Ethics & the Responsible Engineer

Summary

In this video, the concept of engineering responsibility is explored through real-world examples. The first scenario involves an engineer noticing a safety issue at a supplier’s plant, prompting a discussion about the professional responsibility to ensure safety even when not assigned the task. The second case involves the tragic Therac-25 incident, illustrating different types of responsibility: causal, role, legal, and moral. Engineers are reminded that safety is the foremost priority in their profession, and they share a collective responsibility to address safety concerns, even if not directly responsible for the task.

Takeaways

• 😀 Engineers have professional responsibilities, especially when it comes to safety.
• 😀 When encountering a safety issue, such as an improperly grounded system, engineers are still responsible for addressing it, even if it's not directly part of their task.
• 😀 Responsibility can be categorized into different types: causal, role, legal, and moral responsibilities.
• 😀 Causal responsibility refers to actions that directly cause an outcome, such as a mistake that leads to a safety issue.
• 😀 Role responsibility is tied to assigned tasks. For example, software engineers were responsible for ensuring their code worked correctly to prevent safety errors.
• 😀 Legal responsibility refers to being liable for damages and being subject to lawsuits in case of failure to meet safety standards.
• 😀 Moral responsibility is shared among engineers and emphasizes the collective duty to ensure safety and act on potential hazards.
• 😀 Engineers have a moral duty to ensure the safety, health, and welfare of the public, as outlined by engineering codes of ethics.
• 😀 The most important professional responsibility for engineers is prioritizing the safety of the public above all other duties.
• 😀 Even if engineers aren't specifically assigned to address safety issues, they are still responsible for alerting the appropriate parties or taking action to prevent harm.
• 😀 The Therac-25 case illustrates the importance of engineers being vigilant in their role responsibility to ensure safety, as software errors in the case led to severe patient harm.

Q & A

What are the different types of responsibility that engineers have?

Engineers have several types of responsibility, including causal responsibility, role responsibility, legal responsibility, and moral responsibility. Each type addresses different aspects of accountability in their work.

What is causal responsibility in the context of engineering?

Causal responsibility refers to the direct link between an engineer's actions and the outcomes. For example, if an engineer's work leads to a failure or harm, they bear causal responsibility for that result.

What is role responsibility, and how does it apply to engineers?

Role responsibility refers to the tasks and duties assigned to an engineer based on their position. For instance, software engineers are responsible for developing and testing control software, as per their assigned roles.

What legal responsibilities do engineers have in cases of safety failure?

Legal responsibility means that engineers or the companies they work for can be held accountable and sued if their actions or products cause harm. This responsibility is tied to the laws governing public safety and negligence.

Why are engineers morally responsible for safety, even when they aren't assigned a specific task?

Engineers have a moral responsibility to ensure public safety because their work directly affects people's lives. They are ethically bound to act if they encounter unsafe conditions, even if it’s not within their specific job description.

What happened in the Therac-25 incident, and what responsibility did different parties have?

In the Therac-25 case, software errors led to radiation overdoses that caused patient deaths. Responsibility was shared among the operators, software developers, system engineers, and the manufacturer, AECL, for various aspects of the failure.

What role did software engineers play in the Therac-25 tragedy?

Software engineers were responsible for developing and testing the control software. Unfortunately, they failed to address subtle timing errors, contributing directly to the radiation overdoses.

What is the most important responsibility of engineers according to the National Society of Professional Engineers?

The most important responsibility of engineers, as stated by the National Society of Professional Engineers, is to prioritize the safety, health, and welfare of the public above all other responsibilities.

How should engineers act when they encounter unsafe systems or practices?

When engineers encounter unsafe systems or practices, they are professionally responsible to take action, such as alerting relevant authorities or safety engineers, even if solving the problem is beyond their role.

Why is moral responsibility important for engineers, especially regarding safety?

Moral responsibility is crucial because it reflects the ethical obligation engineers have to protect the public. It’s not just about following rules or laws, but about making ethical decisions to prevent harm to people, ensuring safety as a shared responsibility.