Engineering Codes of Ethics

Engineering codes of ethics are a funny thing. They aren’t really ethics in that they describe broader theories of morality and outlooks on human behavior (beyond whichever profession they belong to), so to call them codes of ethics is probably a misnomer: they’re more like pragmatic rules to help guide engineers towards some (unknown) end.

For instance, take the American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ Code of Ethics

Members of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers shall uphold and advance the integrity, honor and dignity of the engineering profession by: being honest and impartial and serving with fidelity their employers, their clients, and the public; striving to increase the competence and prestige of the engineering profession; and using their knowledge and skill for the enhancement of human welfare. To achieve these goals, members shall

1. Hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and protect the environment in performance of their professional duties.
2. Formally advise their employers or clients (and consider further disclosure, if warranted) if they perceive that a consequence of their duties will adversely affect the present or future health or safety of their colleagues or the public.
3. Accept responsibility for their actions, seek and heed critical review of their work and offer objective criticism of the work of others.
4. Issue statements or present information only in an objective and truthful manner.
5. Act in professional matters for each employer or client as faithful agents or trustees, avoiding conflicts of interest and never breaching confidentiality.
6. Treat fairly and respectfully all colleagues and co-workers, recognizing their unique contributions and capabilities.
7. Perform professional services only in areas of their competence.
8. Build their professional reputations on the merits of their services.
9. Continue their professional development throughout their careers, and provide opportunities for the professional development of those under their supervision.
10. Never tolerate harassment.
11. Conduct themselves in a fair, honorable and respectful manner.

Talking with Faris today, I stated that engineers are fundamentally always in moral conflict: obligations to employers, employees, the “public and environment,” etc. are conflicting and confusing. Since I haven’t come across any engineering code of ethics that is explicit about moral principles (as in, general moral theories concerning why we should be concerned with benefiting the public, the environment, etc.), it is difficult to see a way out of this.

Perhaps a topic for my thesis?