Previously, I posed the idea that because engineering is an engaging profession – creative, constructive, people and real world profession – engineers then do have the necessary faculty to step out from the process plant and take his/her place among society’s influential bigwigs and make a positive difference.
Alas, not too many engineers choose to pursue this path.
In my search, I have stumbled across this article from a book. It qualifies different stages of moral development of an engineer.
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Gunn S. Alastair, P. Aarne Vesilind (2003)
“Hold Paramount the Engineer’s Responsibility to Society”
Moral Development of Engineers
Stage1: Pre-professional I
The engineer is not concerned with social or professional responsibilities. Professional conduct is dictated by the gain for the individual, with no thought of how such conduct would affect the firm, the client-engineer relationship, or the profession.
Stage 2: Pre-professional II
The engineer connects conduct to marketability. While the engineer is aware of the ideas of loyalty to the firm, client confidence, and proper professional conduct, ethical behavior depends on the motive of self-advancement.
Stage 3: Professional I
The engineer puts loyalty to the firm above any other consideration. The firm dictates proper action, and the engineer is freed from further ethical considerations. The engineer concentrates on technical matters, becomes a “team player” within the firm, and ignores the ramifications of the job on society and on the environment.
Stage 4: Professional II
The engineer retains loyalty to the firm but recognizes that the firm is part of a larger profession, and that loyalty to the profession enhances the reputation of the firm and brings rewards to the engineer. Good engineering practice becomes that which helps the profession – and not necessarily society in general.
Stage 5: Principled Professional I
The engineer recognizes that service to human welfare is paramount and that this brings credit to the firm and to the profession. The rules of society determine professional conduct. Where professional standards do not apply or are in conflict with the prevailing morals of society, society’s values take precedence.
Stage 6: Principled Professional II
The engineer follows rules of universal justice, fairness, and caring for fellow humans. This level is the most complex because acts of justice and caring can often contradict the prevailing social order and/or professional code of ethical conduct.
While we believe this account identifies different types of engineers, we think it is unlikely that engineers actually go through such a moral development. In fact, most engineers probably start out in the higher stages of moral behavior, and as their career develops, they drop lower on this scale as responsibilities increase.
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Certainly, engineers are first and foremost, engineers. Alastair and Vesilind say that, “Engineers produces things that succeed… Throughout history, engineers were special people because they could get things done.” True, chemical engineers, civil engineers, computer engineers, electrical engineers, geodetic engineers, industrial engineers, marine engineers, mechanical engineers, metallurgical engineers, mining engineers…they are people who study if things can get done, know how to get things done, and make sure things get done, in each respective field. Production is their main profession. This focus and function must not be abandoned. However, we must not only be professionals but principled professionals. Not only in the workplace but in the world we move in. This is a challenge, a challenge that must be seen.
Alas, not too many engineers choose to pursue this path.
In my search, I have stumbled across this article from a book. It qualifies different stages of moral development of an engineer.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Gunn S. Alastair, P. Aarne Vesilind (2003)
“Hold Paramount the Engineer’s Responsibility to Society”
Moral Development of Engineers
Stage1: Pre-professional I
The engineer is not concerned with social or professional responsibilities. Professional conduct is dictated by the gain for the individual, with no thought of how such conduct would affect the firm, the client-engineer relationship, or the profession.
Stage 2: Pre-professional II
The engineer connects conduct to marketability. While the engineer is aware of the ideas of loyalty to the firm, client confidence, and proper professional conduct, ethical behavior depends on the motive of self-advancement.
Stage 3: Professional I
The engineer puts loyalty to the firm above any other consideration. The firm dictates proper action, and the engineer is freed from further ethical considerations. The engineer concentrates on technical matters, becomes a “team player” within the firm, and ignores the ramifications of the job on society and on the environment.
Stage 4: Professional II
The engineer retains loyalty to the firm but recognizes that the firm is part of a larger profession, and that loyalty to the profession enhances the reputation of the firm and brings rewards to the engineer. Good engineering practice becomes that which helps the profession – and not necessarily society in general.
Stage 5: Principled Professional I
The engineer recognizes that service to human welfare is paramount and that this brings credit to the firm and to the profession. The rules of society determine professional conduct. Where professional standards do not apply or are in conflict with the prevailing morals of society, society’s values take precedence.
Stage 6: Principled Professional II
The engineer follows rules of universal justice, fairness, and caring for fellow humans. This level is the most complex because acts of justice and caring can often contradict the prevailing social order and/or professional code of ethical conduct.
While we believe this account identifies different types of engineers, we think it is unlikely that engineers actually go through such a moral development. In fact, most engineers probably start out in the higher stages of moral behavior, and as their career develops, they drop lower on this scale as responsibilities increase.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Certainly, engineers are first and foremost, engineers. Alastair and Vesilind say that, “Engineers produces things that succeed… Throughout history, engineers were special people because they could get things done.” True, chemical engineers, civil engineers, computer engineers, electrical engineers, geodetic engineers, industrial engineers, marine engineers, mechanical engineers, metallurgical engineers, mining engineers…they are people who study if things can get done, know how to get things done, and make sure things get done, in each respective field. Production is their main profession. This focus and function must not be abandoned. However, we must not only be professionals but principled professionals. Not only in the workplace but in the world we move in. This is a challenge, a challenge that must be seen.
Yet there is also a call that must be answered.
It is to rise up. To step up.
but to engineer a promising society with passion.
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