Ethics in Engineering

Jerry C. Collins
Department of Biomedical Engineering
Vanderbilt University

Overview of Presentation
Fundamentals of Ethics
Ethics Education in Engineering
Codes of Ethics
Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
National Society of Professional Engineers
IEEE
ASME
BMES

Examples of Ethical Dilemmas

Exercise in Ethical Decision Making

Ethical issues permeate our world

I always thought of myself

as a man of science.
Then youre in a state of
conflict.

Definitions of Ethics

The study of the general nature of

morals and of the specific moral
choices to be made by a person;
moral philosophy.
The rules or standards governing
the conduct of a person or the
members of a profession: medical
ethics.

Levels of Technology
Development and use of devices and techniques
Software
Products
Gene-transfer vector

Effects that come in the wake of new devices and

techniques
Intensive care unit
Living will
Radioactive waste

Way of relating to the world

Enhancement technologies
Objects for human manipulation
Rejection of given
Humanity exerts power
Humanity as creator, or created cocreator

Attitudes toward Technology

Even using the yardstick of the ancient Greeks,
our whole modern existence is nothing but hubris
and godlessness.
Hubris today characterizes our whole attitude
towards nature, our rape of nature with the help of
machines and the completely unscrupulous
inventiveness of technicians and engineers.
Friedrich Nietzsche, On the Genealogy
of Mortality, Cambridge Press, New
York, 1994, 86.

What is hubris?
A Casey Clausen press conference
Detritus on the Outer Banks after a
hurricane
Exaggerated pride or self-confidence

What is hubris?
A Casey Clausen press conference
Detritus on the Outer Banks after a
hurricane
Exaggerated pride or self-confidence

Teaching engineering ethics . . . can achieve at least four

desirable outcomes:
a) increased ethical sensitivity;
b) increased knowledge of relevant standards of conduct;
c) improved ethical judgment; and
d) improved ethical will-power (that is, a greater ability to
act ethically when one wants to).
Davis, M. Teaching ethics across the engineering curriculum.
Proceedings of International Conference on Ethics in
Engineering and Computer Science. Available online at:
http://onlineethics.org/essays/education/davis.html.

Ethical responsibility...involves more than leading

a decent, honest, truthful life. . . . And it involves
something much more than making wise choices
when such choices suddenly, unexpectedly
present themselves. Our moral obligations must . .
. include a willingness to engage others in the
difficult work of defining the crucial choices that
confront technological society . . . .
Langdon Winner, 1990. Engineering ethics and political imagination.
Pp. 53-64 in Broad and Narrow Interpretations of Philosophy of
Technology: Philosophy and Technology 7, edited by P. Durbin.
Boston:
Kluwer. Cited in Joseph R. Herkert, Continuing and Emerging
Issues in
Engineering Ethics Education, The Bridge, 32(3), 2002.

Professional Codes of Ethics

Accreditation Board for Engineering and
Technology (ABET)
National Society of Professional Engineers
(NSPE)
Institute of Electrical and Electronic
Engineers (IEEE)
American Society of Mechanical Engineers
(ASME)
Biomedical Engineering Society (BMES)

ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology)

Code of Ethics of Engineers
The Fundamental Principles
Engineers uphold and advance the integrity, honor, and dignity of the
engineering profession by:
I. using their knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human welfare;
II. being honest and impartial, and serving with fidelity the public, their
employers, and their clients;
III. striving to increase the competence and prestige of the engineering
profession; and,
IV. supporting the professional and technical societies of their disciplines.

Who are the groups to be

benefited in the ABET Code
of Ethics?

ABET Code of Ethics of Engineers

The Fundamental Principles
Engineers uphold and advance the integrity, honor, and dignity of the
engineering profession by:
I. using their knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human welfare;
II. being honest and impartial, and serving with fidelity the public, their
employers, and their clients;
III. striving to increase the competence and prestige of the engineering
profession; and,
IV. supporting the professional and technical societies of their disciplines.

Groups Who Benefit (ABET)

The human family

Public
Employers
Clients
Profession
Professional and technical societies

ABET Code of Ethics of Engineers

The Fundamental Canons
1. Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of
the public in the performance of their professional duties.
2. Engineers shall perform services only in the areas of their
competence.
3. Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and
truthful manner.
4. Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or
client as faithful agents or trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of
interest.
5. Engineers shall build their professional reputation on the merit of
their services and shall not compete unfairly with others.
6. Engineers shall act in such a manner as to uphold and enhance the
honor, integrity, and dignity of the profession.
7. Engineers shall continue their professional development
throughout their careers and shall provide opportunities for the
professional development of those engineers under their supervision.

ABET Program Outcomes

Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have
Ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, engineering
Ability to design and conduct expts, analyze and interpret data
Ability to design system, component, or process
Ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
Ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
Ability to communicate effectively
Broad education necessary to understand engineering impact in a
global and societal context
Recognition of need for and ability to engage in life-long learning
Knowledge of contemporary issues
Ability to use techniques, skills and modern engineering tools
necessary for engineering practice

Ethics in ABET Program Outcomes

Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have
Ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, engineering
Ability to design and conduct expts, analyze and interpret data
Ability to design system, component, or process
Ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
Ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
Ability to communicate effectively
Broad education necessary to understand engineering impact in a
global and societal context
Recognition of need for and ability to engage in life-long learning
Knowledge of contemporary issues
Ability to use techniques, skills and modern engineering tools
necessary for engineering practice

Engineering Ethics Education

Current State
Awareness of need is increasing
Social issues
ABET accreditation standards

70% of accredited programs have no ethics course

requirement (Stephan, 1999)
Key concept: "professional responsibility" (moral
responsibility based on an individual's special knowledge)
(Whitbeck, 1998).
Typical concerns: conflicts of interest, integrity of data,
whistle-blowing, loyalty, accountability, giving credit where
due, trade secrets, gift giving and bribes (Wujek and
Johnson, 1992).
Herkert, The Bridge, 32(3), 2002

Engineering Ethical Education

Issues to be Considered
Ethical implications of public policy relevant to
engineering:
Sustainable development
Health care
Risk and product liability
Information technology

Culturally embedded engineering practice

(institutional and political aspects of engineering,
such as contracting, regulation, and technology
transfer)
Macroethical issues (e.g., overconsumption)
Herkert, The Bridge, 32(3), 2002

Sustainable Development
The guiding principle of sustainable development is
development that meets the needs of the present without
compromising the ability of future generations to meet
their own needs. Sustainable development recognizes the
interdependence of environmental, social and economic
systems and promotes equality and justice through
people empowerment and a sense of global citizenship.
Whilst we cannot be sure what the future may bring, a
preferable future is a more sustainable one.
Encyclopedia of Sustainable Development
http://www.doc.mmu.ac.uk/aric/esd/menu.html

National Society of Professional

Engineers (NSPE) Code of Ethics
. Fundamental Canons
Engineers, in the fulfillment of their professional duties, shall:
1. Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public.
2. Perform services only in areas of their competence.
3. Issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.
4. Act for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees.
5. Avoid deceptive acts.
6. Conduct themselves honorably, responsibly, ethically, and
lawfully so as to enhance the honor, reputation, and usefulness of
the profession.
(More extensive Rules of Practice follow in the Code)
http://www.nspe.org/ethics/eh1-code.asp

IEEE Code of Ethics

We, the members of the IEEE, in recognition of the
importance of our technologies in affecting the quality of
life throughout the world, and in accepting a personal
obligation to our profession, its members and the
communities we serve, do hereby commit ourselves to
the highest ethical and professional conduct and agree:
1. to accept responsibility in making engineering decisions
consistent with the safety, health and welfare of the
public, and to disclose promptly factors that might
endanger the public or the environment;
2. to avoid real or perceived conflicts of interest whenever
possible, and to disclose them to affected parties when
they do exist;

IEEE Code of Ethics (cont.)

3. to be honest and realistic in stating claims or estimates
based on available data;
4. to reject bribery in all its forms;
5. to improve the understanding of technology, its
appropriate application, and potential consequences;
6. to maintain and improve our technical competence and
to undertake technological tasks for others only if
qualified by training or experience, or after full
disclosure of pertinent limitations;
7. to seek, accept, and offer honest criticism of technical
work, to acknowledge and correct errors, and to credit
properly the contributions of others;

IEEE Code of Ethics (concl.)

8. to treat fairly all persons regardless of such factors as
race, religion, gender, disability, age, or national origin;
9. to avoid injuring others, their property, reputation, or
employment by false or malicious action;
10. to assist colleagues and co-workers in their professional
development and to support them in following this code
of ethics.
http://www.ieee.org/portal/index.jsp?pageID=corp_level1&p
ath=about/whatis&file=code.xml&xsl=generic.xsl

ASME Code of Ethics

Code of Ethics of Engineers
from The American Society of Mechanical Engineers
THE FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLES
Engineers uphold and advance the integrity, honor, and
dignity of the Engineering profession by:
I. using their knowledge and skill for the enhancement
of human welfare;
II. being honest and impartial, and serving with fidelity
the public, their employers and clients, and
III. striving to increase the competence and prestige of
the engineering profession.

ASME Code of Ethics

Code of Ethics of Engineers From ASME
THE FUNDAMENTAL CANONS
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Engineers shall hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the
public in the performance of their professional duties.
Engineers shall perform services only in the areas of their
competence.
Engineers shall continue their professional development throughout
their careers and shall provide opportunities for the professional
development of those engineers under their supervision.
Engineers shall act in professional matters for each employer or client
as faithful agents or trustees, and shall avoid conflicts of interest.
Engineers shall build their professional reputations on the merit of
their services and shall not compete unfairly with others.
Engineers shall associate only with reputable persons or
organizations.
Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and
truthful manner.

BMES Code of Ethics

Biomedical engineering is a learned profession that combines expertise and
responsibilities in engineering, science, technology, and medicine. Mindful that public
health and welfare are paramount considerations in each of these areas, the Society
identifies in this Code principles of ethical conduct in professional practice, health care,
research, and training. This Code reflects voluntary standards of professional and
personal practice recommended for biomedical engineers.
Biomedical Engineering Professional Obligations
Biomedical engineers in the fulfillment of their professional engineering duties shall:
1. Use their knowledge, skills, and abilities to enhance the safety, health, and welfare
of the public.
2. Strive by action, example, and influence to increase the competence, prestige, and
honor of the biomedical engineering profession.
Biomedical Engineering Health Care Obligations
Biomedical engineers involved in health care activities shall:
1. Regard responsibility toward and rights of patients, including those of
confidentiality and privacy, as a primary concern.
2. Consider the broader consequences of their work in regard to cost, availability, and
delivery of health care.

BMES Code of Ethics (Cont.)

Biomedical Engineering Research Obligations
Biomedical engineers involved in research shall:
1. Comply fully with legal, ethical, institutional, governmental, and other
applicable research guidelines, respecting the rights of and exercising the
responsibilities to human and animal subjects, colleagues, the scientific
community and the general public.
2. Publish and/or present properly credited results of research accurately and
clearly.
Biomedical Engineering Training Obligations
Biomedical engineers entrusted with the responsibilities of training others
shall:
1. Honor the responsibility not only to train biomedical engineering students
in proper professional conduct in performing research and publishing results,
but also to model such conduct before them.
2. Keep training methods and content free from inappropriate influence of
special interests.

THE DILEMMA OF BIOENGINEERING

RESEARCH ON HUMAN SUBJECTS

Times are difficult for

researchers using human
subjects.

The Scientist 14:1, 2000.

THE DILEMMA OF BIOENGINEERING

RESEARCH ON HUMAN SUBJECTS

Make the rules protecting patients too

lax, and subjects will suffer and even die
needlessly. Make them too strict, and
lifesaving medications wont make it out
of the lab quickly enough to help the
people who need them most.

Time, April 22, 2002.

TIMELINE: 1932 - present

2000 OHRP

1991 The Common Rule (OHSR)

1979 Belmont Report

1999 death
of Jesse
Gelsinger

1974 National Research Act (OPRR)

1970 Tuskegee Study exposed
1964 Declaration of Helsinki

1947 Nuremberg Code

1950s Thalidomide tragedy

1940 Nazi medical experiments

THE NAZI DOCTORS

At a second trial of medical

underlings, Dr. Edward
Katzenellenbogen, a former
member of the faculty of
the Harvard Medical School,
asked the court for the
death sentence. Any
physician who committed
the crimes I am charged
with deserves to be killed,
he exclaimed. He was given
life imprisonment.

Shirer WL. The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich, 1960.

Nuremberg Code (1947)

ethical yardstick against which defendants were judged

informed consent
risk & benefit (equipoise)
subject can terminate her/his involvement
experiment should be based upon prior animal studies
only scientifically qualified individuals should conduct
human experimentation
physical and mental suffering and injury should be
avoided
there should be no expectation that death or disabling
injury will occur from the experiment

Conditions for Clinical Trial

Participation
Under what conditions would you
participate in a clinical trial of a drug
or device or procedure?
Under what conditions would you
allow a friend or a member of your
family to participate in a clinical trial?

USPHS Study of Syphilis

1932: Started as a short

study (6-8 months) with
200-300 syphilitic black
males in Macon County
Free medical examinations
Not told of their disease,
not treated
Study continued with yearly
physicals

Conditions for Clinical Trial

Participation
Under what conditions would you
participate in a clinical trial of a drug
or device or procedure?
Under what conditions would you
allow a friend or a member of your
family to participate in a clinical trial?

Ethics in ABET Program Outcomes

Engineering programs must demonstrate that their graduates have
Ability to apply knowledge of mathematics, science, engineering
Ability to design and conduct expts, analyze and interpret data
Ability to design system, component, or process
Ability to function on multidisciplinary teams
Ability to identify, formulate, and solve engineering problems
An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility
Ability to communicate effectively
Broad education necessary to understand engineering impact in a
global and societal context
Recognition of need for and ability to engage in life-long learning
Knowledge of contemporary issues
Ability to use techniques, skills and modern engineering tools
necessary for engineering practice