VELAMMAL ENGINEERING COLLEGE

CHENNAI-66

19BA03T PROFESSIONAL ETHICS IN ENIGNEERING

CIE I QUESTION BANK

UNIT I HUMAN VALUES

1. Define moral values with suitable Example. (NOV/DEC 2013),(APR/MAY2015)

Moral values are the standards of good and evil, which govern an individual„sbehavior and
choices. Individual„s morals may derive from society and government, religion, or self-Honesty,
respect for others, loyalty, responsibility for personal actions, generosity and kindness are all
examples of moral values.

2. Report the adjectives “ethical “ and “moral”

In general “ethical” misdeeds are those that call for prosecution in civil court.But “moral” misdeeds
ere those that primarily spoil reputations,in additional to criminal court prosecution.Generally
immoral behaviour is considered as more serious than the unethical one.

3. State two important ways to improve courage

The two important ways to improve courage

● Raise your consciousness

● Move from fear to action,even if you expect to fail
4. Give a brief note on dishonesty in engineers

Some of the reasons for the engineers dishonesty are:

● .Sometimes it is difficult to know exactly what honesty is required by an engineer in particular

situation
● It may be difficult to draw the line between reasonable and objectionable compromises

5. Define the term empathy and how it is related to emotional quotient

● Empathy is the ability to put oneself in another’s place and understand the others
feelings,desires,ideas and actions
● Emotional Quotient is primarily your ability to understand other people and what motivates
them as well as your own motivations and emotional intelligence
● Empathy improves emotional quotient
6. What is civic virtue .Mention some civic virtues?
Civic virtues are the moral duties and rights, as a citizen of the village or the country or an
integral part of the society and environment.
Good citizen demand civic virtue. It is the principle of not harming the surroundings .it also
includes living peacefully, respect for others, protecting the environment and being normally and
ethically good.
7. What is courage as a value?
Courage implies self-respect and governs confrontations with danger and risk. It isnot
excessive rashes or cowardice, but it is the middle ground. Taking calculated risks and boldness in
 facing crises are the hallmarks of courage as a human value. It defines the mental make up of an
individual in taking bold decisions even under adverse situations.
8. Define spirituality. & Integrity
Spirituality raises a man above the materialistic world into a realm where he seeks peace and
real happiness.
Integrity is the bridge between responsibility in private and professional life.

9. Distinguish values from ethics and culture.

Values are mainly related to individuals and since they are related to justice, they remain the
same for everyone. E.g. truth, honesty, empathy, self respect. Values do not change from individual
to individual.
Ethics is common to a group of individuals; the group may be religious or professional.
Ethics is mostly based on some code or law and judgment of any action is based on code of conduct
or law. Ethics change from individual to individual
Culture commonly refers to conduct of a group. E.g system of worship, marriage. It may
differ from society to society, nation to nation or religion to religion.
10. What is integrity? Integrity is the unity of character based on moral values. Consistency in attitudes,
emotions and conduct in relations to morally justified actions and values are also the part of integrity
of individual. It implies honesty, trustworthiness.

11. What are Human values? Explain briefly.

Values are the rules by which we make decisions about right and wrong, should and
shouldn't, good and bad. “Emotional beliefs in principles regarded as particularly favorable or
important for the individual.”
Types of Values: (a) Right conduct, (b) Peace (c) Truth, (d) Love, (e) Nonviolence.

12. List the Five Characteristics of a Good Work Ethic.

Reliability, Dedication, Productivity, Cooperation, and Character

13. Explain CIVIC VIRTUE.

Civic virtues are the moral duties and rights, as a citizen of the village or the country or an
integral part of the society and environment. Civic virtues are divided into four categories: 1. Civic
Knowledge 2. Self-Restraint 3. Self-Assertion 4. Self-Reliance
14. Explain Respect for others.
Respect is a positive feeling of admiration or deference for a person. Respect can be a
specific feeling of regard for the actual qualities of the one respected. It can also be conduct in
accord with a specific ethic of respect. Treating people with respect makes your world a nicer place
to live in, whether it's at home, at school, or out in your community. Don't insult people or make fun
of them.
15. Explain Living Peacefully.
To live peacefully, one should start install peace within (self). Charity begins at home. Then
one can spread peace to family, organization where one works, and then to the world, including the
environment. Only who are at peace can spread peace. You cannot gift an article which you do not
possess. The essence of oriental philosophy is that one should not fight for peace. It is oxymoron.
War or peace can be won only by peace, and not by wars ! One should adopt the following means to
live peacefully, in the world
16. Explain Stress Management.
 Stress management refers to the wide spectrum of techniques and psychotherapies aimed at
controlling a person's levels of stress, especially chronic stress, usually for the purpose of improving
every day functioning. Stress is a normal psychological and physical reaction to the ever-increasing
demands of life. Surveys show that many Americans experience challenges with stress at some point
during the year.
17. Define spirituality? (Nov/Dec 15)
Spirituality raises a man above the materialistic world into a realm where he seeks peace and
real happiness.

18. Explain Self- Confidence, Character and Spirituality.(May/June 16)

Self- Confidence: Certainty in one‟s own capabilities, values, and goals. These people are usually
positive thinking, flexible and willing to change. They respect others so much as they respect
themselves.
Character: To determine the ideals.
Spirituality: Spirituality is a way of living that emphasizes the constant awareness and recognition
of the spiritual dimension (mind and its development) of nature and people, with a dynamic balance
between the material development and the spiritual development.
19. What are the values? (May/June 16)
Values denote something‟s degree of importance, with the aim of determining what action of
life is best to do or live or to describe the significance of different actions.
20. What are the qualities of a self-confident people? (Nov/Dec 15)
1. Ambitious
2. Self-Love
3. Risk-takers
4. Self-awareness
5. Change agent

1. Explain civic virtue and respect for others and also explain importance of cooperation. (14)

2.(i) Describe the importance of self confidence in ethics. (7)

(ii) Recognize some important human values. (7)

3.Explain caring, sharing and living peacefully (14)

4. Explain the role of Yoga and meditation in the field of professional excellence and stress
management (14)
5.. Discuss in detailcivic virtue and service learning?(14)
6. What do you understand by the term spirituality? Explain in detail.(14)
7.Explain character and spirituality and their importance in ethics.(14)
UNIT II ENGINEERING ETHICS

1. What are the Senses of Engineering Ethics ?

● Engineering ethics is the activity and discipline aimed at understanding the moral values that ought
to guide engineering practice,resolving moral issues in engineering and justifying moral judgments
concerning engineering
● Engineering ethics refer to the set of specific moral problems and issues related to engineering
2. Differentiate Micro -ethics and Macro -ethics ?
Micro -ethics : Deals about some typical and everyday problems which play an important role in the
field of engineering and in the profession of an engineer.
Macro -ethics : Deals with all the societal problems which are unknown and suddenly burst out on a
regional or national level.

3. What are the steps in confronting Moral Dilemmas?

● Identify the relevant moral factors and reasons.
● Gather all available facts that are pertinent to the moral factors involved.
● Rank the moralconsiderations in order of importance as they apply to the situation.
● Consider alternative courses of actions as ways of resolving dilemma, tracing the full implications of
each.
● Get suggestions and alternative perspectives on the dilemma.
● By weighing all the relevant moral factors and reasons in light of the facts, produce a reasoned
judgment.
4. What is meant by normative inquiry?Give any two examples for normative questions?

Normative inquiries are useful to identify the values that guide the individuals and groups in taking a
decision

● When should the engineers attempt for whistle blowing

● Why must some engineering information kept confidential

5.List out the factors of moral concern

The factors influencing moral concern

● Atmosphere in which the person is brought up in his childhood

● One’s relationship with friends and relatives
● One’s interaction with his neighbours
● One’s family structure and family’s economy
● Influence of religious institutions
● Influence of educational institutions
● Influence of teachers and other mentors
● Influence of media
● Influence of some social events
6.Mention the models of professional roles
● Saviors of the society
● Guardians of the society
● Bureaucratic servants
● Social servants
● Social enablers and catalysts
● Game players

7.Classify the levels of moral development in human beings as proposed by Lawrence kohlberg’s

● Pre-conventional
● Conventional
● Post-conventional

8.What are conceptual inquiries.Give example

 These inquiries are useful in clarifying the meaning of concepts ,principles and issues in engineering
ethics

● What is safety?
● What is meant by risk?

9. What are the sorts of complexity and murkiness that may be involved in moral situations?
● Vagueness
● Conflicting reasons
● Disagreement

10. Mention some universally accepted ethical principles.

• Honesty
• Integrity
• Fulfilling commitments
• Abiding by agreements in both letter and spirit
• Willing to admit mistakes
• Being caring and compassionate
• Having respect for human dignity

11. Define Moral Autonomy?

Autonomy means self-governing or self determining.i.e acting independently. Moral autonomy
means the right or the wrong conduct which is independent on ethical issues. It deals with the improvement
of an individual’s moral thoughts which make him to adapt good habits.

12. Give the importance of Lawrence Kohlberg ’s and Carol Gilligan ’s theory?
Kohlberg gives greater emphasis to recognizing rights and abstract universal rules. Gilligan stresses
the importance of maintaining personal relationships based on mutual caring.

13. Give the general criteria to become a Professional engineer?

● Attaining standards of achievement in education, job performance or creativity in
engineering that distinguish engineers from engineering technicians and technologists.
● Accepting as part of their professional obligations as least the most basic moral responsibilities to the
public as well as to their employers, clients, colleagues and subordinates.

14. What are the senses of Responsibility?

a. virtue
b. obligations
c. general moral capacities of people
d. liabilities and accountability for actions e. blameworthiness or praiseworthiness

15. What are the types of Theories about Morality?

● Virtue ethics – Virtues and vices
● Utilitarianism – Most good for the most people
● Duty ethics – Duties to respect people
● Rights ethics – Human rights

16. State Rawl ’s principles?

(1) Each person is entitled to the most extensive amount of liberty compatible with an equal amount for
others.
(2) Differences in social power and economic benefits are justified only when they are likely to benefit
everyone, including members of the most disadvantaged groups.

17. Give the various tests required to evaluate the Ethical Theories?
● Theory must be clear, and formulated with concepts that are coherent and applicable.
 ● It must be internally consistent in that none of its tenets contradicts any other.
● Neither the theory nor its defense can rely upon false information.
● It must be sufficiently comprehensive to provide guidance in specific situations of interests to us.
● It must be compatible with our most carefully considered moral convictions about concrete
situations.

18. Differentiate Ethical Relativism and Ethical Egoism?

Ethical egoism – the view that right action consist in producing one ’s own good.
Ethical relativism – the view that right action is merely what the law and customs of one ’s society require.

19. Define Ethical Pluralism?

Ethical pluralism is the view that there may be alternative moral perspectives that are
reasonable, but no one of which must be accepted completely by all rational and morally concerned persons.

20. Define Religion?

A religion is any set of articles of faith together with the observances, attitudes,
obligations and feelings tied up therewith, which, in so far as it is influential in a person, tends to perform
two functions, one social and the other personal.

PART-B

1. Discuss in details the various theories about virtues(14)

2. .(i) Explain in details about the senses of Engineering Ethics (7)
(ii) List the steps used in confronting moral dilemmas (7)
3. (i)Report in detail about Gilligan’s Theory. (7)
(ii) Classify the various types of Ethical inquiries available. (7)
4. Discuss in details the various theories about right action(13)
5. Explain the theory of human right ethics and its classification(8)
6. Explain
1. Professional responsibility (6)
2. Integrity and self-respect. (8)
7. Explain Kohlberg„s theory of moral development in detail?(14)