The following definition will help you to think about the desirable profile you would like to have when being an engineer.
Read it carefully, answer the given questions and make your comments.
The American Engineers' Council for Professional Development, also known as ECPD, defines Engineering as: “the creative application of scientific principles to design or develop structures, machines, apparatus, or manufacturing processes, or works utilizing them singly or in combination; or to construct or operate the same with full cognizance of their design; or to forecast their behavior under specific operating conditions; all as respects an intended function, economics of operation and safety to life and property.”
Reflecting upon the definition above and taking into account how the work of engineers interacts with society and the environment, locally and globally, and the contribution, risks and impacts of their work in different cultural, social, economical and political contexts, would it be helpful to engineers to be able to apply not only their technical competence but also their professional knowledge according to deontological principles and universal values and ethics at the moment they have to face or solve problems, or make important decisions?
It is also important to reinforce what a value is. A value “refers to a claim about what is worthwhile, what is good. A value is a single word or phrase that identifies something as being desirable for human beings." Brincat and Wike, Morality and the Professional Life: Values at Work .
Would it be worthy to consider among the attributes of an engineer some well-known ethical values such as justice, responsibility, respect, honesty, solidarity and integrity ?
TASKS:
1. What do the above moral values mean to you?
2. Think of specific scenarios where you usually practice the mentioned values.
3. If you consider necessary think of any other moral values you can add to the given list.
1. What do the above moral values mean to you?
2. Think of specific scenarios where you usually practice the mentioned values.
3. If you consider necessary think of any other moral values you can add to the given list.
“Scientists study the world as it is; engineers create the world that has never been.” Theodore von Kármán
