Importance of Ethics
Q: What is the purpose of having/following a “Code of Ethics?”
A: Not only does a code of ethics set a professional standard, it can also increase self-assurance in an organization by showing outsiders that members of the association are dedicated to following basic ethical guidelines in all that they do.
Q: When you are faced with an ethical situation, how do you, personally, go about making a decision? What factors are involved in you making a decision?
A: When I am faced with an ethical situation, I first like to take a step back and think about the things or people I will be affecting. Factors such as others, money, and self-indulgence are all things that I have to actively think about. After reviewing the IEEE code of ethics, I believe I will find ethical situations during a career to be easier to handle because of its specific descriptions.
Q: What case study was discussed in your small group? How did the ethical considerations introduced by your group members differ from your own? How were they alike? Was your group able to come to a consensus on what would be the most “ethical” decision?
A: During my group session with my mentor, we discussed the case study about the Citicorp Tower. All three of us in the group felt that the structural engineer did a very brave and courageous thing. Even though his building standards were up to code, there were still more calculations and considerations that should have been done correct the first time. The engineer spent his entire fortune trying to pick up the pieces and correct his mistakes. We all came to an agreement that this would have had to been extremely embarrassing for him, but I hope that people looked at his doings in a positive manner. We came to a consensus that he did the most ethical thing he could have done, and hopefully other engineers look at this situation as someone to look up to. William LeMessurier has really set a great ethical standard in this case study.
Q: Reflect on the “Virtue of Ethics” as it relates to the case study your group discussed. Choose three of the six virtues that you feel are most related to your case study and briefly write about them. Why did you choose the three that you did? How are they relevant to the case study? Why are the other virtues less relevant? Is there another ethical virtue you feel could apply to your case study that is NOT included in the “Virtue of Ethics?” Why or why not?
A: Case Study: Professional Engineering Ethics: The Citicorp Tower case. http://sustainableengineeringsystems.com/2013/02/01/professional-engineering-ethics-the-citicorp-tower-case/
The “Virtue of Ethics” relates to this case study in many ways. I will choose Integrity, responsibility, and honesty. The engineer in this case made an honest mistake in his original calculations. When a student approached him, he wasn’t big headed enough to ignore the student. He actually took his calculations into consideration and ended up recalculating his original findings. In the end, he was found to be wrong, and therefore honest about his mistake. His integrity is what made him do something about the issue. He could have left the building since it was up to code, however it could become unstable during high winds. In this situation he exercised good and ethical judgment in his engineering position. Last but not least, his responsibility of good citizenship is also what made him fix the building. What could have happened if he didn’t correct the issue would have been too much to bear for him, so he knew that it was his responsibility alone to fix everything. I found the other virtues to be less relevant because I wouldn’t consider his doing necessarily neither charity nor self-discipline. Fidelity may he been involved considering his duty to the public. One virtue that was not mentioned was accountability. Above everything, I think William was accountable for his mistakes and used his own wealth and time to fix things. He willingly accepted responsibility for his own actions.
A: Not only does a code of ethics set a professional standard, it can also increase self-assurance in an organization by showing outsiders that members of the association are dedicated to following basic ethical guidelines in all that they do.
Q: When you are faced with an ethical situation, how do you, personally, go about making a decision? What factors are involved in you making a decision?
A: When I am faced with an ethical situation, I first like to take a step back and think about the things or people I will be affecting. Factors such as others, money, and self-indulgence are all things that I have to actively think about. After reviewing the IEEE code of ethics, I believe I will find ethical situations during a career to be easier to handle because of its specific descriptions.
Q: What case study was discussed in your small group? How did the ethical considerations introduced by your group members differ from your own? How were they alike? Was your group able to come to a consensus on what would be the most “ethical” decision?
A: During my group session with my mentor, we discussed the case study about the Citicorp Tower. All three of us in the group felt that the structural engineer did a very brave and courageous thing. Even though his building standards were up to code, there were still more calculations and considerations that should have been done correct the first time. The engineer spent his entire fortune trying to pick up the pieces and correct his mistakes. We all came to an agreement that this would have had to been extremely embarrassing for him, but I hope that people looked at his doings in a positive manner. We came to a consensus that he did the most ethical thing he could have done, and hopefully other engineers look at this situation as someone to look up to. William LeMessurier has really set a great ethical standard in this case study.
Q: Reflect on the “Virtue of Ethics” as it relates to the case study your group discussed. Choose three of the six virtues that you feel are most related to your case study and briefly write about them. Why did you choose the three that you did? How are they relevant to the case study? Why are the other virtues less relevant? Is there another ethical virtue you feel could apply to your case study that is NOT included in the “Virtue of Ethics?” Why or why not?
A: Case Study: Professional Engineering Ethics: The Citicorp Tower case. http://sustainableengineeringsystems.com/2013/02/01/professional-engineering-ethics-the-citicorp-tower-case/
The “Virtue of Ethics” relates to this case study in many ways. I will choose Integrity, responsibility, and honesty. The engineer in this case made an honest mistake in his original calculations. When a student approached him, he wasn’t big headed enough to ignore the student. He actually took his calculations into consideration and ended up recalculating his original findings. In the end, he was found to be wrong, and therefore honest about his mistake. His integrity is what made him do something about the issue. He could have left the building since it was up to code, however it could become unstable during high winds. In this situation he exercised good and ethical judgment in his engineering position. Last but not least, his responsibility of good citizenship is also what made him fix the building. What could have happened if he didn’t correct the issue would have been too much to bear for him, so he knew that it was his responsibility alone to fix everything. I found the other virtues to be less relevant because I wouldn’t consider his doing necessarily neither charity nor self-discipline. Fidelity may he been involved considering his duty to the public. One virtue that was not mentioned was accountability. Above everything, I think William was accountable for his mistakes and used his own wealth and time to fix things. He willingly accepted responsibility for his own actions.