Code of Ethics

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Code of Ethics

• Dr. Eesa Mohammed Bastaki
• Faculty of Engineering
• Eesa_at_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

Go to End
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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

• Ethics is a set of moral principles or values,
  the principles of conduct governing an individual
  or a group.
• All behavior, personal, social, and professional,
  is judged by ethical standards.
• Engineers are governed by the "Code of Ethics of
  Engineers."

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Basic Values Govern Behavior

• 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?
• 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

• 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?
• 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

• 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
• 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

• to be honest and realistic in stating claims or
  estimates based on available data
• to reject bribery in all its forms
• to improve the understanding of technology, its
  appropriate application, and potential
  consequences

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IEEE Code of Ethics

• 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
• 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

• to treat fairly all persons regardless of such
  factors as race, religion, gender, disability,
  age, or national origin
• to avoid injuring others, their property,
  reputation, or employment by false or malicious
  action
• 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
• using their knowledge and skill for the
  enhancement of human welfare 
• being honest and impartial, and serving with
  fidelity the public, their employers and clients,
  and 
• striving to increase the competence and prestige
  of the engineering profession. 

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ASME Code of Ethics

• THE FUNDAMENTAL CANONS
• 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. 

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ASME Code of Ethics

• 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. 

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ASME Code of Ethics

• Engineers shall associate only with reputable
  persons or organizations. 
• 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/