Engineering Ethics Essay

Ethics are the rules with which we interact with each other in the world. Violating what is

perceived as ethical can have very adverse consequences to a person’s image and career. This

essay will describe some important aspects of Ethics in engineering, along with giving examples

of when an ethic is used in a real life situation.

A code of ethics is important so we all understand the ideals we all seek to follow. No

one would want to work for/with a company that cannot uphold its own ethical standards. A code

of ethics ensures that we engineers are able to work with each other in a safe, and moral

environment. When I am faced with an ethical dilemma, I like to stick to my own code of ethics.

It's good to have unbiased people help you make ethical decisions so you do not end up acting

selfishly to benefit yourself. It is easy to say you have a code of ethics, but acting on it of your

own accord can be a whole other story. That is why when I am faced with an ethical dilemma, I

try not to make the decision without consulting someone I trust.

In class we discussed many different ethical issues. We discussed a scenario where

someone was faced with the choice of keeping a client that was their friend, or notifying the

authorities of an illegal act. This story left us with an understanding of many different ethical

dilemmas. We can see that it was unethical for this person to put themselves in this situation in

the first place. Working with friends is a bad idea, especially when they are doing something

shady. Putting yourself in this situation is putting yourself in a situation where you may

compromise yourself ethically. I feel as though I have agreed with all of the ethical discussions

we have talked about in this course, and any other courses that I have been in during my time as

an electrical engineer.