Defining Ethics
The definition of ethics in engineering practice.
Rules or standards governing the conduct of members of a profession.
The primary difference between ethics and morals.
Morals are personal beliefs about right and wrong, while ethics are professional rules shared by a group.
The standard that takes precedence when personal desires conflict with professional duties.
Professional ethical standards.
The specific component that failed on the Space Shuttle Challenger due to cold temperatures.
The O-rings in the solid rocket boosters.
What NSPE stands for in engineering ethics.
National Society of Professional Engineers.
The primary goal of maintaining professional ethics as an engineer.
To protect the public health, safety, and welfare.
The main focus of legal standards (laws) compared to ethical standards.
Laws set the minimum baseline of acceptable behavior enforced by the government, while ethics often demand a higher standard of conduct.
The fundamental reason why ethical standards take precedence over personal standards in engineering.
Engineers hold public safety in higher regard than personal convenience or profit.
The weather condition on the morning of the launch that concerned engineers.
Unusually cold freezing temperatures.
The first and most prominent Canon in the NSPE Code of Ethics.
Hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public.
The term for an obligation to perform tasks and accept the consequences of your engineering work.
Professional responsibility or accountability.
A situation where an action is legal but still unethical.
Designing a product to break down right after the warranty ends (planned obsolescence) without telling the customer.
Why ethical standards can take precedence over legal standards.
A law might be outdated, unjust, or unsafe, requiring an ethical engineer to advocate for a higher standard of safety.
The company whose engineers argued against launching the Challenger that morning
Morton Thiokol.
What the NSPE Code says engineers should do if their judgment is overruled under circumstances endangering life or safety.
Notify their employer or client and/or appropriate authorities.
The group responsible for establishing and upholding professional codes of ethics for engineers.
Professional engineering societies (like the NSPE
How personal standards differ from professional ethical standards.
Personal standards vary by individual, whereas professional standards are uniform obligations for all members of the profession.
The real-world consequence if an engineer allows personal financial gain to override professional ethics.
Loss of license, public endangerment, legal liability, or professional disgrace.
The management pressure that led to overriding the engineering recommendation to delay the launch.
Pressure to meet schedule demands and satisfy NASA leadership.
The NSPE rule regarding engineers performing services outside of their area of competence.
Engineers shall not undertake assignments unless qualified by training and experience.
The main reason why engineering ethics goes beyond basic common sense or everyday politeness.
Because engineering failures can cause catastrophic harm to public safety and infrastructure
Why an engineer cannot simply rely on their own personal conscience when solving a complex public safety design conflict.
Personal conscience is subjective and might lack the rigorous, safety-tested consensus of a formal engineering code.
The principle that requires an engineer to blow the whistle on an employer despite legal nondisclosure agreements.
The supreme duty to protect public health, safety, and welfare above employer loyalty.
The primary ethical failure committed by management during the Challenger decision-making process.
Reversing the engineering consensus and failing to prioritize safety over schedule.
The ethical rule in the NSPE code concerning conflicts of interest.
Engineers must avoid conflicts of interest and disclose them to employers or clients when they arise.