability to society

Professional Ethics:Professional Ethics: More than Following RulesMore than Following Rules

Maturity of judgmentMaturity of judgment Balancing a variety of considerationsBalancing a variety of considerations Consideration of various means to a Consideration of various means to a

desired enddesired end Supporting the professionSupporting the profession Serving the Serving the welfare of the publicwelfare of the public

A Simple Google Search A Simple Google Search Reveals:Reveals:

Online Ethics Center for Engineering & Online Ethics Center for Engineering & ScienceScience

National Institute for Engineering Ethics*National Institute for Engineering Ethics* NSPE Engineering Ethics websiteNSPE Engineering Ethics website Codes of Ethics: IEEE*, ASME, ACM, etc.Codes of Ethics: IEEE*, ASME, ACM, etc. Web Clearinghouse for Engineering and Web Clearinghouse for Engineering and

Computing EthicsComputing Ethics Course and resource pages at many Course and resource pages at many

universitiesuniversities

What are the Core Ethical What are the Core Ethical Values of Engineering? Values of Engineering?

(NIEE)(NIEE) Honesty:Honesty: truthfulness, fairness, sincerity truthfulness, fairness, sincerity Integrity:Integrity: good judgment, adherence to good judgment, adherence to

principles principles Fidelity: Fidelity: to clients, to the public trust, to to clients, to the public trust, to

employer, to the profession employer, to the profession Charity:Charity: kindness, caring, good will, kindness, caring, good will,

tolerance, compassion/mercy, adherence tolerance, compassion/mercy, adherence to the Golden Rule to the Golden Rule

Responsibility:Responsibility: reliability/dependability, reliability/dependability, accountability, trustworthiness accountability, trustworthiness

Self-Discipline:Self-Discipline: acting with restraint, not acting with restraint, not indulging in excessive behaviorindulging in excessive behavior

IEEE Code of EthicsIEEE Code of Ethics We, the members of the IEEE, in recognition of the We, the members of the IEEE, in recognition of the

importance of our technologies in affecting the quality importance of our technologies in affecting the quality of life throughout the world, and in accepting a of life throughout the world, and in accepting a personal obligation to our profession, its members and personal obligation to our profession, its members and the communities we serve, do hereby commit the communities we serve, do hereby commit ourselves to the highest ethical and professional ourselves to the highest ethical and professional conduct and agree: conduct and agree:

1.1. to accept responsibility in making engineering to accept responsibility in making engineering decisions consistent with the safety, health and decisions consistent with the safety, health and welfare of the public, and to disclose promptly factors welfare of the public, and to disclose promptly factors that might endanger the public or the environment; that might endanger the public or the environment;

2. to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest 2. to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest whenever possible, and to disclose them to affected whenever possible, and to disclose them to affected parties when they do exist; parties when they do exist;

3. to be honest and realistic in stating claims or 3. to be honest and realistic in stating claims or estimates based on available data; estimates based on available data;

4. to reject bribery in all its forms;4. to reject bribery in all its forms;

IEEE Code of Ethics, IEEE Code of Ethics, cont’dcont’d

55. . to improve the understanding of technology, its to improve the understanding of technology, its appropriate application, and potential appropriate application, and potential consequences; consequences;

6. to maintain and improve our technical competence 6. to maintain and improve our technical competence and to undertake technological tasks for others only and to undertake technological tasks for others only if qualified by training or experience, or after full if qualified by training or experience, or after full disclosure of pertinent limitations; disclosure of pertinent limitations;

7. to seek, accept, and offer honest criticism of 7. to seek, accept, and offer honest criticism of technical work, to acknowledge and correct errors, technical work, to acknowledge and correct errors, and to credit properly the contributions of others; and to credit properly the contributions of others;

8. to treat fairly all persons regardless of such factors 8. to treat fairly all persons regardless of such factors as race, religion, gender, disability, age, or national as race, religion, gender, disability, age, or national origin; origin;

9. to avoid injuring others, their property, reputation, 9. to avoid injuring others, their property, reputation, or employment by false or malicious action; or employment by false or malicious action;

10. to assist colleagues and co-workers in their 10. to assist colleagues and co-workers in their professional development and to support them in professional development and to support them in following this code of ethics.following this code of ethics.

Approved by the IEEE Board of Directors -- August Approved by the IEEE Board of Directors -- August 19901990

Applied Ethics: Real-World Applied Ethics: Real-World ProblemsProblems

““In theory, there’s no difference between theory In theory, there’s no difference between theory and practice. and practice.

In practice, there is.”In practice, there is.” Yogi BerraYogi Berra

Rarely is there clear “right” or “wrong”Rarely is there clear “right” or “wrong”

Often you are choosing between Often you are choosing between competing interests, both of which mattercompeting interests, both of which matter

““To avoid real or perceived conflicts of To avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest whenever possible, and to interest whenever possible, and to

disclose them to affected parties when disclose them to affected parties when they do exist” they do exist”

What is conflict of interest?What is conflict of interest?

Is conflict of interest common? Is conflict of interest common?

Is it wrong?Is it wrong?

What do you do about it?What do you do about it?

Software PiracySoftware PiracyUnethical, or “Just” Illegal?Unethical, or “Just” Illegal?

2/3 of college students report that they 2/3 of college students report that they do, or would, download pirated softwaredo, or would, download pirated software

93% claim to endorse IP rights and 93% claim to endorse IP rights and legitimate software developmentlegitimate software development

Does this make sense? Does this make sense?

What role will IP play in your career?What role will IP play in your career?

““Ethics as Design”—Caroline Ethics as Design”—Caroline WhitbeckWhitbeck

What distinguishes design from the What distinguishes design from the other engineering you have studied?other engineering you have studied?

Analyzing the situation is not enoughAnalyzing the situation is not enough Practical constraints, objectives, Practical constraints, objectives,

criteriacriteria There may not even be a “solution”There may not even be a “solution” There is no unique “right answer”There is no unique “right answer”

Designing a Solution to an Designing a Solution to an Ethical DilemmaEthical Dilemma

Define the problemDefine the problem What’s known? What’s ambiguous?What’s known? What’s ambiguous?

Explore solutionsExplore solutions Brainstorm—go beyond the obviousBrainstorm—go beyond the obvious

Identify criteriaIdentify criteria Personal values, professional standards, Personal values, professional standards,

lawslaws Consider outcomes and consequencesConsider outcomes and consequences

Professional, personal, legal, moralProfessional, personal, legal, moral

““Whistleblowing”Whistleblowing”How can you do the right thing and not lose How can you do the right thing and not lose

your job?your job?

Don’t trust everyone to do the right thing—Don’t trust everyone to do the right thing—proceed with cautionproceed with caution

Gather the evidence you need Gather the evidence you need Make sure you’re rightMake sure you’re right Don’t exaggerate or overstate your caseDon’t exaggerate or overstate your case Wait for the right time to come forwardWait for the right time to come forward Remain anonymous—the problem is the issue, Remain anonymous—the problem is the issue,

not younot you

For more, see: For more, see: http://www.spectrum.ieee.org/careers/careerstemplate.jsp?ArticleIdhttp://www.spectrum.ieee.org/careers/careerstemplate.jsp?ArticleId=w040104=w040104

Thinking AheadThinking Ahead

Would you “carry” a partner through an Would you “carry” a partner through an MQP?MQP?

If you accept a job, would you turn it down If you accept a job, would you turn it down if a better one comes along?if a better one comes along?

Would you accept a job in the defense Would you accept a job in the defense industry?industry?

Would you accept gifts and hospitality from Would you accept gifts and hospitality from a prospective vendor?a prospective vendor?

What would you do if a co-worker is What would you do if a co-worker is negligent in his/her work?negligent in his/her work?