Chapter 25: Ethics and Professionalism

Introduction:

 Engineering is described as the strategy for causing the best change in a poorly understood
or uncertain situation within available resources.
 The realm of ethics and professionalism in engineering presents real, poorly understood
problems as challenging as technical ones.

Heuristics in Problem-Solving:

 Heuristics, objective functions, and constraint identification strategies are crucial in solving
ethical problems.
 All heuristics are fallible and lack justification, serving as aids or directions toward problem
solutions.
 Characteristics of heuristics: no guarantee of a solution, potential contradiction, time-saving,
context-dependent acceptance.

Ethics Overview:

 Ethical decisions are fundamental in various aspects of chemical engineering, from product
development to client interactions.
 Engineers apply their moral standards, legal considerations, and personal code of ethics to
decision-making.
 Three types of reasons for ethical behavior: Moral, Legal, and Ethical.

Moral Principles:

 Each engineer has distinct moral principles shaped by religion, conscience, and early family
experiences.
 The basic moral framework is well-established before studying engineering.
 Emphasis on the importance of staying true to one's moral values in ethical problem-solving.

Legal Aspects:

 Section 25.3 covers a few legal aspects of ethical problem-solving.

 Full legal consequences of engineering decisions require skilled legal advice due to the
complexity of rules and regulations.

Engineering Ethics:

 Engineering ethics involves principles and strategies for solving complex problems that affect
people's lives.
 It encompasses moral principles, legal responsibilities, recognized codes of ethics, and
generally accepted norms of engineering and business behavior.
Moral Autonomy
 Engineers do not adhere to a single set of moral principles for ethical decision-making.
 Different readers are expected to make different decisions, especially in complex situations.

The right decision is consistent with:

 Engineer's moral principles

 Generally accepted codes of engineering conduct
 Obligations accepted by the engineer
 Legal requirements

Applicable code of ethics Personal Acceptance of the Decision:

 The right decision is one that the engineer can live with.
 Personal decisions may not be acceptable to others.
 Moral autonomy involves making decisions that align with personal beliefs.

Understanding Moral Autonomy:

 Moral autonomy does not require certainty that the choice made was the absolute best.
 Goal: Continuously strive towards the best possible choices.
 Exercising moral autonomy means being in control of decisions based on reasonable analysis.
 Decisions should align with moral, legal, and ethical beliefs, rights, duties, and obligations.

Factors that Hinder Moral Autonomy:

 Lack of understanding personal moral principles.

 Failure to develop strategies for ethical analysis.
 Deferring ethical responsibilities to others.

REHEARSAL
 Rehearsal is crucial for learning new skills, particularly in applying theoretical knowledge to
real-world scenarios.
 The power of rehearsal is emphasized, suggesting that repeated problem-solving enhances
speed, ease, and accuracy.
Importance of Rehearsal in Decision Making:

 Rehearsal gains significance in situations requiring quick, accurate decisions, especially under
stress.
 Ethical dilemmas, such as the one presented in Example 25.1, amplify the need for rehearsed
responses.

Example 25.1: The Falsified Data:

 Setting: Jay, a catalyst development leader, faces an ethical dilemma in falsifying data to align
with the boss's preference for Catalyst A.
 Stressful situation due to time constraints and project pressure.
 Lack of time for retesting amplifies the ethical predicament.
 Jay's decision to manipulate data raises ethical concerns.

Stress and Ethical Decision Making:

 Stress often accompanies ethical challenges, making rehearsed responses crucial for
maintaining ethical integrity.
 Rehearsal aids in developing a decision-making process that aligns with personal values and
ethical standards.

Importance of Rehearsal in Low-Risk Environments:

 Initial rehearsals should occur in low-risk settings to allow for mistakes without significant
consequences.
 Iterative rehearsals provide opportunities for improvement, refining decision-making skills.

Relevance to Education and Professional Training:

 Early education and skill training focus on rehearsing scenarios likely to be encountered in
the future.
 In advanced professional education, especially in engineering, rehearsal involves preparing
for a broad range of situations, including unforeseen ethical dilemmas.

Adaptive and Personal Ethical Decision-Making Strategies:

 Ethical decision-making strategies developed through rehearsal must be powerful, adaptive,

and personalized.
 Rehearsals should encompass various scenarios to ensure a comprehensive approach to
ethical challenges.
Lifelong Learning and Rehearsal:

 Emphasizes that ethical problems will continually arise throughout a career.

 Advocates for frequent rehearsal, utilizing example problems and personal scenarios to stay
prepared for evolving ethical challenges.

REFLECTION IN ACTION

 Successful professionals engage in frequent postmortem analysis, termed "reflection in

action."
 This involves self-imposed study and analysis of professional events, particularly those
involving ethical decisions.
 Two key focuses are on analyzing the strengths and weaknesses of the strategy used and
providing opportunities for continual rehearsal.

Characteristics of Reflection in Action (Example 25.2):

Analysis of Strategy:

 Emphasizes the importance of dissecting the decision-making strategy employed during

ethical events.
 Encourages professionals to identify strengths and weaknesses in their approach.

Opportunities for Rehearsal:

 Highlights how reflection in action continually encourages rehearsal for future ethical
dilemmas.
 Stresses the importance of learning and improving through repeated analysis and practice.

Example 25.2: Reflection on the Falsified Data:

 Overview of the McMaster five-step strategy used to reflect on the "Falsified Data" case.
 Steps include defining the problem, exploring alternatives, planning, executing the plan, and
looking back.
 Examines critical questions at each step, such as defining the real problem, exploring
alternative solutions, assessing the adequacy of the plan, and evaluating execution.
 Highlights the importance of careful consideration and analysis during each stage of the
decision-making process.
 Acknowledges that the outcome of the "Falsified Data" case is unknown, delaying a complete
analysis of the Plan and Do It stages.
 Emphasizes the ongoing nature of reflection, suggesting that analysis can continue as the
case unfolds.
Developing Heuristics for Ethical Problem Solving:

End of Reflection:

 After reflection, individuals involved should develop a list of heuristics for future ethical
problem-solving.
 These heuristics may be based on effective strategies used in the reflection or new insights
gained during the process.

Example Heuristics (from Example 25.2):

 Encourages creating personalized heuristics, including using traditional problem-solving

strategies, considering the perspective of inexperienced individuals, thorough debriefing,
anticipating consequences of decisions, honesty, concern for company and employee
welfare, and retaining personal responsibility for ethical decisions.
 Provides blank lines for individuals to develop their own heuristics based on their reflections
or insights from the case.

MOBILE TRUTH

People naturally tend to favor their groups, leading to loyalty, pride, and obedience.

This inclination is termed "mobile truth" and plays a role in ethical decision making in engineering.

Workplace Loyalty:

 Describes how affiliations with organizations create similar biases.

 Example of shifting loyalties when moving from one company to another and its impact on
perceived quality.

Recognizing and Filtering Mobile Truth:

Ethical Duties and Obligations: Acknowledges ethical duties to organizations but emphasizes the
need for vigilance against the intrusion of mobile truth.

Objective Decision Making: Advises against merely seeking objectivity or fairness but encourages
seeing situations from an external perspective.

Proposes heuristics to avoid being misled by mobile truth, such as considering different parts of the
company or seeking external opinions.
Heuristics for Avoiding Mobile Truth:

 Alternative Perspectives: Heuristics for avoiding mobile truth include imagining working for
another part of the company or another company.
 Suggests envisioning life outside the plant or working for an external agency like the
Environmental Protection Agency.
 Consulting Others: Recommends seeking opinions from colleagues within the organization
but framing the situation as if it pertains to a different organization.
 Emphasizes that external perspectives are less likely to be influenced by mobile truth.
 Continuous Improvement: Highlights that heuristics can be further developed through
rehearsal and reflection for ongoing improvement in ethical decision making.

Postrationalization:

 Discusses the natural tendency for individuals to justify their actions and decisions.
 Notes that complex ethical problems offer various analytical perspectives, allowing
individuals to convince themselves of ethical behavior.

Importance of External Perspectives:

 Stresses the need to consider how decisions are viewed by those outside the organization.
 Introduces the concept of postrationalization and suggests evaluating decisions from an
external viewpoint for ethical clarity.

25.1.5 Nonprofessional Responsibilities

Chemical engineers have personal responsibilities to family, friends, and themselves, in addition to
professional responsibilities. These personal responsibilities evolve throughout one's life, especially
in relation to family dynamics. Ethical choices become more complex when they impact family,
potentially leading to job loss, social isolation, relocation, or family strain. To navigate such situations,
it is essential to consider family implications, anticipate changes, and communicate openly with
family members. Rehearsing ethical scenarios with family or peer groups can help in making
decisions that align with everyone's satisfaction.

Example 25.4: A Question of Integrity:

Illustrates a dilemma where a chemical engineer, Chris, discovers a violation of the Toxic Substances
Control Act. Reporting the violation could jeopardize Chris's career, but not reporting it may harm
workers and tarnish professional reputation. The example prompts questions about discussing
ethical problems with family, considering financial hardships, and balancing obligations to family,
community, and employer.
25.1.6 Duties and Obligations
Chemical engineers have inherent duties based on their positions and acquire obligations through
assignments, professional affiliations, and family choices. Ethical problem-solving requires
considering and ranking these duties when conflicts arise. Awareness of the unique responsibilities
of chemical engineers, who form a small percentage of the population, is crucial in ethical decision-
making.

25.1.7 Codes of Ethics

Codes of ethics, categorized as employer, technical society, and government codes, play a vital role in
guiding ethical behavior. The American Institute of Chemical Engineers' (AIChE) "Code of Ethics" is a
significant standard for U.S. chemical engineers. Joining AIChE implies an agreement to abide by this
code. Technical society codes, along with employer-based codes and government regulations,
provide a framework for ethical conduct in the field.

Key Heuristics for Ethical Problem Solving:

1. Remind yourself of accepted duties and obligations.

2. Consider relevant duties and obligations not explicitly accepted.

3. Prioritize conflicting responsibilities.

4. If a chosen solution violates an obligation, discuss the decision's consequences with those
affected.

CODES OF ETHICS

Codes of Ethics Overview:

 Formal obligations accepted upon joining organizations or entering a profession.

Types of Codes:

1. Employer-based Codes: Integrated into business conduct agreements upon employment.

2. Government-based Codes: Professional engineer rules, regulations, and laws at state and
territorial levels.
3. Technical Society-based Code: Emphasized for U.S. chemical engineers, particularly the
"Code of Ethics" of AIChE.
Goals of Chemical Engineers:

 Three goals: being honest, impartial, and loyal.

 Goals apply to interactions with employers, clients, the public, and the engineering
profession.
 The overarching aim is the enhancement of human welfare.
 Emphasis on the continuous improvement of professional competence.

Specific Responsibilities:

 The code outlines 11 specific responsibilities for chemical engineers.

 Responsibilities include considerations for safety, health, clients, employers, employees, and
the profession.
 Special attention to the importance of continuing education throughout one's career.
 Chemical engineers must perform professional services only in their areas of competence.

Other Codes of Ethics:

 Engineers' Creed: A more general and moral obligation, emphasizing service before profit,
honor, and public welfare.
 NSPE Code of Ethics: Detailed and specific, covering canons, principles, and actions in various
circumstances.

Whistleblowing:
 Discussion of ethical considerations when faced with potentially unethical behavior.
 The importance of whistleblowing in cases that may affect public welfare.
 Challenges and consequences associated with whistleblowing, including legal protections for
some whistleblowers.

Ethical Dilemmas:

 Acknowledgment that not all ethical problems have easy solutions.

 Whistleblowing is presented as an example of a dilemma where satisfying one ethical
obligation may conflict with another.
 Introduction of a case study involving employment offers to illustrate the complexity of
ethical dilemmas.
Additional Ethics Heuristics (25.1.10):
 Always acquire as much information as possible about a situation to understand its
complexity.
 Practice honesty and openness, especially when dealing with individuals who may be
predisposed to distrust.
 Acknowledge the concerns of others, even if you don't share the same concerns.
 Recognize that ethical behavior may be constrained by financial considerations and life
responsibilities.

Other Resources for Engineering Ethics (25.1.11)

 The Center for Engineering, Ethics and Society provides online resources, including ethics
cases, moral exemplars, ethics codes, and educational materials.
 Engineering Ethics at TAMU (Texas A&M University) offers ethics case studies and links to
current news articles on ethics issues.
 The National Institute for Engineering Ethics (NIEE) provides videos, ethics cases, and an
extensive bibliography on engineering ethics.
 The American Chemical Society and the National Society of Professional Engineers also offer
resources on ethics.

Professional Registration (25.2):

 Chemical engineers need to be licensed as professional engineers to offer their services to
the public.
 The professional engineer laws typically require engineers to be in "responsible charge" of
engineering work and may vary by state.
 Obtaining a professional engineer license involves an engineer-in-training (EIT) certification
and passing the Principles and Practice examination.

Engineer-in-Training (EIT) Certification (25.2.1):

 EIT certification is the first level of certification, requiring passing the Fundamentals of
Engineering (FE) exam.
 The FE exam covers various subjects related to chemical engineering, and preparation is
essential.
 Taking the FE exam early in one's career is encouraged as it demonstrates competence and
may open up opportunities.

Registered Professional Engineer (25.2.2):

 After EIT certification, engineers need to acquire four years of engineering experience before
taking the Principles and Practice examination.
  The PE exam is more challenging and covers design-oriented questions in chemical
engineering subjects.
 Renewing a PE license requires demonstrating continuing professional competency through
professional development activities.

Legal Liability (25.3):

 Chemical engineers may face legal liability for their work, and it is crucial to seek legal advice
in situations of uncertainty.
 Engineers should be aware of government regulations, contracts, and civil or criminal liability
related to their work.

Business Codes of Conduct (25.4):

 Most firms have formal codes of conduct that employees must adhere to.
 Fiduciary responsibilities, avoiding conflicts of interest, confidentiality, and adherence to
patent agreements are common aspects of business codes.
 International business conduct, employee relations, and adherence to legal requirements in
hiring and firing are also covered in business codes.