Ethics in Engineering
•Utilitarianism
•Consequentialist
•Holding that the consequences of one’s conduct are the ultimate basis for any
judgment about the rightness of that conduct. Thus, from a consequentialist
standpoint, a morally right act (or omission) is one that will produce a good
outcome, or consequence.
•Hedonistic
•Maximize net pleasure
•Aggregative
•Maximizes aggregate utility
•Deontology
•Act according to the maxim that it be a universal law
•Virtue Theory
•Virtue ethics emphasizes the role of one’s character and the virtues that one’s
character embodies for determining or evaluating ethical behavior.
•A virtue ethicist, however, would focus less on lying in any particular instance and
instead consider what a decision to tell a lie or not tell a lie said about one’s
character and moral behavior. As such, lying would be made in a case-by-case basis
that would be based on factors such as personal benefit, group benefit, and
intentions (as to whether they are benevolent or malevolent).
•Code of Ethics
•National Assembly required engineers to adopt a code that would establish rules of
conduct for professional practice.
•The Code of Ethics is a mandatory regulation for engineers.
•Engineer’s duties and obligations towards
•Public
•Clients (including employees)
•Profession
Professional Relationships
•Trust
•Loyalty
Duties and Obligations toward the Profession
•Creating Trust
•OIQ code of ethics for engineers
•Ethical obligations needed to create a bond of obligations
•Obligated to have trust between clients and employers
•Trist building obligations
•Disclosing Limits – knowing your limits (resources)
•Integrity and Transparency – terms of agreement
•Availability and Diligence
•Independence and Impartiality – avoid conflict of interest
•Confidentiality – respect secrecy
•Fees – charge fairly
ú ACRONYM – ACIDIF
•Professional Code
•Code of Ethics for Engineers
•Have the duty to preserve the dignity of the profession
•3 kinds of duties to the profession
•Derogatory Acts – common to all professions
•Governs how all professionals should behave in Quebec
•Behavior that could be classified as a derogatory act
Discrimination
Claiming to be a specialist when your are not
Sexual Misconduct
•Derogatory Acts in the code of ethics
•Seeking legal action against a colleague before applying to the Order
•Refusing to comply with the directions of the Order
•Refusing to present yourself to Order when requested to
•Relations with the Order
•DO NOT PLAY AROUND WITH THE ORDER
•An engineer must answer all correspondences with the Order ASAP
•Forbidden to refuse and inspection
•Relations with professional colleagues
•Secondary
•Don’t damage a colleagues reputation
•Forbidden to take advantage of one’s position
