Why Ethics Is Just As Important As Math In Engineering Field

Engineering has a huge impact on our lives, even though it is something we may not think about often. Your house, your roadways, your local grocery store, doctor’s office, and other places you frequent were all created by engineers. Engineering has such a huge impact on society that it involves ethical decision making on a regular basis.

Case in point: the apartment complex in Surfside that suddenly collapsed in June. When disasters like this happen, it forces professional engineers to pause and think about how they practice their craft. Civil engineers work in the construction industry, which is dangerous enough as it is. They need to realize that the decisions they make can have unintended consequences. The possibility of future building failure is something that needs to be considered. When ethical behavior is not at the forefront, professional engineers can face disciplinary matters such as fines and license loss.

The good news is that engineering is considered to be a highly trusted and ethical profession. The results of a poll showed that 66% of respondents rated the ethical standards of engineers even higher than doctors, at 65%.

However, when it comes to ethics, there’s a lot to learn. This is evidenced by a Google search that shows that there have been 4.66 million academic papers written about ethics.

In the past, professional engineers focused on math. Today, in the 21st century, the focus must also be on ethics. This is because issues in society have become much more complex, which has posed a much greater demand on engineering thinking. Professional engineers need to consider whole and complex systems.

Engineers face ethical dilemmas all the time. A lot of the issues focus on cost, with clients wanting to balance cost with safety and performance. There is also the question of integrity. Should an engineer support the creation of a design that is flawed? When something is wrong, should they speak up?

Professional engineers are becoming increasingly important in society because pretty much everything around us wouldn’t exist without them. This is not going to change any time soon, which means that while we need to trust them, these engineers also have to continually increase their knowledge to keep on top of ethical responsibilities and other trends.

Keep Your License With Help From a Tampa Professional Engineers Licensing Lawyer

Professional engineers tend to focus their studies on math and design elements, but the truth is that ethics is just as important. When engineers do not act in an ethical manner, projects may not be built to standards, compromising the safety of those who use them.

If you are a professional engineer dealing with ethics issues, seek professional guidance from Tampa professional engineers licensing lawyer Law Offices of David P. Rankin. I have represented more than 100 professional engineers before the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. Schedule a consultation today by calling (813) 968-6633 or filling out the online form.

Source:

theconversation.com/why-we-need-engineers-who-study-ethics-as-much-as-maths-161356