Baylor Clark

EE 394
Tina Prouty
11 December 2022
Ethics Essay
Engineering is about pushing the boundaries of science and technology for the betterment
of society. Engineers have a responsibility to consider the ethical implications of their work.
Ethics in engineering is a complex topic and needs to be understood by professionals. This essay
will explore the concept of ethics in engineering, including the ethical principles that guide
engineers in their work and the challenges they may face in balancing ethical considerations with
the demands of their profession. Additionally, this essay will discuss the importance of ethical
decision-making in engineering and how it can help to ensure that the technology we create is
used for the betterment of humanity.
Having a “Code of Ethics'' is immensely important because of the benefits the code has
on the public, any given company, and the employees that work for the company. The “Code of
Ethics' ' provides a standard of conduct for engineers to follow, and helps ensure that everyone
involved always acts in the best interests of the public and possible clients. Having a reference
point for making decisions and resolving ethical dilemmas is extremely useful when trying to
make a workplace efficient and conflict free. Furthermore, following a code of ethics can help
organizations to act with integrity, professionalism, and fairness procuring trust with the public
and employees. The purpose and importance of the “Code of Ethics'' comes down to ensuring
organizations and individuals act in the best interest of the public to ensure safety and
well-being.
Throughout this course and my internship the past summer I have learned incredibly
valuable lessons and info about ethical decision making. Before learning about the “Code of
Ethics”, my ethical decision making was determined by my own “common sense” and evaluation
of what would be best for the company and others. I often have thought about how I would want
to be treated in a scenario and more importantly, how an outsider would view the decision I was
making. When approached with an ethical dilemma, I begin by considering my co-workers and
making sure no ethics are broken, next I would consider the effect on the company, and finally
what would be the best for the benefit of the public. My internship this past summer was with a
consulting engineering firm. The type of work dealt directly with the safety and design of public
infrastructure meaning I learned about the electrical engineering code that needed to be followed.
Through this code book, I also learned about unofficial code of ethics and what is best for the
client and public.
The factors I take into consideration when making an ethical decision have been ones
discussed within this course. I like to take factors in a certain order from what I deem to be most
important. The first factor is to assess potential consequences and the available options. Next, is
to consider the values of the company and then the values and priorities of myself. Finally, is to
consider the public and legal obligations. All these factors help me come together to help
determine the best ethical decision for the situation.
The main ethical issues discussed in class pertained to the articles in which each instance
breaches in the ethical code were made. Along with the situations of ethical dilemmas, sources
were provided that contained codes and guidelines to follow in order to resolve and present these
difficult ethical scenarios. All of the stories of ethical dilemmas contained different violations in
code of ethics but boiled down to key issues in ethics. The ethical violations include treating all
persons involved fairly, accepting responsibility, avoiding conflicts, and assisting colleagues in
professional development. The parts of the code of ethics about seem to address each of the
ethical issues discussed during class. For instance, the Amazon Echo Issue was one I didn’t talk
about in the assignment but was one I found very interesting. The ethical issues narrowed down
to whether to release information that may help in solving a murder case. However, Amazon
decided to uphold the ethical decision to protect the information of their customers over
anything else. The Amazon echo issue does a good job of helping to identify ethical dilemmas
and how to handle them properly.
Most of the ethical considerations introduced by my classmates didn’t differ drastically
from my own viewpoints; however, my classmates did view certain codes of ethics different
from myself. For instance, one of my classmates considered the ethical issue of the company’s
interest compared to where I viewed the implications to the public more important. Nevertheless,
most of the ethical considerations were alike for myself and my classmates. For the different
scenarios discussed, the consensus for the most ethical issue was found through upholding the
integrity of the person involved, the public’s interest, and the company’s priorities. Ethical
decision making can have gray areas but from my experiences in learning about ethical dilemmas
the answer seems to be fairly clear and the sentiment seems to be the same for my classmates.
Virtue ethics is something that can greatly help benefit a person when assessing an ethical
dilemma. Looking deeper in virtue ethics, the emphasis is on developing good character traits.
The approach to these ethics is more based on being a good moral person, over only doing good
actions. I consider myself to follow a similar moral compass when it comes to ethical decisions.
The case study I did for this course was the “Big Data Issue”. The case dealt with a person
implementing an algorithm that would help EMTs with work related injuries. An issue arose
where a higher up wanted the software engineer to include information that was initially
discussed and included personal identifiable information.
The three “Virtue of Ethics” I find most relevant for this case is integrity, honesty, and
responsibility. All three of these virtues are important when assessing the case studie’s ethical
dilemmas. Furthermore, I view these three as most important for any ethical or personal issue.
Having a strong integrity can help to properly assess an ethical dilemma and make a strong moral
decision and not let others influence your decision making negatively. Honesty is viewed by
some as the most important virtue of them all. Practicing honesty in every situation makes sure
all ideas are put forth and any disagreements are layed on the table to address and resolve.
Finally, responsibility makes sure one is acting for the interests of others by being accountable
and trustworthy.
In terms of my case study, Marcus, the computer scientist, is in a dilemma with a superior
in which he believes implementing needle poke injuries contains personal identifiable data and
wasn’t included in the original design specifications. John, Marcus’ superior, thinks it is a good
idea to implement this data but Marcus doesn’t want to lose his job by speaking up about his
opinion on the matter. Honesty is extremely relevant in this scenario because Marcus should be
honest about how he feels in order to uphold his ethical obligation no matter how John may
react. Additionally, integrity coincides with honesty for the reason that Marcus should uphold his
moral principle and ethics to ensure the safety of the public. Finally, responsibility applies to
both Marcus and to John. John should recognize the moral obligation Marcus is upholding by
expressing his disinterest in implementing the new data. On the other hand, Marcus is trying to
be accountable for the algorithm that is going out to the public and is meant to help others.
The other virtues are relevant and applicable to the case study; however, the three I
discussed above were the ones I viewed to be most relevant to the case study. Fidelity I believed
to be very similar to responsibility. Charity was necessary as important in this case study as it
may have been in others discussed in this class. Self-discipline was identifiable in Marcus’
actions however it was never called into question. Marcus was sound in his opinion and stance
on the issue. I don’t think there is any other virtue that embodies the case study better then the
three I talked about. Other virtues I looked up could be viewed as one of the six that were
provided in the “Virtue of Ethics” document.
In conclusion, ethics play a crucial role in engineering. As engineers, we have a
responsibility to use our knowledge and skills for the greater good and to consider the potential
consequences of our actions. We must always strive to act with integrity and to prioritize the
safety, health, and well-being of the public. By upholding high ethical standards, we can ensure
that our work as engineers has a positive impact on society and the world around us.