Maryam Jahanzad

KEM110702

Assignment 1
Q1.

Ethical problem solving shares myriad of attributes with engineering design. As stated in the question, in engineering design we have five steps; from developing a statement of problem to testing and implementing the best design, and same in ethical problem solving there are five steps or in other words activities to be followed jointly and in repeating pattern which lead to reasonable solution. The first step in ethical problem solving is identifying moral values or moral clarity. This shows that the basic step in both engineering design and solving ethical problem is becoming aware of problem and defining situation so that we will get a good picture of the way we are moving and reasoning through. Both type of problems require sufficient knowledge and logical thinking skills. Sometimes, they are very complex and resolving them involves an iterative process of analysis and conflation. The moral reasons might be obligations, rights, goods, ideals, or other moral considerations. A comprehensive approach is unarguably indispensable in addressing the rising moral or ethical dilemma. In such circumstances engineering design is in many respects a model for designing courses of action in many moral situations, in engineering and elsewhere. In fact, there are several solutions design problems and more than one of them are acceptable. So is in the case of ethical problems. The similarities between both type of problems are instructive for thinking about the resolution of moral problems and correcting some common erroneousness about them. In design problems, we are dealing with finding technical solution for the problems we are facing in real life to satisfy our needs. The analogy for moral problems holds for a variety of design problems. Both ethics and engineering design problem appreciates the importance of practical as well as theoretical problems and of synthetic as well as analytic reasoning and possible answers to them.

Maryam Jahanzad

KEM110702

Q2. Scenario; In the second year of high school, my school was organizing a fieldwork trip to the south part of Iran for our class. It was compulsory for everyone to attend this field trip and part of the extra curricular activities which were required for graduation. Although I didnt like to go on that trip and I knew my mother wouldnt have let me go either, I gave her the permission letter for the trip. It was a tough decision as my grades were as important to me as my mothers decision on the matter. The main issue rose from the type of transportation and lack of safety in the area, which made my mother really nervous and reminded her of all kind of accidents that had happened on those roads to students on similar trips. Apart from the first option of going on the trip, there was however another solution available to me. My mother could simply call my aunt, a medical doctor, and ask her to write a medical certificate for the same date of students departure from school. I knew that it was lying because I wasnt sick at all and even worse, I was taking advantage of family relations. This was when there were other students who just like me wanted to skip that trip but were not able to provide the MC. On the other hand, I was putting some pressure on my aunt, since she was doing something against her professional moral values. She was overlooking the rules out of her love for me, and even though her action was not harming anyone else, she had the right to refuse and defend her moral values. I was facing the dilemma of choosing to follow my mothers will and make her happy and comforted or going on the trip and doing the morally right thing, which would cause great discomfort for my mother and could result in me getting sick and be hospitalized. Analyzing all these aspects, some negative and some positive, I came to the conclusion that logical decision was to make use of my MC and skip the trip. Even though some may call my decision immoral rather than logical, I believe that the judgement should also be on the basis of personal perspective.

Maryam Jahanzad

KEM110702

Based on the above scenario; !Moral issue is following the school policy and going on the field trip though I didnt like to go for that trip. !Since moral values are subjective and differ between people, I believe that moral values of my experience are; dishonesty, lying, taking advantage of family relation and putting pressure on my aunt. !The moral dilemma is going on the trip or choosing to follow my mothers will and make her comforted by using fake written medical certificate to skip the trip. !My moral reasons was making mother happy and comforted. Besides, I also had my logical reasons such as; type of the transportation and lack of safety in the area. !At the end based on the mentioned moral and logical reasons I decided to make use of my medical certificate and skip the field trip.