WEEK 5

• Ethics - study of the characteristics of morals, and involves the moral choices made by individuals as they interact with other persons.
• Engineering Ethics - rules and standards governing the conduct of engineers in their roles as professionals.
• Utilitarianism [John Stuart Mill (1806- 1873)]
• Utilitarianism - Considers a balance of good & bad consequences for everyone affected (society)
• Utilitarianism - Actions are good that serve to promote human wellbeing
• Utilitarianism - Cost-Benefit analysis is an application of Utilitarianism
• Utilitarianism - Consideration of most benefit to the most people outweigh needs of a few individuals
• Utilitarianism - Its core idea is that whether actions are morally right or wrong depends on their effects.
• Utilitarianism - In the language of Utilitarian, we should choose the option that “maximizes utility”, i.e. that action or policy that produces the largest amount of good
• Duty Ethics [Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)]
• Duty Ethics - Deontological (duty-based) ethics are concerned with what people do, not with the consequences of their actions.
• Duty Ethics - There are duties that should be performed (e.g.. Duty to treat others fairly or not to injure others) regardless of whether these acts do the most good or not
• Rights Ethics [John Locke (1632-1704)]
• Rights Ethics - People have fundamental rights (like life, liberty, & property) that others have a duty to respect.
• Rights Ethics - In the rights ethical theory the rights set forth by a society are protected and given the highest priority.
• Rights Ethics - Rights are considered to be ethically correct and valid since a large or ruling population endorses them.
• Rights Ethics - Individuals may also bestow rights upon others if they have the ability and resources to do so
• Virtue Ethics [John Locke (1632-1704)]
• Virtue Ethics - Actions are considered right if they support good character traits (virtues) and wrong if they support bad character traits (vices)
• Virtue Ethics - Closely tied to personal honor
• Virtue Ethics - The virtue ethical theory judges a person by his character rather than by an action that may deviate from his normal behavior. It takes the person's morals, reputation and motivation into account when rating an unusual and irregular behavior that is considered unethical.
• CODE OF ETHICS COMMONLY HOLD: Engineers and technologists have a duty to hold the health and safety of the public as a primary concern. Usually the first cannon of any code.
• CODE OF ETHICS COMMONLY HOLD: Other duties are summarized in order of importance with most important first e.g. Safety is more important than conflict of interest.