The Role of the Engineer in Society

Engineering is a scientific discipline in that it requires the study of scientific principles

and methodology. However, science in and of itself is generally done to develop
knowledge and understanding of the physical universe. Thus the pursuit of science is
not driven by societal needs.
Scientific study is somewhat of a curiositydriven process! and societal values do
not necessarily direct the scope or limit the bounds of scientific curiosity. "e can
envision the base of scientific knowledge as an amoebaelike structure that is uneven
in how it branches in various directions.
#lthough engineering also uses the power of curiosity, it is mainly driven by the
application of science to the needs of society. $n this sense, engineering is often an
applied and practical application of science.
"e are not suggesting that engineers are not creative. $nstead we promote the
#ccreditation %oard for Engineering and Technology&s '#%ET( definition that identifies
engineering as, the profession in which knowledge of the mathematical and natural
sciences gained by study, e)perience, and practice is applied with *udgment to
develop ways to utili+e, economically, the materials and forces of nature for the
benefit of mankind.!
,onsider the intersection of scientific knowledge with societal need as illustrated in
this -enn diagram. Each of the sectors represents the following.
/ Sector # 0 purely analytical talents within the engineering domain. This is
engineering science, the ability to model comple) systems and predict their response
to various inputs under numerous conditions.
/ Sector % 0 creative capacity within the engineering domain. This is viewed as those
sudden intuitive leaps that can result in revolutionary advances in technology.
/ Sector , 0 the intersection of knowledge and the need for both creative and
analytical capabilities. This is engineering design, the ability to work at real world!
problem solving.
/ Sector 1 0 the culmination of societal need, analysis, knowledge and creativity.
This is the ideal role of engineering and the individual engineer.
2ur fourcircle representation illustrates that engineers need to acquire analytical
skills, but that in order to be productive engineers, creativity is also essential. 3ife
seldom offers problems with single solutions and engineers often face comple) and
intricate dilemmas that require both analytical and creative skills.
Engineers, by the very nature of their work, have a responsibility to society. $n this
role, they have e)tensive professional responsibilities and they have to address
ethical dimensions of engineering problems, designs, and interactions. Students of
engineering should graduate with e)perience in working in teams, have strong
written and oral communication skills, and be wellversed in the economic, social,
environmental, and international conte)t of engineering professional activities.
$n particular, engineers have a duty to Society to understand and abide by their
discipline&s ,odes of Ethics. #ll such codes address the three primary duties of an
engineer4duty toward society, fiduciary responsibility toward employer or client, and
safeguarding the reputation and status of the engineering profession.

Based on article by Steven P. Nichols and William F. Weldon in Science and
Engineering Ethics, Volume 3, Issue 3, !!"
Morals vs. Professional Ethics
Engineeringor 5professional5ethics differs from individual morality in several ma*or
respects. "hile both disciplines hold that individuals can and ought to arrive at right
and proper decisions to act in the face of conflict, there are several general but
significant differences.
6orality usually implies a set of internally held values, quite often 'but not
necessarily( deontological, or deitybased. 6any moral belief systems center on what
are held to be intrinsic or universal valuesTruth, Honesty, the 5golden rule5 or other
measure of goodness. Ethics 'in our sense of 5professional ethics5( on the other
hand, is usually connected to a shared understanding of proper conduct guidelines
among a group of people associated by means of their profession.
6orals are an internal barometer by which an individual may guide their personal
beliefs and actions. Ethics provides an overarching structure by which professionals
can act given a set of e)ternal conditions. %y this overarching ethical structure,
usually called a ,ode of ,onduct or ,ode of Ethics, professionals share a commonly
held set of guidelines as to how their fellow professionals can reasonably be e)pected
to act in the same or similar conditions.
These ethical ,odes of ,onduct utili+e a set of rules and guidelines that strive to be
moralsneutral, although it is e)pected that each professional will be guided by
his7her internal morals as well as e)ternal codes of ethics. Thus, an engineer may
decide to pursue specific areas of work and commerce 'e.g. genetic engineering,
defense 891( based on a set of individual morals, but regardless of his7her individual
decision, their conduct will be assumed by other professionals to be in line with their
engineering code of ethics.
:rofessional ethics allows diverse, multidisciplinary, indeed multicultural teams to
work in unison toward common goals guided by their shared code of ethical conduct,
where individual morals might under some circumstances impede or disrupt team
efforts.
Ethics and morals might be discussed in the same sense as the ;irst #mendment
concept of separation between ,hurch and State. :rofessional ,odes of Ethics
represent a means of selfgovernance by associated professionals that allows for a
variety of moral beliefs.
;undamentals of Engineering Ethics
:reface
<atural sciences and engineering are important forces shaping
our future. They e)ert both positive and negative influences
upon our world. "e all contribute to these changes. The engineering
professions, however, have a particular responsibility in
structuring these processes. Hence in =>?@, the #ssociation of
Engineers -1$ in Aermany presented a document on the specific
professional responsibilities of engineers.
8ecently the -1$ E)ecutive %oard passed the new document
B;undamentals of Engineering Ethics. They are intended to
offer to all engineers, as creators of technology, orientation and
support as they face conflicting professional responsibilities.
These fundamentals have been proposed by the 5-1$ philosophers5
together with representatives of other disciplines within
the -1$ ,ommittee on :eople and Technology.
$ hope that this document may strengthen awareness and commitment in dealing
with ethical issues of the engineering professions.
1usseldorf, 6arch C@@C
:rof. 1r.$ng. Hubertus ,hrist, :resident of the -1$
@. :reamble
Engineers recogni+e natural sciences and engineering as important
powers shaping society and human life today and tomorrow.
Therefore engineers are aware of their specific responsibility.
They orient their professional actions towards fundamentals and
criteria of ethics and implement them into practice. The fundamentals
suggested here offer such orientation and support for
engineers as they are confronted with conflicting professional
responsibilities.
The #ssociation of Engineers in Aermany '-1$(
0 contributes to raising awareness about engineering ethics,
0 offers consultancy and conflict resolution, and
0 assists in all controversies related to issues of responsibility in
engineering.
=. 8esponsibilities
=.= Engineers are responsible for their professional actions
and the resulting outcomes. #ccording to professional
standards, they fulfill their tasks as they correspond to
their competencies and qualifications. Engineers perform
these tasks and actions carrying both individual and shared
responsibilities.
=.C Engineers are responsible for their actions to the engineering
community, to political and societal institutions as well
as to their employers, customers, and technology users.
=.D Engineers know the relevant laws and regulations of their
countries. They honor them insofar as they do not contradict
universal ethical principles. They are committed to
applying them in their professional environment. %eyond
such application they invest their professional and critical
competencies into improving and developing further these
laws and regulations.
=.E Engineers are committed to developing sensible technology
and technical solutions. They accept responsibility for quality, reliability, and safety of
new technical products and processes.
Their responsibilities include technical documentation
as well as informing customers about both appropriate use and possible dangers of
misuse of new technical solutions. They furthermore include.
0 defining the technical characteristics of such products
and processes,
0 suggesting alternative technical solutions and approaches, and
0 taking into consideration the possibilities of unwanted
technological developments and deliberate misuse of
products and processes.
C. 2rientation
C.= Engineers are aware of the embedded ness of technical
systems into their societal, economic and ecological conte)t.
Therefore they design technology corresponding to
the criteria and values implied. the societal, economic and
ecological feasibility of technical systemsF their usability
and safetyF their contribution to health, personal development
and welfare of the citi+ensF their impact on the lives
of future generations 'as previously outlined in the -1$
1ocument DGH@(.
C.C The fundamental orientation in designing new technological
solutions is to maintain today and for future generations,
the options of acting in freedom and responsibility.
Engineers thus avoid actions which may compel them to
accept given constraints 'e.g. the arbitrary pressures of
crises or the forces of shortterm profitability(. 2n the contrary,
engineers consider the values of individual freedom
and their corresponding societal, economic, and ecological
conditions the main prerequisites to the welfare of all citi+ens within modern society
0 e)cluding e)trinsic or dogmatic control.
C.D Engineers orient their professional responsibility on the
same fundamentals of ethics as everybody else within
society. Therefore engineers should not create products
which are obviously to be used in unethical ways 'e.g.
products banned by international agreement(. ;urthermore
they may not accept farreaching dangers or uncontrollable
risks caused by their technical solutions.
2.4 In cases of conflicting values, engineers give priority:
to the values of huanity over the !ynaics of nature,
to issues of huan rights over technology ipleentation
an! e"ploitation,
to pu#lic $elfare over private interests, an!
to safety an! security over functionality an! profita#ility
of their technical solutions.
Engineers, ho$ever, are careful not to a!opt such criteria
or in!icators in any !ogatic anner. They see% pu#lic
!ialogue in or!er to fin! accepta#le #alance an! consensus
concerning these conflicting values.
D. $mplementation
D.= Engineers are committed to keeping up and continually
developing further their professional skills and competencies.
D.C $n cases of conflicting values, they are e)pected to analy+e
and weigh controversial views through discussions that
cross borders of disciplines and cultures. $n this way they
acquire and strengthen their ability to play an active part
in such technology assessment.
D.D $n all countries, national laws and regulations e)ist which
concern technology use, working conditions, and the
natural environment. Engineers are aware of the relevance
of engineering ethics for these laws and regulations.
6any of these laws today take up controversial issues
related to open questions in engineering sciences and ethics.
Engineers are challenged to invest their professional *udgment
into substantiating such questions. ,oncerning national laws, the sequence of
priorities is as follows. national laws have priority over professional regulations, such
professional regulations have priority
over individual contracts.
D.E There may be cases when engineers are involved into professional conflicts which
they cannot resolve cooperatively
with their employers or customers. These engineers may
apply to the appropriate professional institutions which are
prepared to follow up such ethical conflicts. #s a last resort,
engineers may consider to directly inform the public about
such conflicts or to refuse cooperation altogether. To
prevent such escalating developments from taking place,
engineers support the founding of these supporting professional
institutions, in particular within the -1$.
D.? Engineers are committed to educational activities in
schools, universities, enterprises and professional institutions
with the aims of promoting and structuring technology
education, and enhancing ethical reflection on technology.
D.I Engineers contribute to developing further and continually
adapting these fundamentals of engineering ethics, and
they participate in the discussions corresponding.
;undamentals of Engineering Ethics
Summary
o Engineers are responsible for their professional actions
and tasks corresponding to their competencies and
qualifications while carrying both individual and shared
responsibilities
o Engineers are committed to developing sensible and
sustainable technological systems
o Engineers are aware of the embedded ness of technical
systems into their societal, economic and ecological
conte)t, and their impact on the lives of future generations
o Engineers avoid actions which may compel them to
accept given constraints and thus lead to reducing their
individual responsibility
o Engineers base their actions on the same ethical principles
as everybody else within society. They honor
national laws and regulations concerning technology
use, working conditions, and the natural environment
o Engineers discuss controversial views and values across
the borders of disciplines and cultures
o Engineers apply to their professional institutions in
cases of conflicts concerning engineering ethics
o Engineers contribute to defining and developing further
relevant laws and regulations as well as political concepts
in their countries
o Engineers are committed to keeping up and continually
developing further their professional skills and competencies
o Engineers are committed to enhancing critical reflection
on technology within schools, universities, enterprises,
and professional institutions