Code of Ethics

Dr. Eesa Mohammed Bastaki Faculty of Engineering Eesa@uaeu.ac.ae http://faculty.uaeu.ac.ae/~eesa/ http://www.bastaki.net/

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Contents

Definition Trivial Concepts Rationale General Concepts Basic Values Govern Behavior IEEE Code of Ethics ASME Code of Ethics
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Definition
Webster's Dictionary defines ethics as: the discipline dealing with what is good and bad, and with moral duty and obligation; a set of moral principles or values; a theory or system of moral values; the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group.
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Trivial Concepts
The important question here is, what does the word ETHICS mean to you? From the time you were a child, just learning from your family about living, you have often been told not to do something because it was wrong, or to do something because it was the right thing to do. In this manner you have been learning about ETHICS without much thought about a formal definition.
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Trivial Concepts
As a student you have been faced with ETHICAL questions since you first started school. You may have been asked a question about your conduct and have debated with yourself about your answer, mainly because your answer might get you in trouble. If you were concerned with right and wrong at the time, your ETHICAL sense overruled your concern for getting into "trouble" and you answered truthfully.
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Trivial Concepts
To this day, this same guide, your conscience, helps you to decide what to do in school how to answer a question... how to be ETHICAL. You are practicing ETHICS. Your commitment to honesty in school... academic honesty... is a measure of how well you are learning ETHICS.
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Trivial Concepts
The concept of ETHICS is quite real in high school and in college. This holds true particularly for engineering students. You might ask yourselves why ETHICS is important to an engineering student. Why is ETHICS important to an engineer... or to any one of us?
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Trivial Concepts
How would you feel if you could not trust your friend to give you an honest answer to a question? Say you were missing a pencil or a calculator and you asked your friend if he knew what happened to it. If you could not trust his answer, what would your feelings be toward your friend?
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Trivial Concepts
In the business world, many of the day-to-day affairs are carried out without much thought for what is right or wrong. This is because many business people have been brought up to make this evaluation almost without the quality of a commodity or product for financial gain, without being detected, for example, that the question of ETHICS arises.
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Trivial Concepts
With some people, fear of the law, fear of punishment, fear of disapproval by their friends all or any of these emotions can influence the application of ETHICS to a situation. There are times when it is a personal struggle to reach a decision. There is a weighing of consequences. The stronger one's conscience, the more quickly a judgment can be made, and usually in favor of what is right.
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Trivial Concepts
The scientific and engineering professions have a high standard of ETHICS. It is quite necessary, because many of the things scientists and engineers do affect both their own lives and those of the public as well. If a scientist reports a development from the laboratory incorrectly, it can even endanger someone's life. If an engineer cheats on a design, it can also cost lives. All of us would be concerned about driving over a bridge built by an engineer who cheated in school.
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Rationale

Students are faced with ethical dilemmas almost daily: in school, university, family, and social settings. Not only is their personal life governed by standards, but professions of all kinds have standards of ethics. A basic understanding of ethical decision making is essential to proper conduct.
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General Concepts
1. Ethics is a set of moral principles or values, the principles of conduct governing an individual or a group. 2. All behavior, personal, social, and professional, is judged by ethical standards. 3. Engineers are governed by the "Code of Ethics of Engineers."
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Basic Values Govern Behavior

1.A younger brother/sister comes to you, telling you that another child in the neighborhood has been picking on him, calling him names, etc. He wants you to right the wrong. What do you do? 2.You are working on a school project in a group. One of your members refuses to do his/her part in the project. What do you do?
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Basic Values Govern Behavior

3.There is a group of males/females in the campus, smoking. This is against university rules. They are pretty tough and are known to "get back" at people who "rat" on them. What do you do? 4.One of your friends has not prepared well for the test today, and you have. The friend would like to copy your answers. What do you do?
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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:
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IEEE Code of Ethics

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;

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IEEE Code of Ethics

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;

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IEEE Code of Ethics

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;
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IEEE Code of Ethics

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.
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ASME Code of Ethics

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.
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ASME Code of Ethics

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 continue their professional development throughout their careers and shall provide opportunities for the professional development of those engineers under their supervision.
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ASME Code of Ethics

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 reputations on the merit of their services and shall not compete unfairly with others.
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ASME Code of Ethics

6. Engineers shall associate only with reputable persons or organizations. 7. Engineers shall issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner.

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To be Ethical
The information about Ethics were obtained from the following Web sites: http://www.ieee.org/ http://www.asme.org/

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