Chapter 9 - Ethical Problems in Engineering Technology

Question 1

Why is it important to understand the relationship between engineering technology and ethics?

Answer 1

• engineering technicians and technologists are oriented towards solving technical problems.
• the complexity of our technologies and our societies have created a growing awareness of the interplay of engineering and ethics.
• There are strong similarities between the thought processes involved in the application of engineering principles and ethical principles.

Question 2

What are the types of ethical problems in engineering and technology?

Answer 2

1. Violation of Laws and Standards
2. Failure to Protest Use of Inadequate Designs
3. Unsuccessful Attempts at Problem Remedies
4. Competing Considerations

Question 3

What are possible approaches for analyzing ethical problems in engineering and technology?

Answer 3

• Identifying Factual, Conceptual and Moral Issues
• Engineering Design Model
• Worksheet for Ethical Decision Making
• A Framework for Ethical Decision-Making
• The EGAD Method (Ethical Problem, Generate, Analyze and Decision)

Question 4

What method for analyzing ethical problems is used for the purpose of the OACETT PPE?

Answer 4

• The EGAD Method (Ethical Problem, Generate, Analyze and Decision)
  1. Identify the Ethical problem. What courses of action are in conflict?
  2. Generate new courses of action. Imagine possible alternative courses of action.
  3. Analyze the possible courses of action. Identify whether each course of action can be supported by, or is in contravention of, clauses in a Code of Ethics to which the players in the case are held.
  4. Make a Decision. Occasionally one course of action is clearly superior to the others. However, in many (if not most) cases, there are two courses of action that seem equally desirable and you must make a choice. To resolve this deadlock, other considerations must be brought into the argument. For example, is one course of action less desirable than the other for some reason? Can you resort to applying the basic ethical theories (as
  well as the Code of Ethics) to obtain a new insight? In the end, you must make a decision.
• OACETT Code of Ethics and Rules of Professional Conduct

Question 5

What are resources that are available for the resolving of Ethical Problems?

Answer 5

● The Code of Ethics for the profession.
● Codes of Conduct, which are documents tailored to a specific organization to govern the behaviour of those who work for the organization.
● The ethical theories we discussed in the previous chapter.
● Your professional peers who may have experienced similar situations in the past.
● The experiences of others in the same profession and in other professions, as documented in ethics case studies.