Ethics as an Aspect in Engineering - Coursework Example

Response Paper # 2 Ethics as an Aspect in Engineering ENGR 482 Noora Al-Sahlawi 320002000 9th July 2015 “On my honor, as an Aggie, I have neither given nor received unauthorized aid on this academic work” Ethics as an Aspect in Engineering Introduction Ethics refers to the principles that are considered to be moral and that influences how one behave. Therefore, it is what distinguishes between the acceptable rules from those that are considered to be unacceptable. Downey said that ‘Therefore it is a duty for the engineering board to ensure that their students explicit an understanding of professional and ethical responsibility’ (Downey, 2007,p. 464). However, as an individual grow they tend to develop moral thoughts that help to distinguish their behaviors from those that are considered not to have a public good. Throughout an individual development at the school, home or even in his or her professional life. One must own those ethical conducts that are considered helpful in monitoring and even helping him or her to tests the life challenges. That is why ethics in engineering studies is considered as a useful aspect of the teaching and practices. To be precise, one of the reason ethics is considered to be that important in the teachings of engineering is that it helps to advocate for three pillars aspects. So has to ensure that engineers act in an ethical manner whether in the field or the workstation. However, many individual tend to forget to follow the rules and regulation that ethics drives. Has many of the ethical conduct are considered to be inert by different people making them forget there important in one’s lives. Therefore, regarding ethics as inert values has led to many ethical disagreements and issues in the study of engineering. However, one of the key challenges that individual or even the societies that approve for the ethical conducts in the field of engineering face. Is that of trying to make ethics a common and legal principle in the lives of engineers? That is not the case, as many of the engineers or even the rest of the people think that ethical conduct varies according to an individual understanding. Hence, one will only follow rules of conducts that he or she feels comfortable. In the study of engineering, one must own the ethical aspects that are taught in the engineering class before one is considered by many to a professional engineer. The reason or this is because engineers are seen as people who hold much gratefulness in the lie of different individuals hence the safety of every person lies in the hands of engineers. Hence, giving the engineering field to be one of the most respected fields in the society as far as public safety is concerned. However, to be allowed in the noble course one has to follow the rules and regulations that are in the study of the engineering profession. As most societies require one to follow rules and regulation. Engineering as a field also have legal principles that the engineering instructors, as well as the students, must adhere. Given most society tend to enforce laws on ethics so has to ensure there is activity coordination among different subjects. Therefore, being in the noble profession, they experienced a lot of pressure as a result of practicing highest standards of honesty in their work as well as integrity in the field. The work of engineers has a direct impact on the life of individuals. Therefore, the services provided by the engineers ought to be that of the mechanical work. However, there is the need for it to be monitored. So has to protect the public from health, and safety defects that may result from their work. To ensure that it works, the engineers are required to obey and adhere to the highest principles of ethical conduct as required by the profession. Therefore, engineers are the ethical actor in the engineering profession. As many of them experience public conflict as a result of their need to show their ethical stand. The difficulty starts with relations among scenes of the moral stand. Downey highlights that, ‘Engineers should not bow down to those who disregard human rights and misuse of essence for technology’ (Downey, 2007,p. 474). Hence, the virtues that are considered a must do in the engineering field is that of the technological advancement. Technological consideration as a result of the impacts cost by the engineering activities, protection of nature, and lastly to ensure public benefits. Technology advancements as a key issue in the consideration of ethics in engineering practice, involves the following aspects where one needs to be considered a technology-oriented individual who partly has the technological interest of advancement as well as the ethical consideration. That is to say that for the technological advancement to be in the place, one has to adhere to the rules of ethics in engineering. For example, engineers must stick to what they consider to be right and ethical. In Davis 2006 p. 225, it describes how the engineers did not stand by the right decision to postpone the launch in fear of losing their jobs and therefore it caused the disaster which could be avoided in a warmer day. It therefore concluded that engineers need to be ethical enough to stand by their choices regardless of their consequences to ensure that the right thing is done. As well as, the benefits of what or how the technology advancement will affect an individual work or way of living. Engineering as a profession, however, has help to shape individual lives in very many ways. Ethics too in the teaching of engineering in terms of the technological advancement has helped to advance the goals of the engineering role as one of the key promoters of technological advancement. The technological advancement has help to simplify individual work. ‘The engineering work enterprise gradually came on its own unique practice, thanks in large measure to the development of a clear and distinct methodology’ said Moriarty ( Moriarty, 2001,p.34).In as much as, they are exposing the ills. That may have rendered the lives of individual to be seen to dwell entirely on lives making them be strongly believers in errors. For instance, through technological advancement as one of the roles in the engineering sector has developed through the aspects of ethical consideration. That has helped not only to minimize the cases of misunderstanding of technological know-how but also to avoid the error at all cost. To ensure that technological advancement is evident among the engineering work. Engineers must involve the virtues that promote the collaborative nature of the engineering work. Hence viewing engineers to be pillars in promoting ethical conducts at the engineering workplace or the engineering field. The key drivers are virtues of honesty, fairness, and that of accountability. ‘Therefore, Character is developed over a long period of time and requires the practice of virtue’ said Moriarty ( Moriarty, 2001,p.34). Hence, his view is okay according to me. In order, for technological advancement to be achieved in the engineering sector there are rules and guidelines that bond different engineers together. These guidelines ensure that engineers uphold the goodwill in the achievement of technological advancement. It can be done by keeping confidential information out of reach to the public. Thereby holding them accountable for any risks that may be associated to the revealing of the information or data perceived to be the epicenter of the breakthrough in technology. The community support that may be experienced by the engineers in their quest or technological advancement will only be issued if only the engineers follow the norms that are the good virtues in their engineering practice. The public will only trust the engineers if only they adhere to the rules that promote good technological advancement such as the integrity that is needed. Many of the technological advancement do not always focus on the rule of the game that is their outcomes to be that full of social responsibility, health and community safety. So for engineering technological advancement to be acceptable to the public engineers must depict that characters traits of honesty, fairness, and socially responsible individuals. As the lack of considerations of ethical values by the engineers can or may lead to the risks factors that may affect the public life or the individual perspective as far as technological advancement in engineering is concerned. The technological advancement negative impacts can only be experienced if only the engineers typical defied the rule of the ethics that were incorporated in them in their course work as guidance in the practicing field. Again falsifying the impacts that technological advancement may develop in the result may act as one of the most unethical consideration that any engineering societies or policies can allow a professional engineer to get involved. However, engineers still experience difficulties as a result of the nature of their work even though they have considered the above suggestions in their course so has to avoid the conflicts in making ethical choices. Thus, accepting such virtues in their ethical decision making should not be seen that they are irrational in their actions. Hence, it must be noted ability to reason out by the engineers is parallel to that of the rest of us. Has the power of ethical reasoning is limited to each person regardless of whether he or she is an engineer or not. Secondly, is the benefit of the engineering activities as a result of the technology usage by different people? The benefits of engineering activities on the individuals as rendered engineers to be in an ethical dilemma. Of not knowing what the benefits or the effects the technology developed would cause to the lives of the people involved in its application. It is through these that engineers need to act ethically so has always to ensure that the technology that is developed impact on people positively. However, the conflict created by the ethical dilemma as engineers tend to strive for the betterment of the society sometimes is heartbreaking. Hence, they the engineers are forced with a lot of difficult choices to make on behalf of the public. Thus, they are always left to be in a dilemma of actions as a result of their public mandate of ensuring that any actions that they take must be in line with the moral reasons that follows. Again, whether or not engineers want to choose actions that promote public safety they cannot. It is because many at times engineers are considered by different actions to choose. However, the actions only impact on a small area that makes it difficult for engineers to consider them all. Therefore, always speaking the truth is always what individual engineer is aspiring. However, speaking the truth may benefit the public domain. But the action that follow or the consequences that are infected by such truths is what differentiates engineers from other professions. The effects of such considerations are enormous, as many engineers are faced with the difficulty of ethical dilemma in their proceedings to help the public benefits from the technology application. For instance, to understand and check whether the purpose for which the technology in use was developed, it require engineers to look deep into the impacts it has on the community. However, the engineer cannot test to such by looking into the impact on a face value without doing some experiments with individual beings. The above scenario is what has been considered to be immoral, according to the public viewing. While engineers see it a one of the ethical considerations before any development action is undertaken. So has to understand the benefits or impacts of such actions. It is from this perspective that the actions taken by the engineering society in trying to benefit the public from their development plan is distorted with a lot of doubts and questionable statements. Therefore, it leaves engineers in an awkward position of understanding that ethical dilemma can arise in any context of development as long as they are accompanied by individual considerations. Hence, it is the moral duty of each engineer to ensure that when talking about development benefits. Ethical consideration must be applied in every context so has ensure that amicable solutions are offered. Ensuring that the engineer decisions are fair and agree to the benefits of the development plan in the society, the plans thus are considered to be good. Again, the benefits consideration by the engineers in their development plan must have the ethical criteria. Such ethical consideration that must or should be used in consideration of the benefits is that of cost effectiveness and equal distribution among individuals. However, again it calls for some ethical consideration to understand the differences between the two. Has the benefits are monitored through development while the cost is only based upon the cash received. The equal distributions are one of the aspects that are always considered in the field of engineering. The maximization effects are that of the benefits to all the individuals or even the entire public. Thus, it is essential that prior benefits are looked into before the decisions are made by the engineers. As we know that the benefits outcomes will only match that of the decision made. Hence, the benefits help the community as well as engineers in their ethical outfits. Engineering whether in a developed world or developing country, the sole reason for its beginning is that of placing public interest at heart regardless of the implications cost by the ethical conducts. Hence, Professional ethics includes more than the prevention of disasters and professional misconduct’ said Harris (Harris, 2008,p.154). As ethical conducts describe what is expected of an engineer to benefit the public from their vast knowledge in their quest or technological development. Hence, it many conflicts the basis or technological advancements as opposed to the public interest at large. However, the conflict of whether to consider engineer interest first as opposed to the public is that of the main issues that engineers should apply has being taught in their course study. Engineers, therefore, tend to behave typically as the rest of the community. Also, to apply what they have been taught in the coursework series. Thereby, making it a mandatory requirement that engineers should always try to influence the public interest. By being selfless individuals whose interest exceed that of the professional or individual interest? To help in distinguishing between engineers and the rest of the community one as to adhere to the benefits engineering has brought in the world of technology. Conclusion Lastly, is that of the engineer as an environmentalist who focuses on nature protections? ‘Engineers shall therefore approve or seal only design documents, reviewed or prepared them, which are determined to be safe for public health and welfare in conformity with accepted engineering standards’ said Vesilind ( Vesilind,1999,p.439).Today many of the engineering work are affecting the environment either in a positive way or negative way. The technological improvement in the world as created an ethical dilemma between the engineers as ethics holders and that of environmental conservation. The engineers in the field feel that their actions are restricted, creating a constant battle between the best method to develop so has to capture the both the environmental perspective of development and that of the public. However, best the engineers try they still cannot have control over the disillusioned caused as a result of the two different factors the environmental and that of the public consideration. Therefore, the question is whether ethics should be viewed as an aspect of the engineering learning centers, as well as the individuals. References Davis, M. (2006). Engineering Ethics, Individuals, and Organizations. Engineering Ethics, 12, 225 Downey, G. L., Lucena, J. C., & Mitcham, C. (2007). Engineering Ethics and Identity: Emerging Initiatives in Comparative Perspective. Science and Engineering Ethics, 460-467. Harris, C. E. (2008). The Good Engineer: Giving Virtue its Due in Engineering Ethics. Science and Engineering Ethics, 14, 153–164. Vesilind, A. (1999). The Good Engineeer. Science and Engineering Ethics, 5, 437-442. Moriarty, Gene. Fall 2001. “Three Kinds of Ethics for Three Kinds of Engineering” IEEE Technology and Society Magazine pp. 31-38 Read More