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 well- being 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 * Hadrians 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 Indicate dedication to professional behavior Recognition of professional responsibilities Create ethical environment Guide in specific circumstances Serve as an educational tool Increasingly severe consequences Courtesy/Etiquette Morals/Ethics Professional Codes Laws 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. Thats 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 cant be used without fouling antenna baskets Rigger asks to remove baskets and replace them after erection Scenario, contd. 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, contd. 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 engineers actions the right actions? No, seven workers died. Should the engineers 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 engineers 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 students 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