Ahmad Khaled Abu Al-Amrain BioMedical Engineering

20160848 HW2+3 Engineering Ethics

1. Find information on the space shuttle Challenger accident in 1986 and analyze it,
using the ethical theories developed in this chapter. What does utilitarianism tell us about
this case? In your analysis, be sure to include issues regarding benefits to the United States
and mankind that might result from the space shuttle program. You might also include
benefits to Morton Thiokol and the communities where it operates if the program is
successful
This incident when a rocket launched into space after 73 seconds of launch, the ship crashed and
7 astronauts died, and the reason for this was not taking into account the effect of heat on the ring
because with the increase in cold it becomes like plastic.

 The utilitarian theory accuses the welfare and happiness of the community, and then
they look at this ethical or not. If it achieves happiness for a large number, then it is
ethical in this incident the principle of utilitarianism was taken into account
because of the great benefits it brings to the benefit of the company and this is
at the expense of the life of the crew members.

 the ethics of duty and the ethics of rights. Duty ethics emphasizes that the rights
of others must be respected, and rights ethics emphasizes that the fundamental rights
of the individual must be respected by others. In this incident, this case was not
considered, and they did not take into account one of the crew’s rights, which
is safety.

 Virtue ethics is concerned with a person's morality and not the results, i.e. if the
person is good then the work is considered good.
It was here that NASA had to advance the principle of public safety on strict adherence to
the launch schedule, and Morton Thiokol also had to give public safety to the satisfaction of
their customers, NASA.
According to my analysis here, the utilitarianism that was used, as they preferred to
launch the missile because of its very great benefit, which will be returned to the
company at the expense of the lives of individuals. If this trip had succeeded, many things
would have changed, such as the United States of America and people as well as many
opportunities to explore space. As for the Thiomol die, if it succeeded, it would mean adding
specific business from their customers at NASA.
In this case, the people who preferred the theory of utility would have agreed to launch
the space shuttle because its launch would provide great benefits to humanity, although it
would expose the crew members to danger, meaning from their point of view there are
benefits that will clearly outweigh the faults or risks associated with the program.
 2. What do duty and rights ethics tell us about the Challenger case? How do your
answers to this question and to the previous question influence your ideas on whether the
Challenger should have been launched?
The duty ethics and rights ethics in the Challenger incident tell us that NASA employees
should have given public safety over their goal to adhere to their own schedule, and
according to this theory, launching the shuttle was considered an unethical act and that
interest should not be favored over the life of the crew.
It differs from the question before it that in the previous question the theory of utilitarianism
was applied, which aims at the overall interest and total benefits. In the current question, we
used the principle of the duty to respect the basic rights of others.
The answer varies according to the type of theory used

3. Use contemporary newspaper accounts to find information on problems with Intel’s

Pentium computer chip (1995) and with runway concrete at the Denver International Airport
(1994). Analyze these cases, using virtue ethics. Start by deciding what virtues are
important for people in these businesses (e.g., honesty, fairness, etc.). Then see if these
virtues were exhibited by the engineers working for these companies

 Intel Pentium computer chip

Press reports indicated that there was a problem with the Intel chipset, the floating-point unit was
defective, and the company's response was to deny any allegation from the reports, meaning (that
there is no problem with its own chips)
Then the company admitted that there was a mistake and that it said to anyone who appears
affected by this error can replace the old chip with a new one, but it became clear after a while that
the company was aware of the existence of the defect and corrected it in the latest versions of the
chips and sold the old one in the market and this company lost millions of dollars
According to the ethics analysis of virtue, the company was supposed to demonstrate virtues
such as (sincerity, honesty, non-falsehood, and modesty in acknowledging its faults) the first time it
discovered the flaws in the segment that would not have caused the heavy losses that the company
lost. such as losing millions of dollars and losing some of its customers

 Denver International Airport

A lawsuit was filed against the contractor, Ball Ball Boshamer, which is tasked with building concrete
for the Denver Runway, that the company used very weak concrete in the construction as it used a
large amount of gravel and water and a small amount of cement.
Unfortunately, the company knew the date of the inspection, so they used good concrete instead of
weak concrete According to the ethics analysis of virtue that the contractor should have shown the
public good to the public, but he did not do so and did a lie and trick.

4. Develop a list of values that you think are important to being a successful engineer.
This list will probably include things such as engineering knowledge and technical skills
that are not ethical in nature. For the values that are ethical, think about where these values
come from and how you came to hold them.
a) Full engineering knowledge and technical skill in engineering works
b) Working in a team
 c) They should treat their colleagues well
d) To be humble in their work in order to admit their actions
e) To carry out engineering work only if they are certain that they have sufficient experience
f) Continuous education and development of their engineering skill
g) Not to exploit customers and not to impose additional fees
h) Smile and respectfully deal with everyone in the company
i) Motivate colleagues to adhere to engineering ethics
j) Respecting customer feedback and accepting criticism so that they can improve their
experiences
k) Stay flexible
l) Honesty and not lying
m) Respect the privacy of the company
We note that these values that show a successful engineer are those who pass the test of ethics.
Most of these morals are present in our Islamic religion. These values also have successes, but
they may have a tendency to expose people to danger.

5. Discuss with a fellow student or faculty member who grew up in a different culture what
their ethical values are and how those values are transmitted and discussed in their
country. Develop a list of values that are common between your culture and their culture.

Most countries have similar morals and cultures that they share because morals are not
geographical or cultural Many morals are the same everywhere
For example, the virtues in the state of Canada
a) Non-racism
b) Honesty
c) Humility in treatment
d) Respect for everyone
e) Help the poor not to charge extra fees
f) Kindness and smile in the treatment
g) Self confidence
These virtues are all learned and studied in the Noble Qur’an and in schools, and with this we
conclude that no matter how different cultures are, the virtues are mostly the same. The culture of
our society in Palestine is completely different from the culture of the people of Canada, but the
virtues remain the same between us.

6. Use the ethical theories discussed in this chapter to analyze the Bhopal case. Topics to
be considered should include the placing of a hazardous plant in a populated area,
decisions to defer maintenance on essential safety systems, etc. Important theories to
consider when doing your analysis are rights and duty ethics and utilitarianism.
A leak occurred in a chemical plant, resulting in a leak of mic gas due to the entry of water into the
tank One of the reasons for entering the water is to reduce the maintenance of the plant, reduce
costs, and not set the alarm properly, etc. among the reasons The company here has failed many
things, such as negligence and following the practice of having plans in place to notify the
surrounding population and evacuate them in the event of an accident.

 Utilitarianism
This incident is based purely on the utilitarian doctrine due to the greed of the villagers and the
responsible company. The only beneficiary of the existence of the factory is the company, as it
focuses on the profits gained. Through the lack of moral values and sympathy for the villagers who
stay near the factory and the negligence of the plant operator, allowing the emergency system to
operate, and discharging toxic gases (Methyl Isocynate) into the atmosphere, causing the death of
the villagers, the lives of others are exposed to injury around the small village where it was
established. the factory.
 duty and rights ethics
The responsibility for safety is the most important aspect and the highest ethical priority in any
industry. There should also be an adequate emergency response plan in place. However, most of
the safety systems in the factory were not in operation. Here, regardless of how close the slum
dwellers are to the Bhopal plant, they have the right to live in safe conditions and the company
should have checked all necessary safety measures to ensure that any disaster occurred. Or
controlling it in the event of its occurrence, as the company here has failed to achieve this theory

 Virtue Ethics
Among the company's major defects were poor facilities, safety systems, and untrained workers.
Investigations indicate that prior to the accident, UCC was cutting costs in key company divisions
including manpower and utilities. Union Carbide was so stingy that safety at the facility was
compromised. The government how there is a huge chemical plant in the middle of a densely
populated area, however, no measures have been taken regarding this, not even providing the
residents with emergency training at the very least.

7. Find a copy of the code of ethics of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and
use it to analyze what a process engineer working at this plant should have done. What
does the code say about the responsibilities of the engineers who designed the plant and
the engineers responsible for making maintenance decisions?
The American Institute of Chemical Engineers ethics will tell what a process engineer working at the
Bhopal plant would have done. Also highlighting the responsibilities of the engineers who designed
the plant and the engineers responsible for maintenance decisions.
The following responsibilities are the most appropriate responsibilities of design engineers and
maintenance engineers in the event of the Bhopal disaster.
 Develop themselves
 Provide professional services only
 Be objective and honest in making statements or in providing information to others.
 Advise, through official channels, to the employer if they consider that their duties may have
a negative impact on the health or safety of any person in the present or future.
 Critically review their work until it is improved
 Giving the utmost importance to the safety, health and welfare of the people and protecting
the environment
8. What responsibility does Union Carbide have for the actions of its subsidiaries? Union
Carbide India was 50.9% owned by the parent company.
Union Carbide must fulfill the responsibilities
 Teaching all employees, the ethical methods
 To provide adequate training in the field of safety and maintenance for all factory employees
 Communicating with other companies in order to transfer experiences
 Continuous supervision of the plant and maintenance procedures
 Make maneuvers in the event of an accident in the factory
9. What duty did Union Carbide have to inform local officials in India of the potential dangers of
manufacturing and storing MIC in India?

Union Carbide had to inform the Indian government and officials that this gas was very toxic and
could leak into the air if it interacted with water, causing suffocation and endangering people's lives,
and they had to threaten the government to find a place for them away from any overcrowding.
10.Some of Union Carbide’s reports hinted strongly that part of the fault lay with the
inadequate workforce available in a third-world country such as India. How valid is this
statement? What are the ethical implications for Union Carbide if this statement is true?
Some Union Carbide reports strongly indicated that part of the mistake was the insufficient workforce
available in a third world country like India. This is not the right thing because India has a very large
population, even if most of them were not educated, there was a large number available for
employment.
And if it is true that there is not enough workforce in India, then here there are some ethical
implications for the company, how can you reduce the number of workers while they are facing a
shortage of the workforce in India and if it is a shortage, and since the company is global when it did
not bring employees from outside India

11.What responsibility should the national and local government in Bhopal have for
ensuring that the plant is operated safely?
The responsibility that must be borne by the national and local government in Bhopal is to ensure
that the factory is continuously operating in accordance with safety and security standards, and also
it should have made a surprise visit to the factory to verify the methods of protection and ensure that
there is no harm to the health of the employees and the residents of the neighboring area The
government should set safety guidelines and everyone who violates these guidelines exposes
themselves to a fine and the most severe penalties. Proper work plant

12.What relative importance should be placed on keeping safety systems operating as

compared to maintaining other operations? (Note: From the reports on this accident,
there is no indication that Union Carbide skimped on safety to keep production going.
Rather, this is a hypothetical question.)

13.In the absence of environmental or safety laws in the locality where it operates, what
responsibility does a U.S. corporation have when operating overseas? Does the answer
change if the locality does have laws, but they are less strict than ours? What about the
ethics of a U.S. corporation selling products overseas that are banned in the United
States, such as DDT?

Even if the area is without laws and regulations, the company must have an ethical position and
make sure continuously that the employees follow safety and security measures to ensure the lives
of the employees and residents of the areas near the factory
In the event that the region has laws and regulations, the company must also adhere to these laws
to ensure the safety and health of its workers in the factory and residents as well
14.What does utilitarianism tell us about the behavior of the Aberdeen Three? What do
duty and rights ethics tell us? In analyzing this, start by determining who is harmed or
potentially harmed by these activities and who benefits or potentially benefits from them.

harmed or potentially harmed: The military base directors who have been granted use of
Maryland as a weapons development and testing center
benefits or potentially benefit: All the personnel working inside the military base and all residents
who live near the military base
 utilitarianism: When looking at the incident from the point of view of expediency, we see
that the only beneficiaries are the three managers, as they preferred their personal interest
in benefiting from the American base over thousands of people's lives in danger, injury, or
death.
 duty and rights ethics: When looking at the incident from the point of view of the ethics of
duty and the ethics of rights, we see that the right of the groups that live next to the military
base have the right to live in safety away from the risks of the factory. The three failed to
implement the Ethics of Duty and the Ethics of Rights
15.Can the actions of these engineer/managers be classified as engineering decisions,
management decisions, or both? Ethically, does it matter whether these decisions were
engineering or management decisions?
I think their behavior was based on administrative decisions
Since managers failed to prevent, safety and security measures, to ensure the storage of chemicals
and to maintain equipment periodically, these actions do not comply with the characteristics of the
person who possesses morals and it does not matter if these are administrative or engineering
decisions, in the end they failed to make ethical decisions

16.Do you think that the Aberdeen Three knew about RCRA? If not, should they have?
Does it really matter if they knew about RCRA or not?
It is difficult to know whether they were aware of the RCRA legislation or not even if they were
engineers. They should be familiar with this legislation and be aware and familiar with it. If they were
aware of it and what the effects resulting from its violation would not have reached them in dealing
with affairs in the factory in an unethical manner.

17.Do you think that the Aberdeen Three were knowledgeable about the effects of these
chemicals and proper storage methods? Should they have been?
I believe they were aware of the impact of chemicals and appropriate storage methods. If they were
not aware of the impact and storage methods, they would not have been given the responsibilities
in the factory.

18. Were the actions of the Aberdeen Three malicious?

Of course, the behavior of the three Aberdeen is malicious and also stems from people who have
no responsibility
19.In the course of this case, it came out that cleaning up the chemical storage at
Aberdeen would have been paid for out of separate Army funds and would not have come
from the budgets of the three managers. What bearing does this information have on the
case?
The army can be added to the comet in this case
20.What should the Aberdeen Three have done differently? Should the lower level workers
at the plant have done anything to solve this problem?

Since the three managers were not concerned with the safety and prevention issues in storing the
chemical materials, the lower level workers should work cautiously and diligently with the chemicals
and store them safely and do everything that preserves their safety and the safety of the residents
who live near the factory

21.The bosses of the Aberdeen Three claimed to have no idea about the conditions at the
Pilot Plant. Should they have done anything differently? Should they have been
prosecuted as well?
Such a claim is completely unacceptable because they are the ones who bear administrative
responsibility for the plant and should have managed it better in conditions of safety, prevention and
special laws to maintain safety.
They deserve to be tried before the courts on charges of negligence in managing the affairs of
the factory and endangering the lives of residents.

22.Apply the code of ethics of one of the professional societies to this situation. Were the
managers guilty of ethical violations according to the code?
It is among the things that engineers should do in a factory
a) Act and operate in a respectful and fair manner
b) Continuing to learn and develop oneself in skills
c) Provide professional services only
d) Adherence to all prevention, safety and health measures
e) Respect work privacy and not leak work news
f) Give a good reputation to the quality of the services you provide
g) Share I see and does the work negatively affect them and their health

As per the law above, it is clear that the managers were guilty of ethical violations of the code.