2. Senses of ‘Engineering Ethics’ – Variety of moral issues –
Types of inquiry – Moral dilemmas – Moral Autonomy –
Kohlberg’s theory – Gilligan’s theory – Consensus and
Controversy – Professions and Professionalism –
Professional Ideals and Virtues – Uses of Ethical Theories
3. Senses of Engineering Ethics
Engineering ethics can be understood in two different senses:
the Normative and the Descriptive senses. The normative sense
includes knowing moral values, finding accurate solutions to moral
problems, and justifying moral judgments in engineering
practices1. The descriptive sense refers to the actual ethical
behavior of engineers in practice1. The professional ethics of
engineers include the following principles2:Hold paramount the
safety, health, and welfare of the public.
