Chapter 2 ( Chapter 5 in 2 nd Edn.) Responsibility in Engineering

1. Chapter 2 (Chapter 5 in 2nd Edn.)Responsibility in Engineering This chapter explores different ways in which engineers might understand and act on their responsibilities. Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

2. Case Carl Lawrence is alarmed by Kevin Rourke's urgent, early afternoon message: "All supervisors immediately check for open caustic valves. Supply tank is empty. Pump still running--either an open valve or a leak. Emergency order of caustic supply on the way”. In only the first year of his work as a supervisor of one of Emerson Chemical’s acid abd caustic distributiın systems, Carl gad never had to deal with anything like this before. He knew he should move quickly to see if his unit was the source of the problem. Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

3. Case Much of his dismay, Carl found that the problem had originated in his unit. One of his lead operators discovered that a seldom-used caustic valve was open. Although the valve was immeadiately closed, Carl know the cleanup remedy would be costly. Minimally, several hundred gallons of caustic would have to be replaced, and as many as thirty drums of hydrocholoric acid might need to be used to reduce the pH level of effluent rushing out of the plant toward the local publicly owned wastewater treatment works. Beyond this, Carl knoew that eventually he would need to determine who was responsible for the accident. But, for now, he knew his primary responsibility was to help get the problem under control. Concepts of Responsibility Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

4. Whether they work for clients or corporate employers engineers have basic job responsibilities. NSPE’s Code of Ethics Canon 4: “ engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees” This will be discussed in Chaper 8 “Engineers As Employees” Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

5. In this Chapter we will concentrate on issues of responsibility concerning possible harm and benefits to society Concepts of Responsibility Obligation-responsibility, blame-responsibility, role-responsibility The Minimalist View Reasonable Care Good Works Do Engineers Need Virtue Impediments to Responsibility Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

6. Concepts of Responsibility Legal and Moral Responsibility are distinct but related to each other. Responsibility for causing harm can be distinguished as:(in both law and morality) Intentionally Causing harm Negligently Causing Harm Recklessly Causing Harm Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

7. Concepts of Responsibility Intentionally Causing Harm: Knowingly deliberately causing harm! Negligently Causing Harm: not knowingly causing harm but failing to exercise “due care” Recklessly Causing Harm: not aiming to cause harm but acting in conscious awareness that harm is likely to result Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

8. From a Moral point of view, engineers are morally responsible for harms theyintentionally, negligently, or recklessly causeregardless of whom is held legally responsible. those who cause the harms their supervisors company itself Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

9. Engineers have a responsibility to serve their employers and the public in ways that reduce the likelihood of harms to others for which either they, their supervisors, or their companies can be held legally liable. Case Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

10. Concepts of Responsibility: Responsibility refers to the obligation of professionals to use their specialized knowledge and skill in a way that benefits clients and the public and does not violate the trust placed in them. (positive responsibility; obligation responsibility) Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

11. Concepts of Responsibility: Obligation-responsibilty refers to the positive obligations of engineers to observe professional standards and even go beyond them Blame-responsibility refers to the responsibility for harmful action. Role-responsibility refers to being in a role (charged) with certain responsibilities so that one has obligation responsibilities and can also be blamed for harm. Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

12. Three basic attitudes toward responsibility: minimalist view (2nd edition) reasonable care (obligation responsibility) good works Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

13. The Minimalist View The minimalist view of responsibility holds that engineers have a duty to conform to the standard operating procedures of their profession and to fulfill the basic duties of their job as defined by the terms of their employment. (includes avoiding harm: reasonable care) Unexpected problems can arise that standard operating procedures are not well equipped to handle! Avoidance of blame or “staying out of trouble” tends to be the dominant concern. This minimalist view also emphasizes a negative approach to responsibility: eg. “its his job, not mine!” Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

14. Reasonable Care Engineers have a professional obligation to conform to the standard operating procedures and regulations that apply to their profession and to fulfill the basic responsibilities of their job. The reasonable care view is more directly concerned with the perspective of those who are at risk of being harmed and trying to prevent that harm. From the moral point of view intentionally, negligently or recklessly causing harm to others is to fail to exercise reasonable care. Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

15. Good Works Sometimes we say that someone has gone “above and beyond the call of duty” or “the extra mile”. Engineers with good works view take on responsibilities that no one has a right to expect from them. If they do not do it no one will fault them. Instead of hold someone else responsible engineers assume to be responsible or take on certain responsibilities. Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

16. The Good Works concept can be illustrated with the following simple example which is outside the engineering context Ralph wakes up, prepares to go to work, when he looks out the window he realizes that his long driveway is drifted over with snow. He has a shovel not a plow, even though he will be late to work he steps out to shovel, surprised to see his driveway is being cleared by his neighbor which he never met. Of course he appreciates what his neighbor is doing. What would he think if his neighbor had done nothing to help? Would he fault him, think that he has failed to do his duty, or think that his neighbor has a sort of moral deficiency? • NO. His neighbor has gone above and beyond the call of duty! Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

17. Good WorksAn example from professional life: A design engineer devotes a great deal of time after regular working hours to see if the features of a safety rope for those who wash windows of high rises can be improved-even though the current design more than satisfies legal requirements. Asked why he is not satisfied with the current design, he comments, “you have to do the best you can-and that’s usually inadequate” No one expect this from him. No one would fault him if he didn’t do these things. Limitations: time, money and other responsibilities Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

18. Do Engineers Need Virtues? (Moral Excellence, goodness) Virtues reflect the moral character of an engineer! “one test of (professional) character and virtue is what a person does when no one else is watching. A society that rests on expertise needs more people who can pass this test” Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

19. Virtues associated with basic duties: honesty, fair-mindedness, reliability, integrity. If we are to go beyond basic duty: benevolence, perseverance, public-spiritless, compassion, kindness, generosity, and many others character traits and virtues invite us to consider more than basic duties. Do Engineers Need Virtues? Ethics in Engineering Spring'10

20. Impediments to Responsibility Self-interest – an exclusive concern to satisfy one’s own interest, even at the possible expense to others. Fear – fear of acknowledging our mistakes, of losing our jobs, or of some sort of punishment or other bad consequences. Self-deception – Golden Rule reasoning. Resisting the temptations of self-interest to confront ourselves honestly. Ignorance – of vital information, not realizing the design poses a safety problem. Egocentric Tendencies – tendency to interpret situations from very limited perspective (subjective viewpoint). Microscopic Vision – inaccurate, limited perspective, failing to understand the perspective of others. Uncritical Acceptance of Authority – most engineers are not their own bosses, and they are expected to defer to authority in their organizations. Groupthink – an engineer will often participate in group decision making rather than function as an individual decision maker. Ethics in Engineering Spring'10