CHEP 582 LAWS AND ETHICS FOR CHEMICAL ENGINEERS -Introduction

Engr Lina D. dela Cruz Chemical Engineering Department Technological Institute of the Philippines

Course Description

The course offers discussion on the relevant national laws on the professional practice in the Philippines, chemical engineering profession, contracting, project implementation, environment and safety, investments and setting of enterprises in the Philippines. It also covers discussion on ethical standards for chemical engineers.

Engineering and Moral Complexity Moral values are embedded in the Engineering process itself rather than merely imposed on it by external rules and laws. Ethical issues arise as a product develops from a mental concept to physical completion

Engineers encounter both moral and technical problems; like encountering variability in the materials available to them, the quality of work by co-workers at all levels, pressures imposed by time and the whims of the marketplace, and relationships of authority within corporations.

Defining Ethics Ethics - refers to an area of inquiry. It is the activity of understanding moral values, resolving moral issues, and justifying moral judgments. It is also the discipline or area of study resulting to that activity.

Defining Ethics In a second sense, ethics - refers to the particular beliefs or attitudes concerning morality that are endorsed by specific groups or individuals

Defining Ethics In a third sense, the word ethics are synonyms for morally correct.

Engineering Ethics Engineering ethics is the study of the moral values, issues, and decisions involved in engineering practice. The moral values take many forms, including responsibilities, ideals, character traits, social policies, and relationships desirable for individuals and corporations engaged in technological development

Engineering Ethics Engineering ethics - consists of the requirements specified in the currently accepted engineering codes of ethics. It also refers to the actual conduct of individuals who are engineers.

Engineering Ethics Engineering ethics also means the set of justified moral principles of obligation, rights and ideals that ought to be endorsed, as they apply generally and to engineering in particular, by those engaged in engineering. Clarifying such principles and applying them to concrete situations is the central goal of engineering ethics as an area of study.

What is Morality? -concerns right and wrong, good and bad, the rules to be followed -it is about reasons centered in respect for other people as well as ourselves, reasons that involve caring for their good as well as our own.

Morality Moral reasons involve respecting their rights, keeping promises, avoiding cheating and dishonesty.

Morality Morality also concern caring for others by sometimes being willing to help them (especially when they are in distress), showing gratitude for favors, and emphathizing with their suffering

Morality Moral reasons e tend to concern for minimizing suffering to animals and damage to the environment

Moral Dilemmas and Related Issues Moral reasons are many and varied and they frequently in conflict creating moral dilemmas. Moral dilemmas - are situations in which two or more moral obligations, duties, rights, goods or ideals come in conflict with one another. It is also possible for one moral principle to have two or more incompatible applications in a given situation

Moral Dilemma Because moral principles can conflict, it is often difficult or impossible to formulate rules that are absolute, that is never have a justified exception. They have justified exceptions when they conflict with other rules that are more important in the situation.

Moral Dilemma Resolving moral dilemmas involves good moral judgment in weighing conflicting moral reasons, but frequently it involves several related tasks: Conceptual clarification, factual inquiries, and resolution of interpersonal disagreements

Moral Dilemma Conceptual clarification is the elucidation of moral ideas and morally relevant notions. In general, moral ideas, like most ideas in everyday life, contain areas of vagueness (lack of clear meaning) and ambiguity (two or more meanings) that need to be dealt with.

Moral Dilemma Factual inquiries are inquiries into the facts relevant to resolving particular moral issues. These are engineering, scientific, financial, or legal matters, as they are brought to bear on resolving moral dilemmas.

Moral Dilemma Interpersonal disagreements are controversies among persons or groups about how to understand and resolve moral dilemmas.

Ethics and Professionalism

Engineers create products and processes to improve food production, shelter, energy, communication, transportation, health, protection against natural calamities-and to enhance the convenience and beauty of our everyday lives.

They make possible spectacular human triumphs once they dreamed of in myths and science fiction.

Almost a century in From the Earth to the Moon, Jules Verne (father of Science and fiction) imagined American space travelers being launched from Florida, circling the moon, and returning to splash down in the Pacific Ocean.

In December 1968, three astronauts aboard an Apollo spacecraft did exactly that. Seven months later, on July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong took the first human steps on the moon.

This extraordinary event was shared with millions of earthbound people watching the live broadcast on television. Engineering had transformed our sense of connection with the cosmos and even dreams of routine space travel for ordinary citizen.

Most technology, however, has double implications. As it creates benefits it raises new moral challenges. Technological risks however should not overshadow technological benefits, and ethics involve appreciating the many positive dimensions of engineering that so deeply enriching our lives.