As a student who is taking up a bachelor’s degree on Civil Engineering, the most applicable

normative ethics that is inline for my degree is the Deontological Ethics. Deontological Ethics as
being defined is an ethics that revolves around the notion of duty. According to The Ethics
Centre, it is also, in this sense, a law based, and an ethical theory that says actions are good or
bad according to a clear set of rules. In relation to my studies, deontological ethics can be done
for the sake of my duty. For example, studying for my examination for good grades has no moral
worth however, studying for my examination to fulfill my duty as a good student has a moral
worth. Another example is doing and passing my school works on time so that it will not be late
has no moral worth but when I do and pass my homework on time as it is my duty as a student
can now have a moral worth. When my actions are done for the sake of duty that is when it has
moral worth.

As for my profession in the future as a licensed Civil Engineer, there are many scenarios that
may arise in my filed of work. The term 'Professional deontology' is not yet fully accepted in the
English terminology but may be thought equivalent to others such as 'Code of Conduct', 'Code of
Ethics', 'Guidelines', 'Standards’. Deontology refers often to the I. Kant's theory, and is used
mostly in the Latin area, whereas ethics is more accepted in certain circles, mainly Anglo-Saxon,
although there are also people that advocate that ethics is personal whilst professional conduct
may be defined at the level of a profession like an engineer. The vocabulary is far from being
stable (Berleur, 2005, p.94).

An ethical dilemma than can be faced by an engineer is constructing a huge infrastructure, with a
limited time given, lowering safety standards by making foundations not suitable for tall
buildings with less structural strength to make it easier to manufacture, or engineering a tall
skyscraper with engineering standards that will have high safety standards but make it more
expensive and time-consuming to make. In search from Khan (2022), there are three ways to
solve this ethical dilemma: Analyze the Consequences of the Decision, Analyze the Actions and
Make a Decision. First is to view the valuable options for the dilemma and consider all the
consequences whether it is good or bad. Ask questions, “What is the likely outcome of each
option?” “How long will this infrastructure last if this method is used or the other method?”, in
this first step it’s crucial to note the kind and amount of good it accomplishes. Now, consider
things from a different perspective. Some behaviors are inherently good, while others are
inherently bad. Bad actions are bad no matter how much benefit comes from these bad actions.
How well do your actions conform to moral values and engineering codes of ethics? Consider
the possibility that one principle is more important than the others if there is a contradiction
between several of these principles. Finally, once the consequences have been analyzed in the
engineering decision and considered how well it adheres to engineering standards, decide based
on what you would consider being the most ethical standards. When you’re stuck, talk to others
about the issue and get different viewpoints from more experienced engineers and professionals
to discover a solution. Be aware and responsive to changes in that scenario that may necessitate
adjustments in your approach. As for the dilemma given, the best option is to follow standards
that will have high safety standards but make it more expensive and time-consuming to make.
Choosing this option can prevent accidents which may cost human lives and may even cost more
expensive repairs in the future. Even if the construction cost can balloon while making the
building, this however can greatly benefit for its durability and longevity in the future.
References:

Berleur, J. (2005). Professional deontology, self-regulation, and ethics in the Information

Society. International Federation for Information Processing.

Khan, A. (2022, February 8). Ethical Dilemmas in Engineering and Examples.

Engineering Passion. https://www.engineeringpassion.com/ethical-dilemmas-in-engineering-
and-examples/