INTRODUCTION TO ENGINEERING PROFESSION

I. BASIC DEFINITION OF TERMS and develop a personal position/stand, which

they can defend in terms of code of ethics.
ETHICS: a set of standards by which a Code of Ethics or Code of Conduct serves to
particular group decides to regulate its maintain the integrity of the profession so
behavior. It is a system of moral principles by that its members serve “society’s best
which human actions and proposals may be interests.” It also specifies the moral
judged as good or bad. considerations of professional life as well as
penalties and sanctions for violating them.
MORALS: rules for right conduct for all
individuals. Codes of Ethics are not stand-alone guarantee
of ethical conduct or substitute for an
MORALLY RESPONSIBILITY: It refers to individual conscience but are established as a
holding to people morally accountable for guide for professionals in ethical dilemmas.
some past action or actions. It also means Scientists and engineers should develop and
care, welfare, or treatment of others as justify their own views and moral position
derived from the specific social role that one within the context of their relevant code.
plays in the society. It is likewise referring to
one’s capacity for making moral or rational IDEOLOGY: the body of doctrine, myth and
decisions on his own. symbols of a social movement, institution,
class, or large group.
BUSINESS ETHICS: Business is a complex
enterprise that involves several activities: ENGINEERS: The profession in which the
purchasing, manufacturing, marketing, knowledge of the mathematical and physical
advertising, selling and accounting. It is the sciences
study of what is right and wrong human gained by study, experience and practice with
behavior and conduct in business. It is also judgment to develop ways to utilize
the study of the perceptions of people about economics,
morality, moral norms, moral rules and materials and forces of nature for the
ethical principles as they apply to people and progressive well-being of human kind.
institutions in business. It is the study,
evaluation, analysis, and questioning of II. PROFESSION AND ETHICS
ethical standards, policies, moral norms, and
ethical theories that managers and decision 2.1 What is profession?
makers use in resolving moral issues and • It referred to a free act of commitment to a
ethical dilemmas affecting business. way of life. The act or fact of professing –
when a person occupies a special social role
PROFESSION: consists of a group of people that carries with it stringent moral
organized to serve a body of specialized requirements.
knowledge in the interests of a society. At the • It referred to anyone who professed to be
center of a profession is a set of skills, duly qualified.
proficiencies, techniques and competencies • It also means that an occupation which one
involving a line of work. professes (admits, agrees) to be skilled and to
follow.
CODE OF ETHICS: As a set of principles that • It is a vocation in which professed
serve to guide the professionals in their daily knowledge of some branch of learning is used
work. It is more than a minimum standard of in its application to the affairs of others.
conduct and requires that the professionals to • It is an example of social practice that has
who the codes are aimed engage with them one or more aims or goods that are especially
associated with it or internal to it. It also guides us in our actions that we may live
provides a moral criterion for evaluating the rightly and well or it lays down the principles
behavior of those who participate in the social of right living. It is guided by standards and
practice and for resolving moral issues that judgments which people create.
might arise in the practice.
Morality – refers to the quality of goodness or
2.2 A Socratic Account of Professionalism badness in a human act. Good is described as
(based on Greek philosopher Socrates as “moral” and bad as “immoral”. Morals is the
proposed by philosopher Michael Davis) rules for right conduct for all individuals. It
A profession is a number of individuals in the implies judgment and refers to what we
same occupation voluntarily organized to would call moral standards and moral
earn a living by openly serving a moral ideal conduct.
in a morally permissible way beyond what
law, market, morality, and public opinion Therefore, it is viewed that MORALITY IS
would otherwise require. Thus, a profession NOTHING ELSE BUT A DOING OF ETHICS.
should: ETHICS is used to refer to the formal study of
a. Cannot be composed of only one person, those MORAL STANDS AND MORAL
rather composed of a number of individuals. CONDUCT.
b. Involves a public element – should openly
“profess” to be a professional (engineer, 3.1 Engineering Professional Ethics
physician, etc.). Two Models of Professionalism
c. It is a way people earn a living and
something that occupies them during their Business Model – an occupation that is
working hours. primarily oriented toward making a profit
d. It is something that people enter into within the boundaries set by law (regulations
voluntarily and that they can leave voluntarily. imposed by law)
e. It advocates of the social practice approach
– serves morally praiseworthy goal by morally Professional Model – an occupation that have
permissible means. an implicit trust relationship with the larger
public – trust relationship means as “social
2.3 Key Characteristics of Modern Profession contract” with the public, are that
a. substantial intellectual and practical professionals agree to regulate their practice
training. so that it promotes the public good. In other
b. provision of a specialized skill and service. words, of most engineering codes, they agree
c. high degree of professional autonomy and to hold paramount the safety, health and
responsibility. welfare of the public. They agree to regulate
d. an occupational organization controlling themselves in accordance with high standards
the profession. of technical competence and ethical practice
e. embargoes/restrictions on methods of so that they do not take unfair advantage of
attracting business. the public.
f. a trust relationship with the client.
3.2 Three Types of Ethics or Morality
III. DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ETHICS AND Common Morality – is the set of moral beliefs
MORALITY shared by almost everyone. It is the basis or at
Ethics – derived from the Greek word ethos least the reference point compares to other
(Latin means “mores”) which means types of morality. It primarily negative or it
“characteristic way of acting” which is proper does contain a positive or aspirational
to man as a rational being. As a science, is to component in such precepts as “prevent
investigate the nature of the human act or killing.” It also makes a distinction of action
human conduct. It is a practical science that based on an application of the types of moral
precepts we have been considering, but an making substantial private investments in a
evaluation of the person himself is based on competitor’s company. These conditions may
intention. arise when these two conditions are met: (a)
the professional is in a relationship or role
Personal Morality – or personal ethics is the that requires exercising good judgment on
set of moral beliefs that a person holds. This behalf of the interest of an employer or client,
is closely parallel the precepts of common and (b) the professional has some additional
morality. For Example, we believe that or side interests of the employer or client.
murder, lying, cheating, and stealing is wrong. There ways that conflicts of interest may arise
However, our personal moral beliefs may such as: gifts, bribes, kickbacks; interest in
differ from common morality in some areas. other companies; and insider information.
Note that conflict of interest is different from
Professional Ethic – is the set of standards “conflicting interests”. Conflicting interests
adopted by professional in so far as they view means that a person has two or more desires
themselves acting as professionals. It is that cannot all be satisfied given the
usually stated in a formal code. It is focus on circumstances.
the issues that are important in that
profession. It is supposed to take precedence VI. PROFESSIONAL RIGHTS
over personal morality. It also differs from These are special rights that arise from
personal morality in its degree of restriction professional role and the obligations it
of personal conduct. It has a negative and a involves. Three professional rights have
positive dimension – preventing and avoiding special importance: (a) the basic right of
evil and doing or promoting good. It related to professional conscience, (b) the right of
“role morality” - it is the moral obligations conscientious refusal, and (c) the right of
based on special roles and relationships. professional recognition. The right of
professional conscience – is the moral right to
IV. IMPORTANCE ROLES OF PROFESSIONAL exercise professional judgment in pursuing
CODE OF ETHICS professional responsibilities and duties.
Pursuing those responsibilities involves
a. Serving and protecting the public or society exercising both technical judgments, and
b. Guidance for the primary responsibilities reasoned moral convictions. The right of
c. Inspiration, motivation and collective conscientious refusal is the right to refuse
commitment engage in unethical behavior and to refuse to
d. Shared standards for excellence and fair do so solely because one views it as unethical.
competition
e. Positive Support for responsible Right of Recognition – This is the right of
professionals professional for their work and
f. Education and mutual understanding about accomplishments which involves fair
moral responsibilities of professionals monetary remuneration, and nonmonetary
g. Deterrence (prevention/restriction) and forms of recognition.
discipline
h. Contributing to the profession’s positive Employee Rights –These are any rights, moral
image or legal that involves the status of being an
employee.
V. PROFESSIONAL CONFLICTS OF INTEREST
These are situations where professionals have Privacy Right – This is a right to pursue
an interest that, if pursued, might keep them outside activities can be thought as a right to
from meeting their obligations to their personal privacy in the sense that is means
employers or clients. These interests involve the right to have a private life off the job. It is
serving in some other professional role, or
also means, the right to control the access to
and the use of information about oneself.

Right to equal opportunity: preventing sexual

harassment – It is the unwanted imposition of
sexual requirements in the context of a
relationship of unequal power.

Right to equal opportunity:

nondiscrimination – It relates to sex, color,
age, or political or religious outlook or
affiliations.

Right to equal opportunity: affirmative action

– It is giving preference or advantage to a
member of a group that in the past was
denied equal treatment, in particular, women
and minorities (indigenous people) or people
with disabilities.