University of Technology

Petroleum Technology Department

Engineering Ethics
first year

Lectures of this subject are prepared depending on The

(Dr. Firas K. AL-Zuhairi) lectures

1
2. The Profession of Engineering.
2.1. Definition
A. Profession : is defined as any occupation/job/vocation that requires
advanced expertise (skills and knowledge), self-regulation, and
concerted service to the public good. Its brings a high status, socially
and economically. The characteristics of a profession are:
➢ Advanced expertise: Many professions require sophisticated skills and
theoretical knowledge. Formal education, training, continuing
education, updating are needed.
➢ Self-regulation: Professional society such as (Society of Petroleum
Engineers (SPE)) play important role in setting standards for
admission to profession, drafting codes of ethics, enforcing standards
for conduct, and representing the profession before the public and the
government. 2
➢ Public good: The occupation provides some important public good, by

concerted efforts to maintain ethical standards. For example, a

physician promotes health, a lawyer protects the legal rights, an

engineer provides a product or project for use by the public towards

their health, welfare, and safety.

B. Professional: is relates to a person or any work that a person does on

profession, and which requires expertise (skills and knowledge), self-

regulation, and results in public good. The term of professional means a

person as well as a status.

3
C. Professionalism: it is the status of a professional which implies certain attitudes

or typical qualities that are expected of a professional.

Or

Is defines as the services related to achieving the public good, in addition to the

practices of the knowledge or moral ideals

. :‫االحتراف‬

.‫وضع المحترف الذي يعني بعض المواقف أو الصفات النموذجية المتوقعة من المحترف‬

‫أو‬

ّ ُ‫ت‬
.‫ باإلضافة إلى ممارسات المعرفة أو المثل األخالقية‬، ‫عرف بأنها الخدمات المتعلقة بتحقيق الصالح العام‬
4
2.2. What are the characteristics of a profession Engineering?
1- Engineering requires extensive and sophisticated skills.

✓ Four years of undergraduate training leading to a bachelor’s degree in

an engineering program.

✓ Followed by work under the supervision of an experienced engineer.

✓ Use the available materials, components, and devices to reach a

specific objective.

2- A Primary concern of an engineer is the safety of the public that will

use the products and devices he designs.

✓ Trade-off between safety and other engineering issues in a design,

requiring discretion on the part of the engineer to ensure that the
design serves its purpose and fills its market safely.
5
3- Engineers are required to keep their employers’ or clients’ intellectual
property and business information confidential.

4- Autonomy in Workplace

Professionals engaged in private practice have considerable freedom in

choosing their clients or patients. Even the professionals working in
large organizations exercise a large degree of impartiality, creativity
and discretion (care with decision and communication) in carrying their
responsibilities. Besides this, professionals are empowered with certain
rights to establish their autonomy.

‫االستقالليه في مكان العمل‬

‫ حتى‬.‫يتمتع المحترفون العاملون في الممارسة الخاصة بحرية كبيرة في اختيار عمالئهم أو مرضاهم‬
‫المهنيين العاملين في المنظمات الكبيرة يمارسون درجة كبيرة من الحياد واإلبداع والسلطة التقديرية‬
‫ يتم تمكين المحترفين مع بعض‬، ‫ إلى جانب ذلك‬.‫(الرعاية مع القرار والتواصل) في تحمل مسؤولياتهم‬
6
.‫الحقوق إلثبات استقاللهم‬
2.3. What are the models of professional roles?
There are several role models to whom the engineers are attracted.
1. Savior.
The engineer as a savior, save the society from poverty, illiteracy, wastage,
inefficiency, ill health, human (labor) dignity and lead it to prosperity,
through technological development and social planning.
، ‫ اعتالل الصحة‬، ‫ عدم الكفاءة‬، ‫ الهدر‬، ‫ األمية‬، ‫ ينقذ المجتمع من الفقر‬، ‫المهندس كمنقذ‬: ‫المنقذ‬
‫ من خالل التطوير التكنولوجي والتخطيط‬، ‫الكرامة البشرية (العمالية) ويقودها إلى االزدهار‬
‫االجتماعي‬
2. Guardian.
He guards the interests of the poor and general public. As one who is
conversant with technology development, is given the authority befitting
his expertise to determine what is best suited to the society..
.‫الوصي‬

‫ يتم منح‬، ‫ بصفتك الشخص المطلع على تطوير التكنولوجيا‬.‫يحرس مصالح الفقراء والجمهور العام‬
‫السلطة التي تالئم خبرته لتحديد ما هو األنسب للمجتمع‬
7
 *..
* .3. Bureaucratic Servant.
*He serves the organization and the employers.
The management of an enterprise fixes its
goals and assigns the job of problem solving
to the engineer, who accepts the challenge and
shapes them into concrete achievements.
*.‫خادم البيروقراطية‬
* ‫ تقوم إدارة المؤسسة‬.‫إنه يخدم المنظمة وأصحاب العمل‬
‫بإصالح أهدافها وتعيين مهمة حل المشكالت للمهندس الذي‬
.‫إنجازات ملموسة‬
8
‫يقبل التحدي ويضعها في‬
4. Social Servant.
It is one who exhibits social responsibility. The engineer translates the
interest and aspirations of the society into a reality, remembering that his
true master is the society at large.

.‫ خادم اجتماعي‬.
‫ يقوم المهندس بترجمة اهتمامات المجتمع وتطلعاته إلى‬.‫هو الذي يحمل المسؤولية االجتماعية‬
.‫ متذكرين أن سيده الحقيقي هو المجتمع ككل‬، ‫حقيقة واقعة‬

9
*5. Social Enabler and Catalyst.
*One who changes the society through technology. The engineer
must assist the management and the society to understand their
needs and make informed decisions on the desirable
technological development and minimize the negative effects of
technology on people and their living environment. Thus, he
shines as a social enabler and a catalyst for further growth.
*.‫ التمكين االجتماعي والمحفز‬.
* ‫ يجب على المهندس مساعدة اإلدارة‬.‫الشخص الذي يغير المجتمع من خالل التكنولوجيا‬
‫والمجتمع على فهم احتياجاتهم واتخاذ قرارات مستنيرة بشأن التطور التكنولوجي‬
‫ وبالتالي‬.‫المرغوب فيه وتقليل اآلثار السلبية للتكنولوجيا على الناس وبيئتهم المعيشية‬
.‫من النمو‬
10 ‫ يلمع كعامل تمكين اجتماعي ومحفز لمزيد‬،
6. Game Player
He is neither a servant nor master. An engineer is an assertive player, not
a passive player who may carry out his master’s voice. He plays a unique
role successfully within the organization, enjoying the excitement of the
profession and having the satisfaction of surging ahead in a competitive
world
.‫ لعبة العب‬.6
.‫ وليس العبًا سلبيًا يمكنه تنفيذ صوت سيده‬، ‫ المهندس هو العب حازم‬.‫انه ليس خادما وال سيد‬
‫ ويتمتع بإثارة المهنة ويحظى بارتياح التقدم إلى األمام في عالم‬، ‫دورا فريدًا داخل المنظمة‬
ً ‫يلعب‬
‫تنافسي‬

11
2.4. What differences between Engineering and Other Professions?
Our examples of professions.
✓ medicine (physicians).
✓ Law (lawyers).
law and medicine are professions, and their practices are regulated by
strong societies such as the American Medical Association (AMA) and the
American Bar Association (ABA). Engineering is a profession, but differs
from law and medicine in the following ways:

❖ Most engineers are not self-employed, but work for large companies (the
exceptions include civil engineers and consulting engineers).
❖ Education is different: only a BSC. degree is required to practice
engineering.
❖ Engineering societies are not as powerful as the AMA or ABA, since BSc.
degree holders can practice engineering without a professional license.
12
‫معظم المهندسين ال يعملون لحسابهم الخاص ‪ ،‬لكنهم يعملون لدى *‬
‫الشركات الكبيرة (تشمل االستثناءات المهندسين المدنيين والمهندسين‬
‫االستشاريين)‪.‬‬
‫مطلوب درجة لممارسة الهندسة‪BSC. .‬التعليم مختلف‪ :‬فقط *‬
‫‪ ،‬منذ ‪ABA‬أو ‪AMA‬المجتمعات الهندسية ليست قوية مثل *‬
‫البكالوريوس‪ .‬يمكن لحاملي الشهادات ممارسة الهندسة دون ترخيص‬
‫مهني‪.‬‬

‫‪13‬‬
Q1- Which of the following ensure that behavior is ethical?
I. Following the law.
II. Acting in the best interest of society.
III. Following non-legal standards for socially appropriate
conduct.

A. All of the above

B. II and III only
C. None of the above
D. I only

14