17 - Personal Ethics Going Forward

Engineering and Society:
Personal Ethics & Going Forward
Dr. Gershon Weltman

Engineering 183EW, UCLA SEAS
Lecture 17
Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2013
Building a Personal Ethical Framework

Naturalistic
Decisions
Personal Themes
Honesty Compassion Truthfulness
Respect Fairness Belief
Love
Justice Loyalty
Analytical
Decisions
Ethical Philosophies
Rights
Duty
Virtue
Utilitarian
Pragmatic
Ethical
EthicalSources
Sources
Engr 183 Personal Ethical Dilemmas
Lying and Cheating
~ 40%
Stealing and Receiving
~ 35%
Teams & Authority
~15%
Technical Risks & Hazards
~ 10%
In
Inengineering
engineeringcareers,
careers,organizational
organizationaldilemmas
dilemmaswill
willpredominate;
predominate;
Your
Yourresponses
responseswill
willdepend
dependon
onyour
yourPersonal
PersonalEthical
EthicalFramework.
Framework.
Organizational Ethics: Team & Project
Relationship to Team Members
Interactions with Higher Management
Respectful Behavior
Maintaining Communication
Keeping Promises
Exhibiting Loyalty (within reason)
Protecting Data and Results
Moving Problems Upward (and maybe outward)
Accepting Responsibility!
Interactions as a Higher Manager
Respect for and Consideration of Subordinates

Avoidance of Sexual or Other Harassment
Assignments to Jobs and Tasks
Dismissals for Necessity or Cause
Technical and Financial Decisions
These
Theseactions
actionsare
aremost
mostliable
liableto
toConflict
Conflictof
ofInterest
Interestissues
issues
Organizational Ethics: Conflict of Interest
Typical Situations
Hiring or appointing a friend or relative

Giving a pass to a friend or relative who transgresses
Recommending a technical or financial option that
Benefits you directly
Benefits a close friend or relative
Methods of Resolution Not Necessarily in Order
Test 1: How does the situation fit into MY Ethical Framework?

Test 2: Who is Harmed?
Are the interests actually in conflict?
Is there a relevant organizational policy?
Can any conflicts be fairly and equitably reconciled?

Test 3: How Does it Smell?
How do my colleagues or supervisors feel about this?
How would it affect customers and/or stakeholders?
How would it look on the Web or the evening news?
Large
Largeorganizations
organizationsare
areoften
oftenmost
mostconcerned
concernedwith
withTest
Test3:3:The
Thesmell
smelltest.
test.
Ethics Away from the Workplace
Educational & Business Transactions
Societal Exchanges
Everyday personal interactions

Participation in social or professional groups
Participation in online communities
Personal Relationships
School assignments and tests

Submission of resumes and endorsements
Buying and selling of objects and services
Claims for Insurance, Income Tax, etc.
Opinions and advice

Promises and commitments
Receiving and distributing information
Parenting
Establishing an ethical environment

Reinforcing childrens ethical conduct
Using Your Personal Ethical Framework
Application
Modification
Exceptions within structure

Personal and societal evolution
Observation
As rationalization for previous actions

As guidance for future actions
Your actions
Actions of others
Whistle-blowing
Extension of personal conduct

Societys ambivalence
A cadet will not

lie, cheat or steal
or tolerate
those who do.
Famous Whistle Blow: The Watergate Affair
Nov 1972
1972 73
June 1972
Break-in to Democratic
Party offices in Watergate
Richard Nixon elected
to 2nd term as President
Washington Post
reporters Bob Woodward
and Carl Bernstein use
Deep Throat
reveal that the
cover-up go very
the Nixon
source to
burglary &
high in
administration
1973 74
Congress investigates
Aug 1974
President Nixon resigns
Watergate is a National Turning Point

AP - Sat Jun 18, 2:30 PM ET
Washington Post reporters
Bernstein, second from left, and
Woodward, third from left, are
flanked by actors Dustin
Hoffman and Robert Redford as
they attend the premiere of the
motion picture 'All the
President's Men,' in Washington,
D.C., on April 5, 1976.
Investigative
Investigativereporting
reportingand
andgotcha
gotchajournalism
journalismbecomes
becomesthe
thenew
newnorm,
norm,
along
alongwith
withaageneral
generalclimate
climateof
ofincreased
increasedsuspicion
suspicionabout
abouteverything
everything
Famous Whistle Blow: The Watergate Affair
June 1972
Break-in to Democratic
Party offices in Watergate

Nov 1972
Richard Nixon elected
to 2nd term as President
1972 73
Washington Post reporters
Bob Woodward
and Carl Bernstein
use
Deep Throat source to
reveal that the burglary &
cover-up
go very high in
the Nixon
administration
1973 74
Congress investigates
Aug 1974
President Nixon resigns
1974-2005
Speculation over identity
and motivation of Deep
Throat
10
2005: Deep Throat was FBIs Mark Felt

Ex-Boss: Revenge Motivated
'Deep Throat'
By DOUGLASS K. DANIEL, Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON - L. Patrick Gray, the
12 minutes ago
FBI chief during the Watergate break-in, says he believes deputy

W. Mark Felt became the anonymous source known as Deep
Throat because he was angry at being passed over as J. Edgar
Hoover's successor and wanted to sabotage Gray.
<p style="
11
A Big Question: How Could They Do It?
One step at a time

Start small, build up in seriousness
Lose sight of original objectives
Justify decisions and actions by
resolution of cognitive dissonance
Cover Up to avoid responsibility!
Somewhere between my
ambition and my ideals, I
lost my ethical compass.
Jeb Magruder
Nixon Assistant
Watergate Participant
12
A More Recent Whistle Blow
www.yahoo.com, November 28, 2010

13
With Somewhat Different Responses
14
..and Somewhat Milder Personal Attacks
15
But Personal Attacks Have not Disappeared
Yahoo! News. November 9, 2010

16
And Not Whistle Blowing is Also Dangerous
17
From the Whistle Blowers Viewpoint1
Dont trust too much!
Collect persuasive evidence
Dont exaggerate
Build support among colleagues
Seek outside guidance
Weigh your options carefully
Choose the right opportunity
Present a helpful approach
Anticipate a personal attack
Prepare an escape route
Jean Kumagai, The Whistle-Blowers Dilemma, IEEE Spectrum, April 2004

18
Review: Ethics in Engineering Decisions
The Controlling Factor: Ethics trumps economics
We dont do that!
We have to do that!
19
Framing the Issue Helps
AAresearch
researchstudy
studyat
atNotre
NotreDame
Damefound
foundvery
verydifferent
differentresponses
responsesto
tothe
the
same
sameproblem
problempresented
presentedas
asaabusiness
businessdecision
decisionor
oran
anethical
ethicaldecision
decision
Chana Joffe-Walt & Alix Spiegel, Psychology of Fraud, NPR, May 1, 2012
20
Review: Ethics in Decision Making
The Controlling Factor: Ethics trumps economics
Another Benefit and Cost Factor

The Product of an Ethical Culture
We dont do that!
We have to do that!
Team and Project

Organizational: Ethics Committees, Ethics Officers
National and International
A Personal Action
Being clear on what you stand for

Knowing what to do about it, and how to do it
Using your Personal Ethical Framework for
Making Ethical Decisions
Taking Ethical Actions
Being Ethical vs. Having Ethics
21
Moving Forward: The Path to Being Ethical
Theoretical Approach
Recognize the important decision points

Identify the options and their consequences
Include relevant ethical and societal factors
Apply some type of analytical decision making process
Choose the right thing to do
22
The Ethical Cycle

Case
Problem Statement
Problem Analysis
Options for Action
Ethical Evaluation
Reflection
Moral Acceptable Action
After Van De Poel & Royakkers, Ethics, Technology and Engineering, Wiley-Blackwell, 2011
23
Moving Forward: The Path to Being Ethical
Theoretical Approach
The Practical Problems
Insuring the analysis is comprehensive

Identifying action options
Understanding societal consequences
One Solution: Real-Life Experience
Recognize the decision point

Identify the options and consequences
Apply some type of analytical decision making process
Include relevant ethical and societal factors
Choose the right thing to do
Is arbitrary
Takes too long
Another Solution: Continued, Directed Learning
Condensed Experience -- Simulation returns!

Experiential Humanities The Two Cultures revisited!
24
Experiential Humanities for Engineers
University Courses
Literature
Movies
Drama
Music, Art, Dance
Current News Media
Daily newspaper (?)

Online news and blogs
TV and radio news and specials
News and commentary magazines
Scientific and technical journals
25
Literature: The Near-Infinite Resource
Fiction as well as non-fiction

Grapes of Wrath, Catch 22, Catcher in the Rye, Lord of the
Flies, Bonfire of the Vanities, The Human Stainetc., etc.
SF & Fantasy as well as reality

RUR, Brave New World, 1984, Animal Farm, Clockwork
Orange, I Robot, The Martian Chronicles, Jurassic Park, Lord
of the Rings, Snow Crash, etc., etc.,
Individual contributions to science and technology

The Double Helix, The Crime of Galileo, The Ancient
Engineers, The Machine that Changed the World..etc., etc.
Popular authors as well as Noble Prize contenders

Detective stories, adventure and exploration, biography and
autobiography, historical novels..etc., etc.
There
Thereare
arenumerous
numerouslists
listsof
of100
100greatest
greatestnovels
novelsand
andnon-fiction
non-fictionworks
works
26
Movies & TV: Our Main World Contribution
Psychology and Sociology
How Business and Society Operate
MADMEN, The Godfather Trilogy, Up in the Air, Good Night and

Good Luck, Frost/Nixon, Citizen Kane, Schindlers List, Wonderful
Life, Erin Brockovitch, Lawrence of Arabia, .etc.,
Real and Speculative Technology
Death of a Salesman, Twelve Angry Men, Raging Bull, Taxi

Driver..etc.,
The Right Stuff, Apollo 13, The Aviator, Tucker: The Man and the
Car, On the Beach, Blade Runner, Jurassic Park, Terminator I, No
Highway in the Sky, The Man in the White Suitetc.,
Mythology: Morality and Ethics Conceptualized
Avatar, Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Star Trek, Star Wars, The
Matrix..etc.,
Rental
RentalDVDs
DVDsand
anddownloads
downloadsmake
makethe
themovie
movielibrary
libraryeasily
easilyavailable
available
27
An Actor Speaks
One of the functions of a good
movie or play is to mirror back to the
audience a reflection of itself, so
that the individual can recognize the
choices the characters make and
evaluate their effectiveness and
appropriateness. This empowers the
individual to make better -- that is,
more conscious and conscientious -choices in his or her own life.
James Cromwell
Actor and Writer
San Luis Obispo Film Festival
March 10, 2007
28
MADMEN Example
Mad
Madmen
menisisaaAMC
AMCcable
cablechannel
channelTV
TVshow
showthat
thatcenters
centerson
onthe
thebusiness
business
and
andpersonal
personaltribulations
tribulationsofofaaMadison
MadisonAvenue,
Avenue,New
NewYork,
York,advertising
advertising
th
agency
agencyininthe
the1960s.
1960s. ItItisisininits
its77thseason
seasonand
andhas
haswon
wonnumerous
numerousawards.
awards.
29
MADMEN Case Study I

Sterling Cooper agency is
competing for prestigious
Jaguar car account
The head of the Jaguar

dealers association says he
will make sure that they
dont get the account
Don Draper, agency

president, says definitely:
No! Thats not us!
unless they give him a night

with Joan, the curvaceous
and capable office manager.
30
MADMEN Example (Contd)

Account executive Pete
Campbell says: Lets ask
Joan if shell do it for a
large amount of money.
Joan says No way,

but after getting some
outside advice and
considering it further
and the agency Board of

Directors agrees with Pete,
overriding Don Draper.
says, Ill do it if you

make me a Partner, with a
5% share in the agency.
The agency gets the

Jaguar account, Joan
becomes a partner..
and the audience is left to

consider the wisdom, and
ethics, of the decisions.
31
MADMEN Example: Ethical Evaluation
Does this situation apply to us?
Did the agency do the right thing by asking Joan to make the
decision?
Did Joan do the right thing by asking for and accepting the
partnership deal?
What might be some negative consequences of the Board of

Directors and Joans decisions?
Is it ever the right thing to compromise your organizations

principles in the face of blackmail, or for other good reasons?
32
The Main Point: Effective Use of Resources
Continued and Directed Study
Self Awareness of Goals
Evaluation and Feedback
Adjustment and Improvement
33
Additional Help: Professional Societies
These
Theseand
andother
otherSocieties
Societiescan
canprovide
provideethical
ethicalguidance
guidanceininspecial
specialfields.
fields.
34
The Reason Being
Ethics is a lifelong enterprise -not a one course requirement.
35
Ways to Influence Society
Recognize the Opportunities and the Problems
Enter the System
Evaluate the Situation
Help Stop Impending Disasters
Help Implement Improvements
Easier
Easiersaid
saidthan
thandone,
done,but
butweve
weveseen
seenits
itsnot
notimpossible
impossibleor
oreven
even
unusual
unusualfor
forsingle
singleindividuals
individualsto
tohave
haveaalarge
largeinfluence
influenceon
onsociety.
society.
36
The Outlook is Favorable We Hope

In a speech to the National Academy of
Sciences, President Barack Obama said:
We will devote more than 3 percent of our GDP
to research and development. We will not just
meet, but we will exceed the level achieved at
the height of the space race, through policies
that invest in basic and applied research, create
new incentives for private innovation, promote
breakthroughs in energy and medicine, and
improve education in math and science.
This represents the largest commitment to
scientific research and innovation in American
history.
37
In Summary
Go Forth and Be Ethical

-- People and Engineers!
38
Thank you for attending

-- and for your attention!
39

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Engineering and Society:

Personal Ethics & Going Forward

Dr. Gershon Weltman

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2013

Building a Personal Ethical Framework

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2013

Engr 183 Personal Ethical Dilemmas

Lying and Cheating

Stealing and Receiving

Teams & Authority

Technical Risks & Hazards

Organizational Ethics: Team & Project

Relationship to Team Members

Interactions with Higher Management

Interactions as a Higher Manager

Respect for and Consideration of Subordinates

Organizational Ethics: Conflict of Interest

Hiring or appointing a friend or relative

Benefits you directly

Benefits a close friend or relative

Methods of Resolution Not Necessarily in Order

Test 1: How does the situation fit into MY Ethical Framework?

Are the interests actually in conflict?

Is there a relevant organizational policy?

Can any conflicts be fairly and equitably reconciled?

How do my colleagues or supervisors feel about this?

How would it affect customers and/or stakeholders?

How would it look on the Web or the evening news?

Ethics Away from the Workplace

Educational & Business Transactions

Everyday personal interactions

School assignments and tests

Opinions and advice

Establishing an ethical environment

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2013

Using Your Personal Ethical Framework

Exceptions within structure

As rationalization for previous actions

Extension of personal conduct

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2013

A cadet will not

Famous Whistle Blow: The Watergate Affair

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2013

Watergate is a National Turning Point

Famous Whistle Blow: The Watergate Affair

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2013

Party offices in Watergate

2005: Deep Throat was FBIs Mark Felt

FBI chief during the Watergate break-in, says he believes deputy

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2013

A Big Question: How Could They Do It?

One step at a time

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2013

A More Recent Whistle Blow

www.yahoo.com, November 28, 2010

With Somewhat Different Responses

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2013

..and Somewhat Milder Personal Attacks

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2013

But Personal Attacks Have not Disappeared

Yahoo! News. November 9, 2010

And Not Whistle Blowing is Also Dangerous

Copyright Gershon Weltman, 2013