ENGR/PHIL 482 - Ethics and Engineering (Spring 2008)
Course Description
ENGR 482: Ethics and Engineering. (2-2). Credit 3
Development of techniques of moral analysis and their application to ethical problems encountered by engineers, such as professional
employee rights and whistle blowing; environmental issues; ethical aspects of safety, risk and liability and conflicts of interest;
emphasis on developing the capacity for independent ethical analysis of real and hypothetical cases. Cross-listed with PHIL 482.
Prerequisites
Junior classification
Objectives
- Know the ethical standards of the engineering profession.
- Know the requirements of the Texas Engineering Practices Act
- Know some of the types of ethical/professional problems that can confront practicing engineers.
- Know some of the issues raised by the impact of science and technology on society.
- Know some methods for analyzing and resolving problems mentioned in the previous two bullets.
- Improve skills in effective communication, both oral and written, especially with regard to ethical and professional issues in engineering.
Required Texts
Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases, 3rd edition, Harris, Pritchard and Rabins.
The references in the syllabus are to this book. Notes will be available on this web
page. The notes are a valuable study aid in topical form, but not a
substitute for attending class or reading the textbook.
Syllabus
Spring 2008, (.pdf) (See Class Notes page for updated schedule of topics)