Lecture 01 - Spring 2024

ASU 113: Professional
Ethics and Legislations

Lecture 1
Presented by
Dr. Mohamed
Mokhtar
Course Aim
This course aims to:
• Introduce undergraduate engineering students to the

concepts,
theory and practice of engineering ethics.
• Familiarize the student with the meaning, history and different

aspects of engineering.
• Help the student exploring future career and provide him/her with
resources for job opportunities.
• Introduce professional practice, responsibilities, health and safety

and engineering ethics in academia and in the workplace.
2
Assessment methods
• Group Presentation 25%

• Quiz 5%
• Mid-Term Examination 25%
• In-Class Activities and Participation 5%
• Final Examination 40%
3
INTRODUCTION
4
What is “ Engineer” ?
• The word “ Engineer” has its roots in the latin word “
Ingeniator” which means ingenious, to devise in the
sense of construct or craftsmanship.
• National Academy of Engineers in the US defines
Engineer 2020 as
“ understands the principals of inquiry-based scientific

methods and engineering under constraint and be able
to apply them in the technological society”
5
History of Engineering
• Pre-Scientific revolution
• Industrial revolution
• Second industrial revolution
• Information revolution.
6
Pre-scientific
•
Revolution
The forerunners of engineers, practical artists
craftsmen, proceeded mainly by trial and error.
and
Yet
tinkering combined with imagination produced many
marvelous devices and monuments. The ancient
Egyptians temples and monuments such as the great
Pyramids are examples of craftsmanship and intuitive
engineering ingenuity.
• The prehistory of modern engineering features ancient

master builders and Renaissance engineers such as
Leonardo da Vinci.
7
Industrial Revolution
• From the eighteenth through early nineteenth century,
civil and mechanical engineers changed from practical
artists to scientific professionals.
• This phase of engineering lasted through the First

Industrial Revolution, when machines, increasingly
powered by steam engines, started to replace muscles in
most production.
8
Second Industrial Revolution
• In the century before World War II,
electrical, and chemical, other science-
engineering
branches basedelectricity,
developed cars, airplanes,
telecommunications, and mass production.
• The second industrial revolution, symbolized by the

advent of electricity and mass production, was driven
by many branches of engineering.
9
Information Revolution
• Microelectronics, telecommunications, and computer
engineering joined force to precipitate the information
revolution in which intellectual chores are increasingly
alleviated by machines.
10
Responsibilities
1. Safety of the public
2. Welfare of the society
3. Environmental concerns
4. Abide by laws, regulations, standards and ethical

code
11
Responsibilities
5. Produce products/devices that have the

following characteristics:
o Adequate performance
o Cost-efficient
o Low operating and maintenance cost
o Longevity/durability
12
Value of Engineering Profession
• Engineers are responsible of development of

civilizations. They provide:
o Infrastructure
o Communication to link people
o Products to make our lives easier and more

enjoyable
13
Legal Framework of Engineering
Profession
• Codes and standards set minimum requirements
to ensure public safety and adequate performance.
• Example of the first structural design code: the

code of Hammourabi
• Code of ethics of the profession such as conflict

of interest.
14
Engineering Majors-Traditional
• Civil Engineering
• Environmental Engineering
• Mechanical Engineering
• Electrical Engineering
• Computer Engineering
• Chemical Engineering
• Architectural Engineering
• Construction Engineering
15
Engineering Majors:
Non-Traditional
• Bioengineering
• Building Engineering
• Materials Engineering
• Communication Systems Engineering
• Manufacturing Engineering
• Energy & Renewable Energy Engineering
• Engineering Physics
• Petroleum Engineering
• Genetic Engineering
16
What is Ethics?
• Ethics is a system of moral principles.
• The study of standards of and moral

conduct judgment; moral philosophy.
• They affect how people make decisions and lead their
lives.
• Ethics is concerned with what is good for
individuals and society.
17
What is Ethics?
• Ethics and morals relate to “right” and “wrong”

conduct.
• Ethics refer to rules provided by an external source,
e.g., codes of conduct in workplaces or principles in
religions.
• Morals refer to an individual’s own principles
regarding right and wrong.
18
Professional Ethics Resources
• Religion.
• Custom.
• Conscience.
Life is not right without morals, and there is no work

without morals.
• For example: the importance of credibility at work.
• Serious quest to learn new and different skills.
• Diligence in work and mastering every little detail in it. 19

Major Ethical Perspectives
• There are several well-respected ways of looking

at ethical issues.
• Here, we take a brief look at:
a) Utilitarianism,
b) Deontology,
c) Social justice and social contract theory, and
d) Virtue theory.
20
a) Utilitarianism
• Utilitarianism emphasizes not rules but results.
• Originally intended as a guide for legislators charged

with seeking the greatest good for society, the
utilitarian outlook may also be practiced individually
and by corporations.
21
b) Deontology
• Deontology requires that we put first,

duty rationally, and give moral weight to act
equality
the of all human beings. For example: inherent
“If you were to consider misrepresenting yourself on a

resume for a particular job you really wanted and you
were convinced that doing so would get you that job, you
might be very tempted to do so.”
22
c) Social justice and social contract
theory
• Social justice theorists worry about “distributive
justice”—that is, what is the fair way to distribute
goods among a group of people? members of society
should be given goods to according to their needs. But
this redistribution would require a governing power to
decide who gets what and when.
23
c) Social justice and social contract
theory
• The relationship between rights and duties—in
both law and ethics—calls for some explanations:
I. If you have a right of free expression, the government has a duty
to respect that right but can put reasonable limits on it.
II. Rights and duties exist not only between people and their
governments but also between individuals.
III. Your right in legal terms is only as good as your society’s

willingness to provide legal remedies through the courts and
political institutions of society..
24
d) Virtue Theory
• Virtue theory, or virtue ethics, has received increasing

attention over the past twenty years, particularly in
contrast to utilitarian and deontological approaches to
ethics. Virtue theory emphasizes the value of virtuous
qualities rather than formal rules or useful results.
Aristotle is often recognized as the first philosopher to
advocate the ethical value of certain qualities, or
virtues, in a person’s character.
25
Thanks for your Attention
Any Questions
Dr. Mohamed Mokhtar

m.mokhtar@eng.asu.edu.eg

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ASU 113: Professional

Ethics and Legislations

• Introduce undergraduate engineering students to the

• Familiarize the student with the meaning, history and different

• Introduce professional practice, responsibilities, health and safety

• Group Presentation 25%

“ understands the principals of inquiry-based scientific

• The prehistory of modern engineering features ancient

• This phase of engineering lasted through the First

• The second industrial revolution, symbolized by the

1. Safety of the public

2. Welfare of the society

4. Abide by laws, regulations, standards and ethical

5. Produce products/devices that have the

o Low operating and maintenance cost

• Engineers are responsible of development of

o Communication to link people

o Products to make our lives easier and more

• Example of the first structural design code: the

• Code of ethics of the profession such as conflict

• Ethics is a system of moral principles.

• The study of standards of and moral

• Ethics and morals relate to “right” and “wrong”

Life is not right without morals, and there is no work

• For example: the importance of credibility at work.

• Serious quest to learn new and different skills.

• Diligence in work and mastering every little detail in it. 19

• There are several well-respected ways of looking

c) Social justice and social contract theory, and

• Utilitarianism emphasizes not rules but results.

• Originally intended as a guide for legislators charged

• Deontology requires that we put first,

“If you were to consider misrepresenting yourself on a

III. Your right in legal terms is only as good as your society’s

• Virtue theory, or virtue ethics, has received increasing

Dr. Mohamed Mokhtar

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