Class Readings

Philosophy 370 Moral Issues in Engineering (Engineering Ethics)

Readings on E-Reserve can be accessed through the Galvin Library homepage by going to the "Resources" drop down menu in the upper left corner of the page and clicking on "Reserves", or by clicking here and looking under department or instructor's name. If you have any questions about how to access the reading, please call 7-6913 or email the Ethics Center librarian.

Week 1
August 28, Topic: Ethics in Engineering: Confronting an Ethics Problem
Case: “The Forklifter”, HPR p. 320

August 30, Topic: Zeroing in on Responsibility
Reading: J. Ladd, “Collective and Individual Moral Responsibility”, DJ pp. 26-39
Case: “Catalyst” HPR p. 306

Week 2
September 4, Labor Day
No readings

September 6, Topic: Analyzing Responsibility (continued)
Reading: Ladd (continued)
Case: “The XYZ Corporation”, DJ p. 40

Week 3
September 11, Topic: Historical Background
Reading: M. Davis, “A History of Engineering in the U.S.”, (Electronic Reserve, Handout #1)
Case: Find, read, and bring to class at least one interesting item from the Web on the Brooklyn Bridge Success or the “Big Dig” tunnels under downtown Boston

September 13, Topic: Responsibility and Reasonable Care
Reading: “Responsibility and Reasonable Care”, HPR, pp. 23-26; K. Alpern, “Moral Responsibility For Engineers”, DJ pp.187-190: “Do Engineers Need Virtues?” HPR
pp. 30-31
Case: “Carl Lawrence”, HPR pp. 23-25
First Assignment Due

Week 4
September 18, Topic: Ethics and the Workplace
Reading: “Common Morality”, HPR pp. 50-54; “The Problem of Many Hands” and other Impediments to Responsibility, HPR 35-44
Case: “The Deadline”, HPR pp. 310

September 20, Topic: Performing Responsibly in the Business Environment
Reading: “Universalizability and Reversibility”, HPR pp. 79-82; “Respect for Persons”, HPR pp. 88-89; K. Alpern, “Moral Responsibility,” DJ pp. 190-195
Case: “XYZ Hose Company”, HPR pp. 353-354

Week 5
September 25, Topic: Is Engineering A Profession?
Reading: Engineering Role Models, HPR pp. 1-7; “What Is A Profession?”, HPR pp. 9-10; D.A. Firmage, “The Definition of a Profession”, DJ pp.63-66
Case: “Building Foundations”, HPR pp. 304-305
Tracking Progress on Second Assignment

September 27, Topic: Engineering Codes of Ethics: Why Voluntary?
Reading: “Professional Ethics”, HPR pp. 11-15; J. Ladd, “The Quest for a Code of Professional Ethics”, DJ pp.130-136; NSPE Code of Ethics, DJ pp. 98-104
Case: “Supplanting Another Engineer”, DJ pp. 94-96

Week 6
October 2, Topic: Engineers and Managers: Their Perspectives
Reading: “The Codes and Employer-Employee Relationships”, HPR pp. 182-184;
“The Manager-Engineer Relationship”, HPR pp. 186-192; V. Weil, “Is Engineering Ethics Just Business Ethics?” (Electronic Reserve: Handout #2, Case, “Airbags”)
Case: “Citicorp”, HPR pp. 307-308

October 4, Topic: Loyalty: Pros and Cons
Reading: M. Baron, “The Moral Status of Loyalty,” DJ 209 pp. 225-240
Case: “Failure”, HPR pp. 318-319
Tracking Progress on Second Assignment

Week 7
October 9, Topic: Loyalty: Uncritical and Critical, Disobedience, Whistleblowing
Reading: “Loyalty: Uncritical and Critical”, HPR pp. 197-209; “The Changing Legal Status of Employee Rights”, HPR pp. 184-186
Case: “To Dissent or Not to Dissent”, HPR pp. 314-315

October 11: Topic: Honesty, Integrity, and Reliability
Reading: “Honesty, Integrity, and Reliability”, HPR pp. 125-134
Case: “John Is A Co-0p Student”, HPR p. 125
Second Assignment Due

Week 8
October 16, MID-TERM Test
No Readings

October 18, Topic: Intellectual Property, Secrecy, and Confidentiality”
Reading: R. Frederick & M. Snoeyenbos, “Trade Secrets, Patents, and Morality”, DJ pp. 291-297; “Confidentiality in Client-Professional Relations”, HPR pp. 139-142
Case: “The Costs of Keeping A Secret”, DJ p. 221; Film: “Incident at Morales”

AUTUMN BREAK October 19-21

Week 9
October 23, Topic: Conflicts Of Interest and What To Do About Them
Reading: “Conflicts of Interest”, HPR pp.144-146
Cases: “Ownership of Another Firm”, DJ pp. 298-299; “Wife’s Investment in Project”, DJ p. 300

October 25, Topic: Bribery, Extortion, Grease, and Gifts
Reading: R. Almeder, “Morality and Gift Giving”, DJ pp. 327-329; “Bribery, Extortion, Grease, and Gifts”, HPR pp. 263-267
Case: “Catching Up With a Lucky Star”, DJ pp.300-301
First Progress Report on Group Projects

Week 10
October 30, Topic: Engineers and the Legal System
Reading: D.E. Wilson, “Social Mechanisms for Controlling Engineers’ Performance”, DJ pp. 354-361; “Expert Witnessing”, HPR pp. 138-139; Optional: V. Weil, “Introduction to Trying Times,”; V. Weil “Contracts” (Electronic Reserve, Optional Readings #1 and #2)
Case: “Unlicensed Engineer”, HPR p. 347

November 1, Topic: Safety and Risk: Estimating Risk
Reading: “Safety, Risk…”, HPR pp.150-159
Case: “Cadillac Chips”, HPR pp. 305; Film “Incident at Morales,”

Week 11
November 6, Topic: Safety and Risk: Normal Accidents and Normalizing Deviance
Reading: “Are There Normal Accidents?” HPR pp. 159-161; “Normalizing Deviance”, HPR pp. 161-163
Case: The Space Shuttle Columbia in “Self-Deception”, HPR pp. 38-39
Second Progress Report on Group Project (from each student)

November 8, Topic: Perspectives on Risk: Expert and Layperson,
Reading: “The Expert’s Approach,” HPR pp. 163-166; “The Layperson’s Approach”, HPR pp. 166-170, K.S. Shrader-Frechette, “The Conceptual Risks of Risk Assessment,” pp. 190-192 (Electronic Reserve, Handout #3)
Case: “Containers”, HPR pp. 308-309

Week 12
November 13, Topic: Perspectives on Risk: The Government Regulator’s and the Engineer’s
Reading: “The Government Regulator’s Approach”, HPR pp. 170-172; The Engineer’s Liability”, HPR. Pp.172-177
Case: “Fire Detectors”, HPR. PP. 319-320

November 15, Topic: Engineers and the Environment: Some Important Distinctions
Reading: “Controversy Over the Environment”, HPR pp. 214-220
Case: “Excess”, HPR pp. 317-318
Third Progress Report on Group Project (from each student)

Week 13
November 20, Topic: The Environment: Why the Reluctance? What Does the Law Say?
Reading: “Why The Reluctance?” HPR pp. 220-223; “What Does the Law Say?” HPR pp. 223-227
Case: Mere “Technicality?” HPR pp. 331-332

November 22, No Class
Take Home Assignment (Required)
Choose a provision on the environment from one of the engineering codes that contains such a provision. Either revise the provision or state in writing a rationale for the adequacy of the provision as it stands. (Due Nov. 27: Bring two copies to class)

Week 14
November 27, Topic: Ethical Issues in Emerging Technologies
Reading:

Rochlin, “’High Reliability’ Organizations and Technical Change: Some Ethical Problems and Dilemmas,” (Electronic Reserve, Handout #4),
Case: Barneby Feder, “Too Tiny for Trouble? Scientists Take a Look,” (Electronic Reserve, Handout #5)
Exchange of Codes and Rationales
GROUP PROJECT PRESENTATIONS

November 29, Topic: Global Practice of Engineering
Reading: “The Search for Culture-Transcending Norms”, HPR pp. 247-252
Case: “Working in Saudi Arabia”, DJ p. 300; Film “Incident at Morales”
GROUP PROJECT PRESENTATIONS

Week 15
December 4, Topic: Critique of Engineering Code Provisions
GROUP PROJECT PRESENTATIONS
No readings

December 6, Topic: Critique continued (time permitting)
GROUP PROJECT PRESENTATIONS COMPLETED
No readings

Week 16
FINAL EXAM
No readings