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Annotated Bibliography - Speaker's Guide for the Presentation: How to Be a Good Engineer

Note: The following bibliography refers only to the material contained in this Speaker's Guide, and was last updated in 1991.

References

Baum, R. J. Ethics and Engineering Curricula. NY: Hastings Center, 1980. 79 pp. plus index: One of The Teaching of Ethics series by the Hastings Center. Of particular interest to educators, this work examines the integration of ethics into the general engineering curricula.
Baum, R. J., and Flores, A. (eds.) Ethical Problems in Engineering. Troy, NY: Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, The Center for the Study of Human Dimensions of Science and Technology, 1978.: A collection of 62 papers intended for use in a college course. Includes papers on advertising, marketing, and labor unions as well as engineering matters. The bid process and liability issues are discussed in detail. Many case histories are presented to maintain a "real-world" perspective.
Business & Professional Ethics Journal, published quarterly by Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), Troy, NY and sponsored by RPI, the University of Delaware, and the University of Florida.: Although the journal articles are not restricted to discussing matters of engineering ethics, many articles of interest to engineers are published regularly in this journal.
Elbaz, Sohair Wastawy. Professional Ethics and Engineering- A Resource Guide. Alexandria, VA: National Institute for Engineering Ethics, 1990.: Lists over 200 bibliographic references, plus organizations, educational and popular films, and 101 individuals working in engineering ethics. Available from the National Society of Professional Engineers.
Johnson, D. G. (ed.) Ethical Issues in Engineering. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall, 1991.: A collection of 32 papers and 20 scenarios organized about such issues as obligations of loyalty to employers, engineer's responsibilities to society, and fair play in engineering. The work is a comprehensive and up to date compilation of the more important issues facing engineers, including some topics not usually covered in traditional works on the subject. These include social mechanisms for controlling engineers, the lack of support for engineers who suffer because of acting ethically, and some political aspects of engineering. A valuable reference for the practicing engineer as well as for the student of engineering, science, and social subjects.
Martin, M. W., and Schinzinger, R. Ethics in Engineering, Second Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 1989.: The authors combine backgrounds in philosophy (Martin) and engineering (Schinzinger) to examine some of the issues suggested by the title. Although much of the work is concerned with safety issues, it also discusses such matters as rights of engineers, computer ethics, and "whistle-blowing." Introductory sections deal with moral reasoning and societal risk/benefit analysis. An extensive bibliography includes citations of such diverse authors as Aristotle, Graham Greene, Kurt Vonnegut, Ralph Nader, and Henrik Ibsen! Codes of engineering ethics, including that of the IEEE (see these notes for the latest version), are included. Numerous case studies and provocative study questions (exercises) make this book well-suited as a text for college courses or self-study.
Schaub, J. H., and Pavlovic, K. (eds.) with Morris, M. D. Engineering Professionalism and Ethics. New York: J. Wiley & Sons, NY, 1983.: A collection of 71 papers on the general topic of engineering professionalism. Each of the eight chapters has a brief introduction by the editor. The papers include many citations of the literature. Five of the eight chapters are directly relevant to engineering ethics, although such matters as licensing clearly are governed (or should be) by ethical principles as well. The diversity of ethics subjects discussed, and the range of points of view of the writers, make this an outstanding source.
Unger, S. H. Controlling Technology: Ethics and The Research Engineer. New York: Holt, Reinhart and Winston, 1982.: A general work that examines some of the more controversial issues of engineering ethics. Included among several case-histories are: the BART case, the DC-10 cargo doors matter, nuclear reactor welding faults, and Department of Defense fiascoes. The issues of liability and litigations, and the more general matter of engineering and the law receives some discussion. The appendixes furnish some details of cases and several ethics codes from engineering organizations. Unger is a Resource Member of the IEEE Ethics Committee.

Films and Video

Gilbane Gold, 24 minutes, VHS format, 1989. Available from the National Society of Professional Engineers, 1420 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 - 2715.: A plausible fictional ethical dilemma is presented having many points of view and many shades of meaning. Suitable for engineers as well as audiences with no engineering background.
The Truesteel Affair, 24 minutes, VHS or 3/4-inch U-Matic format, 1982. Available on loan from the National Society of Professional Engineers, 1420 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22314 - 2715. Produced by the Association of Professional Engineers of Ontario.: A fictional drama which focuses on a professional engineer's conflicting loyalties to family, employer, and society. Suitable for engineering and non-engineering audiences.
See also the work by S. Elbaz cited above, for an extensive list of films and videos.

Acknowledgments

An earlier version of this bibliography was prepared for distribution at the colloquium: Integrity in Engineering, The Role of Ethics in Practice. Conference particulars are given in Acknowledgments in the preceding section, Scenarios. Thanks to Andy McFarlin for the loan of several journals and books from his library. Thanks also to several persons of the Corporate Library staff of Apple Computer, Inc., and its manager, Monica Ertel, for their help in preparing the original bibliography. Janet Vratny-Watts, obtained copies of many of the books reviewed here. Marcia Singer arranged loans of library materials from other institutions. The original bibliography was prepared in January - March 1987 by Monica Ertel (literature search) and J. Wujek (journals/books review). It was revised by Wujek in February and May 1989, November 1990, and August 1991.

In addition to contributions acknowledged elsewhere in these notes, the authors wish to thank the IEEE Ethics Committee, chaired by Bill Middleton, for support and encouragement. We particularly acknowledge several helpful comments from Ethics Committee members Stephen Unger and Jack Nawrocki, and from Cecilia Jankowski, Chair of the Student Professional Awareness Committee.