The provisions of the NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers is different from the Canon of Ethics for Fire Protection Engineers because both these are different forms of engineering. While the NSPE deals with engineers, the code relates to the profession of engineers in general so that members of this profession exhibit the highest standards of honesty and integrity . On the other hand, the Canon of Ethics relates to the profession of fire protection engineering in particular and members of this profession have a direct and vital impact on the quality of life for all people .
Performing outside design work for your employers client without your employers knowledge
Performing outside design work for your employers client without your employers knowledge is a violation of the code of ethics in accordance with the rules of practice of engineers which states that engineers shall not accept outside employment to the detriment of their regular work or interest and Before accepting any outside engineering employment, they will notify their employers .
Allowing a nonregistered or noncertified individual to use your registration or certification number
Allowing a nonregistered or noncertified individual to use your registration or certification number is a violation of the code in accordance with the code of practice which states that Engineers shall not permit the use of their name or associate in business ventures with any person or firm that they believe is engaged in fraudulent or dishonest enterprise
Accepting a free computer in exchange for specifying a product from a company
Accepting a free computer in exchange for specifying a product from a company is a violation in accordance with the professional obligations in the code of ethics which directs engineers not to accept financial or other considerations, including free engineering designs, from material or equipment suppliers for specifying their product .
Claiming credit for the work of another individual
Claiming credit for the work of another individual is a violation in accordance with the code of ethics which directs engineers to not falsify their qualifications or permit misrepresentation of their or their associates qualifications. They shall not misrepresent or exaggerate their responsibility in or for the subject matter of prior assignments .
Paying a public official to get a design contract
Paying a public official to get a design contract is a deceptive act and the code of ethics affirms that Engineers shall not offer, give, solicit, or receive, either directly or indirectly, any contribution to influence the award of a contract by public authority, or which may be reasonably construed by the public as having the effect or intent of influencing the awarding of a contract. They shall not offer any gift or other valuable consideration in order to secure work. They shall not pay a commission, percentage, or brokerage fee in order to secure work, except to a bona fide employee or bona fide established commercial or marketing agencies retained by them
Designing a bridge with a degree in fire protection engineering and professional registration in fire protection engineering
Designing a bridge with a degree in fire protection engineering and professional registration in fire protection engineering is a violation because according to the fundamental canon, engineers are expected to Perform services only in areas of their competence .
Performing part-time work for another firm with your employers permission
Performing part-time work for another firm with your employers permission is a violation and Engineers shall not accept compensation, financial or otherwise, from more than one party for services on the same project, or for services pertaining to the same project, unless the circumstances are fully disclosed and agreed to by all interested parties .
Reference
NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers, Web.
Canon of Ethics for Fire Protection Engineers, Web.
Emergence of new technologies has culminated into a transformation of the information processing. To improve efficiency of information processing, innovation on these technologies is conducted from time to time. These improvements are result into emergence of different social threats and opportunities. As a result, there has been increased consideration of ethics associated with new technologies. According to philosophers, ethics entails how people relate or associate with each other by considering issues such as justice, fairness, rights and duties. Various approaches have been advanced in defining ethical acts. For instance, utilitarianism asserts that ethical acts are the ones which create the highest value for the largest proportion of individuals. On the other hand, the right and duties act is of the opinion that ethical acts are the ones which acknowledges other individuals rights and duties imposed by such rights. Alternatively, fairness and justice approach assert that an ethical act is one in which all individuals in a given situation are treated equally by considering the process and outcome.
In relation to technology, the utilitarianism approach to ethics has been greatly incorporated. This is due to the fact that approach puts more emphasis on the value of the outcomes. As a result, individuals should be concerned on the effect of their actions to other individuals. This means that the individuals should consider both the positive and negative effects of their actions. For instance, with the emergence of new technologies, some of the individuals are utilizing these technologies for their own pleasure. An example of this is evident in the Information Communication Industry (ICT). Some individuals develop viruses and worms which are computer programs which affect the normal operation of a computer operation system. These programs harm a large percentage of individuals and business firms. The magnitude of the resultant harm cannot be compared with the pleasure that they derive.
Another illustration of ethics in new technologies is linked to file sharing which entails distribution of digital information through the internet. The music industry is one of the economic sectors which have been negatively affected by unethical practice of free file sharing. As a result, the artists and composers have experienced significant financial loss. Such losses can result into the artists ceasing from continuing to produce the music. The effect of such a decision is felt by a large percentage of individual consumers of their music products. This illustrates that the resultant damage is high compared to the joy these parties experience from free file sharing.
New technologies have also negatively affected individuals right to property. Right to property asserts that any individual can own intellectual or physical property and be secure. No party has a right to take the property away from the rightful owner without compensating him or her. Music industries are obligated to protect the intellectual property and copyrights of the artists. As a result, individuals are restricted from owning such property through illegal means. In addition, the distribution of such properties should undertaken by the relevant authorities. This also applies to software industry.
The concept of ethics and technology has also been considered in relation to fairness and justice. This means that all individuals should be treated equally. For instance, equal treatment should be attained in the purchasing process. Some of the individuals should not obtain the same products freely or through piracy or sharing. This will enable the efforts of the product developers to be effectively compensated. New computer technologies have resulted into an increment in the level of injustice and unfairness. For example, these technologies have resulted into a gap in the process of the authorities regulating certain behavior. This is illustrated in a case where some individuals can easily access pornographic materials through the internet which other forms of accessing pornographic materials. In addition, hacking which entails unauthorized access to a system represents a high degree of unfairness. Through hacking, individuals can be able to use a system without following the normal authorization process. This makes some of the individuals to be well situated.
Critique and insight developed
Existence of differences on ethics across different countries in relation to ethics on technology result into prevalence of unethical practices associated with new technologies. For instance, copyright laws are well established in United States compared to other countries. This limits the efficiency with which ethics associated with technology are enhanced. The article does not give a broad view of the ethics associated with new technology. Its major focus is the unethical practices which result from innovations in computer technology. There are other technological innovations which result into emergence of unethical practices.
The article has resulted into acquisition of knowledge relating to the importance of considering the total effects of an individuals behavior on the society. In addition, the article has revealed gaps in the government which result into prevalence of unethical practices associated with new technology. Through this knowledge the relevant authorities will gain knowledge on how to develop effective technology ethical policies.
Most cars in our time are in the 1 and 2 stages of autonomy. Mostly, control is carried out by the driver, but cruise control, automatic parking and the like are used. Large companies (Google, Toyota, Tesla, Volvo) strive to achieve complete automation of car movement. This technology shows its high development prospect and, therefore, continues to develop. Unbelievable progress has been made in the autonomous vehicle industry over the past few years. In 2014, the professional association SAE International proposed the classification of unmanned vehicles depending on the degree of automation. The classification includes six levels from zero to full automation.
General Statistics on Autonomous Vehicles
In mid-November 2019, Gartner calculated how many autonomous vehicles appeared in 2018 and 2019. It turned out that in 2018 the total number of new unmanned vehicles was 137,129 units, and in 2019 it doubled and amounted to 332,932 units (Gartner, 2019) According to analysts, by 2023 the number of autonomous cars will reach 745,705 units. The increase will be mainly observed in North America, Western Europe and China, since the countries of these regions will be the first to introduce unmanned driving rules (Dhawan, 2019, p.15). Although the forecast promises a rapid increase in the number of autonomous vehicles, the fact is that by November 2019 in no country in the world regulations have been adopted to legally operate autonomous vehicles. Manufacturers are not ready to invest in the development of models that cannot enter the market in the foreseeable future.
The Responsibility of Manufacturers and Drivers. Research Thesis
The lack of regulations is associated, in particular, with the difficulty of determining the legal liability of manufacturers and drivers of autonomous vehicles. Obviously, in the ethical aspect, the level of responsibility of manufacturers of such cars is no less than the responsibility of pharmacological companies, since in both cases it is about ensuring the safety of people. Testing autonomous vehicles should be no less rigorous than clinical trials. For example, despite numerous tests, the sensors and cameras of unmanned vehicles do not yet know how to fix all the details while driving.
Legal responsibility cannot be considered outside the ethical parameters of the operation of unmanned vehicles. Moreover, the development of the concept of legal responsibility should be based on ethical assessments, at least from the standpoint of the ethics of utilitarianism. For autonomous vehicles to become a universal good, engineers will have to teach the system how to make difficult decisions (Li, Zhang, Wang, Li, & Liao, 2018, p. 2-3). What should artificial machine intelligence do when it comes to a choice: either knock down a pedestrian or crash into a lamppost, endangering the life of the driver? Who should be given priority in this dilemma? In such situations, a person reacts spontaneously, but the choice of car is programmed initially. Thus, legal liability should be based precisely on ethical parameters. Given the long process of developing a precedent base, the ethical principles of the operation of autonomous vehicles will help legislators to develop appropriate regulations on the division of responsibilities between the manufacturer and the driver for different levels of vehicle autonomy. The extent of ethical operational parameters of autonomous vehicles and their impact on development and legal liability
Operation of Autonomous Vehicles
Different types of automation. As noted above, the autonomy of unmanned vehicles, i.e., their level of independence of the driver is rated on a scale from 0 to 6. Levels are set by SAE International, a professional association of automotive engineers. SAE standards have been adopted for use by government regulators, engineers, and car manufacturers, as well as investors (Ryan, 2019, p. 6). They describe six levels of automation: from its absolute absence to a fully automated control system, which means a system that behaves like a qualified driver in any situation. One can talk about autonomous driving already from the second level, on which the autopilot system resembles that used in passenger aircraft. This means that most of the way one can use autopilot, but the driver must take control in cases where the system cannot cope on its own for example, in an emergency road situation. The autopilot can be turned on or off at any time at the will of the driver and controls steering, vehicle speed, and braking. At level 5, a person is not required to do anything except start an autopilot and determine a destination. In other words, the Level 5 system must travel to any place where a qualified driver can drive, under any conditions that a qualified driver can handle, completely independently. However, while cars of the 5th level of automation are only in the plans of many large companies. Unusual situations can often arise on the roads, and the logical question arises if artificial intelligence can successfully cope in all such cases.
Transition to autonomous vehicles and challenges on the road. Jean-Francois Bonnefon and his colleagues say that people generally support the idea that in a critical situation, the car must crash into the wall or somehow sacrifice the driver to save more pedestrians. At the same time, the same people want to drive in cars that protect the driver at all costs, even if it will result in the death of pedestrians (Bonnefon, Shariff, & Rahwan, 2016). Such a conflict puts computerized car manufacturers in a difficult position. Between the car, which is programmed for the benefit of the majority, and which is programmed to protect the passenger, the vast majority of buyers will choose the second.
Comparison with the human decision process in driving situations. The authors of the study on the social dilemma of autonomous cars believe that there are other difficult moral issues in this area. Autonomous vehicles will have to make decisions in emergency situations whose consequences cannot be predicted in advance (Merat & Jamson, 2017, p. 514-515). Is it permissible, for example, to program a car so that it avoids a collision with a motorcyclist by crashing into a wall? After all, the passenger of the car in this case is more likely to survive than the motorcyclist who collides with the car. A high level of process automation without complete autonomy can create a false sense of security for the driver. This means that it will be difficult for drivers to quickly take matters into their own hands if the automatic control system ceases to cope. That is why proponents of full automation offer as soon as possible to move to what is called the fourth level according to the classification of SAE autonomy without driver involvement in the process of movement in certain areas. For example, the car that Ford plans to launch in production in 2021 will be fully automated it will have neither a steering wheel nor a brake pedal. This means that the driver will not have to take over the control of the vehicle at some point it will know what to do in any situation (Bagloee, Tavana, Asadi, & Oliver, 2016, p. 288). In this regard, a logical question arises about the very need for full automation of cars.
The first and main reason is the desire to reduce mortality in accidents provoked by driver errors. The human factor overtakes all technical problems together (the brakes failed, the gas pedal stuck, the navigator directed into the abyss, and so on). However, it should be remembered that artificial intelligence is also not without flaws. Let us draw an analogy with aviation, where the primary and most important problem in creating autopilots is also to maintain flight safety. In case of violation or breakdown of the autopilot, it is imperative to turn off the system in the usual way or mechanically. When developing an autopilot, options for disabling it in the event of a breakdown without harm to flight are carefully thought out. To increase security, control automation operates in multi-channel mode. In parallel, four piloting systems with the same parameters and capabilities can work simultaneously. The system also carries out continuous analysis and monitoring of incoming information signals. The flight is carried out on the basis of the so-called quorumation method, which consists of making decisions on the data of most systems (Cusick, Cortes, & Rodrigues, 2017, p. 26). In the event of a breakdown, the autopilot is able to independently select a further control mode. This can be a switch to another control channel or a transfer of control to the pilot. To check the operation of systems, it is necessary to carry out the so-called preflight run of systems. This test consists of starting a step-by-step program that emulates flight signals. Whether such a run is carried out before the start of the movement of the unmanned vehicle is a rhetorical question. Moreover, whether automatic transmission control is provided for the pilot of an autonomous vehicle in the event of an emergency or breakdown is a matter of critical importance. Also, unlike, for example, an airplane engine failure, a tire that has burst out at full speed will not give time lag for reflection and taking measures if the car moves at high speed, then when one of the wheels is destroyed, it is almost impossible to avoid an instant catastrophe.
Ethical parameters of autonomous vehicles
Safety of Self-Driving Cars
When introducing unmanned vehicles, real problems began to appear, which analysts had only predicted before. In February 2017, a car with an autonomous control system developed by Google fell into a small accident. Lexus RX450h, bypassing an obstacle on the road, touched a bus moving nearby, as it incorrectly calculated the possible actions of its driver, deciding that he would give way. Then Google admitted its partial fault for the incident and said that it had made changes to the software of their cars in connection with it. In May of the same year, a fatal accident occurred with a Tesla car moving with the autopilot function turned on (Martinez-Dias & Soriguera, 2018, p. 177). This case will only strengthen the discussion and development of legislative provisions and regulations, as well as ethical concepts for the operation of autonomous vehicles.
Advancement of Artificial Intelligence and Ethical Concerns
Due to the fault of autopilots in planes, there were many crashes and accidents that led to human casualties. Unfortunately, the history of air crashes caused by automatic control systems is very rich in the facts of the unreliability of such systems, and this is despite the very strict principles of certification of such systems and state regulation in this industry (Cusick, Cortes, & Rodrigues, 2017, p. 64). This also makes it possible to cast doubt on the reliability of autopilots in cars, since in this case high competition in the industry, pushing automakers to launch new models on the market as soon as possible, leads to a reduction in time and costs for R&D, including autopilots. The pursuit of greater profits and the seizure of a larger segment of the market may push security concerns into the background.
Need for Human Input in Emergency Situations
When programming unmanned cars, scientists solve a dilemma: programming a car to save drivers or pedestrians. Autonomous cars can revolutionize the transportation industry, but they pose a social and moral dilemma that can slow down the spread of this technology (Bagloee et al., 2016, p. 286) The goal of the creators of unmanned vehicles to make car traffic safer and more efficient is noble, but naive. Hundreds of nuances of movement on the roads of a particular country and even a specific city play a role that cannot be reduced to the task of increasing the efficiency of movement. Researchers have gathered opinions about what moral principles should be guiding for self-driving cars in emergency situations when it is impossible to avoid human casualties and there is the need to choose the lesser of evils. Respondents from different countries disagreed on many points, such as the need to care primarily about saving children, women, or those who follow the rules of road traffic. The revealed differences correlate with the well-known economic and cultural characteristics of countries and regions (Holstein, 2018). The study showed that developing a universal moral law for self-driving machines would not be easy. It is unclear how self-driving cars should behave in emergency situations, when the distribution of risks between people depends on the decision made by artificial intelligence. It is expected that autonomous vehicles will fall into such situations less often than cars driven by human drivers. However, still, sometimes this will necessarily happen, which means that artificial intelligence must be ready to solve moral dilemmas in the spirit of the famous Trolley Problem.
The Trolley Problem
In a number of other studies of the trolley problem in relation to unmanned vehicles, it turned out that in general the majority of respondents supported the so-called utilitarian approach, that is, in any situation, approve a solution that would lead to a minimum number of victims. At the same time, the adoption of such a decision as a law was approved by fewer participants, especially if it was a question of their car, and not of the situation as a whole (Anderson et al., 2016, p.8). To solve this problem, a simple solution is proposed at first glance a car, even in an emergency, must strictly adhere to the rules of the road. However, again drawing an analogy with aviation, we recall that there is a clause in the airline guidelines that the pilot flying the aircraft has the right to deviate from any instructions if he acts based on experience and knowledge and in order to complete the flight. Namely, the human factor, or rather, human intelligence and its creativity can save the lives of passengers, which an onboard computer can do neither in an airplane nor in a car.
The human factor affects the navigation of unmanned vehicles much more than it seems, including in a negative sense. Engineers taught cars to obey traffic rules, but they do not know how to properly respond to violations of other drivers (Cunningham & Regan, 2015). If someone speeds up or cuts off the car, this can lead to a navigation failure due to the lack of appropriate algorithms. In the future, this problem can be solved using V2V (vehicle to vehicle technology). Namely, this service helps planes avoid collisions: they exchange information about their position, speed, and direction. However, for now, an automotive analog of the service is only in development. Moreover, technology will have an effective impact only if the vast majority of cars on the road are equipped with it.
Legal Liability
Driver Behavior and Liability. Manufacturer Liability.
In addition to technological challenges, for the transition to the mass use of autonomous cars, many issues have to be addressed at the level of legislative regulation. Normative documents are needed that define the basic technological and legal concepts in this area, regulate the possibilities of using such technologies in general, responsibility in case of incidents with unmanned vehicles, etc.
The problem of legal regulation of autonomous vehicles can negate all its advantages. Due to the need for legal regulation, it is necessary to determine the composition of administrative offenses and criminal offenses associated with the use of unmanned vehicles (Ryan, 2019, p. 18). Also, it is required to identify the subjects of civil liability for causing property damage through the fault of unmanned vehicles. All these problems remain unresolved and require the development of a new legislative framework that will regulate this side.
Current Existing Laws
In one form or another, regulatory documents in this area have already been submitted or are being developed in some countries. The United States has especially advanced here: in 2011, Nevada was the first state in the country to begin regulating the use of autonomous vehicles on the roads and issues related to their insurance, safety, and testing (Smith, 2014, p. 415). Arizona lawmakers in the United States tried to pass legislation regulating the use of unmanned vehicles on state roads. However, they could not solve the core problem: who should be responsible for the accident that occurred with the participation of the autonomous car: the owner of the car, the company that developed the technology, or the automaker who made and sold the car? In California, in December 2015, authorities announced preliminary rules for unmanned vehicles. The fixing of these rules in the form of law is necessary before one of the vehicles can be sold to consumers. They require drivers, if necessary, to be ready to take complete control of their car. The regulations proposed by the California Department of Automobiles suggest that drivers remain responsible for complying with traffic regulations, whether they are driving or not.
Legislators also propose that part of the responsibility be placed on the autonomous car operator (Ryan, 2019, p. 19). The operator is the passenger, but the right to complete passivity will not be recognized for him soon. If the operator sees a dangerous situation and illogical actions of the autopilot, his duty is to intervene and try to avoid the danger. There is a contradiction: technology offers to relax, and the law keeps in suspense. Questions regarding the responsibilities of people with disabilities also remain open.
The prosecution when the accident occurs due to a semi-autonomous car does not differ from the situation when the accident occurs with the participation of the car under the control of the driver. The presence of autopilot can affect the issue of accountability only if the manufacturer claims full autonomy of the car without the need for human control for safe movement. In this case, the fact of an accident due to a defect in autopilot may be the basis for laying civil liability compensation for harm on manufacturers, as well as bringing to justice individuals who are guilty of a defect. Here we are talking about shifting responsibility from the owner of the car to its manufacturer and responsible individuals. Some authors have proposed that manufacturers be strictly liable for personal injuries caused by driverless automobiles (Hubbard, 2015, p. 1867). Never before have manufacturers faced the need to produce cars with protection against the fact of an accident or from mistakes made by other drivers. In the case of autonomous cars, questions arise regarding the correctness of the decisions made by the car based on the algorithms laid down in it. As long as the cars require the presence of a driver, improper operation of the autopilot should not be considered as a defect that leads to an accident. The presence of autopilot should not affect the rules of accountability applicable for accidents involving a conventional car. An exception may be the situation when the owner of a car with an autopilot proves that he did not know about the need to constantly monitor it.
Discussion on Future Legal Frameworks
Unmanned vehicles open up a new legal world. In the case of ordinary cars, the responsibility for the incident is likely to rest with the person sitting inside the car. But an unmanned vehicle is a hardware-software complex, which is influenced by many parties, the experts explain: the manufacturer of the car itself or special equipment, the developer of the artificial intelligence system for it, the service, and the owner of the fleet to which it attributed to. It will not be easy to find the culprit among them.
Risk insurance offers for unmanned car drivers already exist. The passenger ( driver ) ensures his liability in case of an incident, as well as his life and health. Such insurance has two functions: it allows (especially the earlier versions) to relax along the way and protects manufacturers of unmanned vehicles from claims in this case, insurance companies take responsibility. The European Parliament proposes to think about the special legal status of the electronic personality for complex robots that make independent decisions then they can be blamed for compensation for the damage caused by them. One of the proposals of the European deputies is to create a special fund, by analogy with car insurance, from which damage would be compensated when there is no usual insurance coverage. The European Parliament has called on insurance companies to develop new products appropriate to the development of robotics (Ryan, 2019). Now auto insurance covers only human actions and mistakes, and the insurance system for robots should take into account all possible liability.
It should be noted that the introduction of innovative technologies in any area of our lives entails changes, including in the legal field. Accordingly, it is necessary that the legal regulation of this sphere be ahead of actual technical implications and that, with reasonable regulation and protection of the interests of subjects of various legal relations, it would not deter, but contribute to the development of advanced technologies in the interests and under the control of the human mind.
Conclusion
Summarizing Main Points
The research in the field of ethical and legislative implications of autonomous vehicles spread and development allow concluding that today, it is one of the most uncertain and challenging areas both for ethics and justice. Both the development of a universal moral law for self-driving machines that clearly defines the algorithm for action in a critical situation, and the development of the necessary legislation is very difficult and even somewhat deadlocking. However, a comparison with the aviation industry suggests the advisability of requiring the driver to monitor the situation while the car is moving and to be able to turn off the autopilot if necessary and take control.
Potential Recommendations
Driver comfort should not be placed above public safety. Thus, the production of cars without a steering wheel and pedals (something that corresponds to the fifth level of autonomy and what all well-known automakers strive for), at least in the near future seems impractical. In addition, this will simplify the problem of legislative regulation in the field of unmanned vehicles, by clearly distributing responsibilities between the driver and the automaker. The black box data in each case will help determine the cause of the accident. Moreover, it can eliminate ethical dilemmas of AI decision-making, described above. The experience of aviation can become a solid base for considering the ethical and legal implications of autonomous vehicles.
Final Statement
As autonomous vehicle technology expands and becomes more popular, manufacturers and lawmakers must collaborate to create ethical boundaries and capabilities in line with legal liabilities according to the applied jurisdictions to ensure safety and efficient implementation.
References
Anderson, J. M. et al. (2016). Autonomous vehicle technology: A guide for policymakers. RAND Corporation. ISBN: 978-0-8330-8398-2.
Bagloee, S., Tavana, M., Asadi, M., & Oliver, T. (2016). Autonomous Vehicles: Challenges, Opportunities and Future Implications for Transportation Policies. Journal of Modern Transportation, 24(4), 284-303.
Bonnefon, J. F., Shariff, A., & Rahwan, I. (2016). The social dilemma of autonomous vehicles. Science, 352(6293), 1573-1576.
Cunningham, M. & Regan, M. A. (2015). Autonomous Vehicles: Human Factors Issues and Future Research. Proceedings of the 2015 Australasian Road Safety Conference, 14 16 October, Gold Coast, Australia. Web.
Cusick, S., Cortes, A., & Rodrigues, C. (2017). Commercial aviation safety. NY: McGraw-Hill Education. ISBN: 9781259641824.
Dhawan, C. (2019). Autonomous vehicles plus: A critical analysis of challenges delaying AV nirvana. Victoria, Canada: FriesenPress. ISBN: 1259641821.
Holstein, T. (2018). Ethical and social aspects of self-driving cars. ARXIV, 18.
Hubbard, F. P. (2015). Sophisticated Robots : Balancing Liability, Regulation, and Innovation. Florida Law Review, 66(5), 1803-1872. doi: Web.
Li, S., Zhang, J., Wang, S., Li, P., & Liao, Y. (2018). Ethical and legal dilemma of autonomous vehicles: Study on driving decision-making model under the emergency situations of red-light running behaviors. Electronics, 7, 1-18.
Martinez-Dias, M. & Soriguera, F. (2018). Autonomous vehicles: theoretical and practical challenges. Transportation Research Procedia, 33, 275-282.
McBride, N. (2015). The ethics of driverless cars. SIGCAS Computers & Society, 45(3), 179-184.
Merat, N. & Jamson, A. H. (2017). How do drivers behave in a highly automated car? Proceedings of the Fifth International Driving Symposium on Human Factors in Driver Assessment, Training and Vehicle Design, 514-521.
Ryan, M. (2019). The future of transportation: Ethical, legal, social and economic impacts of self-driving vehicles in the year 2025. Science and Engineering Ethics, 25(109), 1-24.
Smith, B. W. (2014). Automated Vehicles are probably legal in the United States. TexasA&M Law Review,1(3), 412-521.
According to Martin and Schinzinger (10), the lifelong learning of ethical responsibilities in engineering contributes to the development of the values of honesty, fidelity, and integrity. That is in addition to the respect for others, fairness, and the pursuit of excellence and accountability (Martin and Schinzinger 12).
Engineers undergo lifelong learning to adapt to the changes in the working environment, compliance requirements, standards governing acceptable behavior, and to address the potential dangers and potential risks involved in the discipline (Harris, Pritchard and Rabins 5).
Lifelong ethical learning of ethical responsibilities enables engineers to develop practical methods and acceptable techniques to document professional growth and competence.
In addition to that, professional responsibility equips one with the ability to apply the knowledge and skills acquired in the engineering profession to protect the reputation of the client and other stakeholders (Martin and Schinzinger 20).
The critical importance of lifelong learning of ethical responsibilities in the engineering profession is based on the need to demonstrate professional competence to reflect the changing needs and constant demand for quality education to address the changing technological needs and challenges and to ensure that acceptable assignments are done in accordance with engineering standards.
According to Martin and Schinzinger (26), the learning process enables one to identify and comply with the scope of practice in the profession and to sign and seal documents according to the prescribed engineering practices and the professional code of conduct (Martin and Schinzinger 26).
The lifelong learning of ethical responsibilities is critical because the engineer has the opportunity to be objective and truthful in context of the issuance of public statements, expression of technical opinion, freely disclose information to interested parties, and the ability to express a technical opinion without any reservations (Harris, Pritchard and Rabins 3).
It is essential as an engineer to learn and develop the ability to address the conflict of interest that arises during the execution of the duties and responsibilities assigned the engineer. The engineer becomes a faithful agent and trustee and is able to resist the temptation to accept compensation from more than one party, which can be interpreted as a bribe and to preserve the required confidentiality.
Here, the engineer develops the ability to disclose unavoidable conflicts that arise in the workplace and to make the client aware of the professional position concerning the clients project and the ultimate consequences engineering decisions have on the project (Harris, Pritchard and Rabins 12).
Typically, the lifelong learning of ethical responsibilities imparts the skills and knowledge required by an engineer to advance the engineering knowledge and skills required in the profession, engineering commitments, the ethics, and the underlying responsibilities.
Typically, the engineer needs lifelong learning ethical responsibilities to protect the public health, improve the safety and welfare of others, and the ability to address emerging problems and challenges in engineering.
Lifelong learning enables one to understand and practice the principles of social responsibility, which includes respect for the international norms, ensure accountability, improve ethical behavior, practice the respect of law and the respect for the stakeholders interests (Harris, Pritchard and Rabins 12).
In conclusion, the lifelong learning on ethical responsibilities in engineering enables engineers to ensure integrity, competence, and accountability for the present and the future and to adhere to the obligations, standards, and practices in engineering.
Works Cited
Harris, Charles, Edwin , Michael S. Pritchard, Michael Jerome Rabins, Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases: Concepts and Cases. New York: Cengage Learning, 2009. Print.
Martin, Mike, W, and Ronald Schinzinger, Ethics in Engineering. New York: McGraw Hill, 2005. Print
Due to technological advancements, many people are now able to listen to or download music over the internet, and even share their favorite songs with their loved ones. Technology has also brought music listening gadgets such as the iPod, which have the capability of storing thousands of songs directly downloaded from the internet. You can either get charged for downloading music from the internet or you can get it for free. In the United States, almost 50 percent, or some 60 million internet users copy movies, music, and other digital goodies for free using online networks such as Morpheus and Kazaa. Such a statistic seems to reveal that a culture of music copying and sharing has already been solidified in the world (Olsen, 2003).
Sometimes, musicians set up their websites, where their music is made available for free in the hope that such exposure will get people to buy their music (Wolf, 2008). But available research indicates that people who download free music no longer consider buying as an option after listening to the music. The ethical question to be asked therefore is if we should continue to pay for music even after having the knowledge that we can download or reproduce it for free using the latest technology available over the internet.
Arguments of why we should pay for music online
Many ethical considerations have to be made when considering the above issue. It should not be lost in us that some of the musicians depend sorely on the music they produce for survival. Those who support paying for music that we listen to online argue that the activity of downloading, copying, or sharing a music file for free without the express authority of its author is tantamount to stealing or shoplifting the music from a nearby record store. It is tantamount to stealing the livelihoods of music artists. Stealing is an act that is punishable by law and therefore it is ultimately wrong to download music without paying the loyalties (Olsen, 2003).
In many instances, musicians put their music on the internet on the premise that it will expose them to the world. They put downloadable songs on their websites in the hope that people will listen to the music and buy it if it appeals to them. But those who advocate for music paying argues that the artists end up being popular without the real financial translation as people dont buy the music after listening (Wolf, 2008). This is morally demeaning and therefore must be discouraged at all costs. They, therefore, argue that people should pay for the music they listen to regardless of whether they like it or not.
In most instances, we download music online without really bothering on paying for it since it is convenient to do so. But according to the proponents of paying for music, this argument is morally defeating in that you cannot justify an activity by the fact that it is easy and convenient to achieve that activity (Moore, 2003). The music can be convenient to copy or share but the act is morally wrong.
To understand better why we should pay for music, Proponents of this argument use the concept of file sharing. People who are connected to the internet can use various programs to download music, games, videos, and other copyrighted and non-copyrighted content directly to their computers. Many popular internet sites encourage file sharing, including Ares Galaxy, Gnutella, Kazaa, and e-donkey. In file-sharing, users download a supported program onto their computers that enable them to connect to the file-sharing networks mentioned above. Using the program, users can search the shared media on other computers across the internet and then downloads the media onto their computers. The proponents argue that one song that individual shares can be downloaded by millions of other users thereby cheating the artists out of their monetary incentives to publish their works ( Ethics , 2008).
Proponents also effectively argue that getting your music from other sources without actually paying for it infringes on the established copyright laws. Look at it way this way; music producers spend millions of dollars to produce the works of the artists. Music distributors also sink in huge chunks of money in their effort to distribute the music worldwide. More so, the artists themselves need to be rewarded financially for their efforts. When people dont pay for their music preferring to get the music for free over the internet, all these networks are disrupted (Easley, 2007). In 2001, some recording companies in the United States won a legal victory against Napster in their efforts to fight some peer to peer networks that were threatening their survival.
Arguments of why we should not pay for the music
The people who support this line of thought argue that the overriding principle of whether one should download free music should be based on the artists themselves. For one, some artists may choose by themselves to support the shareware, open-source, freeware, or anti-copyright laws to advocate for music sharing as a free promotional tool ( Ethics , 2008). This is fine in that it is a decision reached by the artists themselves to promote their music labels. Online promotion of artists through offering free music has worked very well in developed nations, especially in the US. Many artists that we know of today were turned into instant celebrities by free online promotions as it helped to expose them to the world.
Secondly, the artists may decide to share their music to enable the music consumers to sample their products before actually spending their money to buy the product. In many instances, these have opened new fan bases as many people discover the artists through sharing their music. Allowing potential customers to sample music for free without first paying for it has been credited with bringing about increased album sales in western countries. (Moore, 2003). But is debatable as to whether it can work in continents such as Africa and Latin America.
Another argument that supports free music is that downloading, sharing, or copying a song online isnt stealing as the owner is still left with the original track (Olsen, 2003). Besides the process is convenient and easy to undertake, there is nowhere in the developed countries that music sales have declined due to illegal music copying. On the contrary, music sales have hit a record high due to the exposure the music industry has received from the latest technological advancements, including the internet.
The argument goes on that it is the music industry that will stand to gain more by embracing the new technology of music sharing for free over the internet. Record companies should never at any given time resist the innovations brought about by the new technologies It is on this premise that Apples iPod, Napster, and iTunes have legalized their download services. Apples iPod services charge their customers $.99 per music title while Napster charges $ 9.95 per month of music downloads. Other offerings such as Connect from Sony have boosted the growth of legal music download services. Although online sales account for 5 percent of music industry revenues, there is much more room for improvement (Shang et al., 2008).
Conclusion
This essay has effectively reflected some ethical issues which people should consider before downloading or copying music for free. It is a good thing to have the latest technologies that have made our lives easier and enjoyable. The music industry will stand to gain more by embracing the new technology. But technological advancements should never be used to deny others of their rights. Proper mechanisms should therefore be laid out to ensure that those who copy or share music over the internet compensate the artists either financially or through creating exposure. A recent study on the music industry in the US revealed a willingness to pay for internet music via legalized download services. Stakeholders in the music industry need to focus on this theme to make sure that technology increases album sales, not the other way round. Record companies should never at any given time resist the innovations brought about by the new technologies (Olsen, 2003).
References
Easley, R.F. (2003). Ethical issues in the music industry response to innovation and piracy.
Ethics has a significant role in the public service. Personalities need to emulate and practice proper ethics. Particularly, this relates to those serving in public administrative dockets. Adams and Balfour, (2009), emphasize the need to maintain the society in an ethical state.
The two authors propose two basic approaches that may help in preventing the humanity from ethically coming apart at the seams. The present changes within the American society are noted.
The sociopolitical and economic factors have increasingly transformed within the U.S. Consequently, these have impacted on the state of ethics within the public service.
The interconnection between liberalism and individual ethics is obvious. The authors examine the American society from the period of the historical revolution. The ability of liberalism to impose phenomenal ethical challenges within humanity is also indicated.
Authority must be exercised in a manner that motivates controlled freedom. However, the effects of globalization on the morality of the society require great precaution (Adams & Balfour, 2009). The authors indicate the significance of systems that avail information and critical decisions to the general public.
Such systems are the spring board for public ethics. The nature of mankind and the liberalism of fear interact in a degenerative manner.
The authors argue that putting cruelty first may not be the appropriate methodology of dealing with situations within the public service (Adams & Balfour, 2009).
Emotional approach to situations within the public service only results into a state of administrative evil. The importance of democratic deliberative processes within the general society is noted. Through deliberative processes, individuals seek to acquire a self comprehension (Adams & Balfour, 2009).
Additionally, they learn to understand and be patient with others. Application of this methodology enhances transformation processes without ethical disputes within the society. In this process, citizens learn to be become tolerant with one another.
Furthermore, there is magnified state of harmony that results into good state of public ethics. The authors also critically examine the general role of the community in enhancing public ethics. An inclusive autonomous society develops the public life as well as its public ethics concurrently.
This methodology helps to save the entire community from an ethical crisis. In this methodology, the authors reiterate the significance of the recognition and definition of the public.
The definition of the term public depicts important implications. For instance, it binds public servants to speak publicly on policy issues (Adams & Balfour, 2009). The recognition and practice of viable citizenship by all public servants is indicative of a good state of public ethics.
There is an examination of public ethics dependent on liberalism of fright. This form of ethics originates from a misanthropic perception of human kind. In this context, there is a perception that mankind ought to know that not just the minimalist public state of ethics may be workable.
People must be aware of the impacts of public ethics dependent on grand schemes relating to human perfectibility. Another methodology is dependent on the processes of deliberative democracy.
This denotes the significance of public engagement and participation within all levels of governance (Adams & Balfour, 2009). Active citizenship implies partaking in governance.
Moreover, it involves the practice of decisive resolution with the observation of public interest. This practice enhances both political as well as moral competencies of personalities. Furthermore, it helps to reinforce the societal bonds among them.
References
Adams, G. B. & Balfour, D. L. (2009). Unmasking administrative evil. New York, NY: M.E. Sharpe.
One of the main conditions of the modern societys successful development is its dependence on the moral principles and canons which are worked out and accepted by the society in order to regulate the character of relations within it. Moral principles belong to the field of ethics which influences all the aspects of the peoples life.
Thus, people are oriented to following the moral norms which are developed to control the elements of their personal life and interpersonal relations, and there are also moral codes and canons which can be successfully used for realizing business activities and business relations.
These principles are in the field of the business ethics. Moreover, each profession has its own code of ethics according to which the relations within the definite industry or company are realized. It is important that the codes of ethics for different professions as the aspects of the peoples life depend on the traditional approaches to moral norms and principles which were argued by such philosophers as Aristotle, Kant, and Bentham.
Thus, the canons, rules of practice, and professional obligations for engineers are based on the elements of the ethics developed by these philosophers in the context of the persons voluntary nature to perform this or that action, with dependence on his or her moral duty for this action, or on discussing this action according to its right or wrong consequences.
It is stated in the preamble to the code of ethics for engineers that the services provided by engineers require honesty, impartiality, fairness, and equity, and must be dedicated to the protection of the public health, safety, and welfare ( NSPE Code of Ethics ). Thus, the activity of engineers as professionals is oriented to those moral concepts which are also accentuated as influential ones in the persons everyday life.
Furthermore, these concepts are also associated with the group of moral virtues such as truthfulness, forgiveness, and integrity which were determined by Aristotle. Shrader-Frechette indicates with references to Aristotle that one can deliberate only about what is within ones power to do (Shrader-Frechette 187).
That is why engineers should focus on their specific responsibilities with paying attention to their code of ethics which regulates the moral aspect of the relations between the employers, employees, partners, and clients.
The code of ethics for engineers is based on a range of the fundamental canons in relation to which the rules of practice and professional obligations are stated. Thus, engineers should hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public ( NSPE Code of Ethics ).
That is why engineers should orient to the necessities of the public, and one of the engineers professional obligations is based on this principle, and it is formulated in such a way that engineers shall at all times strive to serve the public interest ( NSPE Code of Ethics ).
In this case, Benthams ideas about the benefits of the actions are met, and Kants categories of the universal law and the moral duty are realized according to which a person uses his or her will and control the actions in order to address the interests of the society (Birks; Velasquez).
These notions are addressed in the context of engineers rules of practice in which the main accents are made on the justice, legitimacy, and truthfulness. The mentioned principles are also associated with the canon according to which engineers should issue public statements only in an objective and truthful manner ( NSPE Code of Ethics ).
Thus, objectivity and truthfulness as the representations of Aristotles moral virtues become the main aspects of the positive atmosphere of the professional communication.
One of the rules of practice for engineers states that they shall perform services only in the areas of their competence ( NSPE Code of Ethics ). Why is this rule so significant with references to the ethical canons? A person should be always responsible for his or her actions.
The persons actions should be supported by the sincere desire of realizing the good action and motivation to do it in relation to the highest good to which it is aimed. Thus, Aristotle indicates that there are many goods which depend not only on the virtues and the balance between the extremes but also on the human voluntary nature and the persons intention to reach the happiness in the life (Curzer).
If Aristotle accentuates the human voluntary nature, Bentham develops this notion and indicates that people in their actions should orient to the benefits which could satisfy a number of persons. That is why these actions should be not only good but also competent.
Moreover, the persons actions should be so good that they could be perceived as addressed to the universal laws and that is why, according to Kant, they should form the categorical imperative. Thus, not to make harm to those people who are involved in the process, engineers should be competent in their actions and be responsible for their performing.
Engineers professional obligations also include such a point according to which engineers should adhere to the principles of sustainable development in order to protect the environment for future generations ( NSPE Code of Ethics ).
The problem of the technological sustainability is closely connected with the possible technological risks which can be the results of the industrys activity. Shrader-Frechette argues the fringe between the advantages of those technologies which are risky and the moral obligation of those persons who are involved in their producing (Shrader-Frechette).
If the persons moral task is to orient to the benefits for the people, is it possible to realize the hazardous technologies which can be harmful for the public and nature?
According to the ideas of Utilitarianism, these technologies have both the right and wrong consequences for various people and different aspects of life (Birks). However, according to Kants principles such a situation is morally wrong because it is not universally good (Velasquez).
To present the universally good actions, a person should not be influenced by any other opinions or visions of this or that issue. From this point, Aristotle emphasizes the necessity of the personal self-control and liberality as one of the influential virtues (Curzer).
To be satisfied and happy without the inclination to experience the impact of the other peoples ideas on the morality, an individual should be independent and should not concentrate on his or her financial state and as a result, betray the moral principles. However, one of the main risks for the person is the orientation to the pleasure which is accentuated as an important concept by Aristotle and Bentham.
People can also strive to reach the pleasure with references to immoral or wrong actions. That is why it is mentioned in the list of the engineers professional obligations that they shall not be influenced in their professional duties by conflicting interests ( NSPE Code of Ethics ). This obligation is associated with the problem of the persons moral choice.
In spite of the fact the majority of people are inclined to admit the necessity of following the life according to the moral virtues proclaimed by Aristotle and according to the principles stated by Kant and Bentham, a person always tries to find the most beneficial approach for his or her, and this approach can be based on any bad factors which can lead to the negative consequences.
Thus, the origins of the persons morality and the persons own code of ethics are in his voluntary nature which forms motivation and in his will and duty. To follow the universal moral laws or live according to the moral virtues are not an easy task, but according to the philosophers, it is a single way to the happy life full of pleasures which is in harmony with the laws of nature.
That is why people develop the codes of ethics in relation to which it is possible to regulate the aspects of life in society and also use these principles in the organization of their professional activity.
Any company functions as a group of people which are in constant relations, and to guarantee the development of the company with a minimum of negative and conflict situations, it is necessary to work out the code of ethics according to which the interactions are regulated and controlled.
Moreover, many professions have their specific features which should be also reflected in the code. That is why the code of ethics for engineers which depends on the main moral principles is significant for the professions development.
Works Cited
Birks, Thomas Rawson. Modern Utilitarianism; or, the Systems of Paley, Bentham, and Mill Examined and Compared. USA: Nabu Press, 2010. Print.
Curzer, Howard. Aristotle and the virtues. USA: Oxford University Press, 2012. Print.
NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers 2006. Web. <www.onlineethics.org/Resources/ethcodes/EnglishCodes/9972.aspx>.
Shrader-Frechette, Kristin. Technology and Ethics . Philosophy of technology. Eds. Robert Scharff and Val Dusek. Malden, MA: Blackwell Publishing, 2003. 187-190. Print.
Velasquez, Manuel. Moral Reasoning . The Blackwell Guide to Business Ethics. Ed. Norman E. Bowie. USA: Blackwell, 2002. 102-116. Print.
Richard Mason (1986) summarizes the most important ethical issues of the information age in a single acronym PAPA (privacy, accuracy, property, accessibility). Privacy stands for the level of exposure of personal information to other users. Accuracy refers to the accountability for errors in information and the subsequent choice of the person to blame. Property deals with the question of ownership of information and the means of its transmission. Finally, accessibility underscores the opportunity and conditions of obtaining information. Analyzing real-life examples is essential in understanding the exact nature of each ethical issue.
I personally experienced the inadvertent invasion of privacy when a professor instructed students to bring laptops for presentations. We connected the laptops to a projector in order to make the audience see the slides for themselves. Unfortunately, everyone also observed the layout of the desktop, which contained numerous shortcuts, some of which were of delicate nature. This situation was also indicative of access problems, as the lack of computer equipment in the classroom forced the students and the professor to use their own devices. Had there been a computer provided by the administration, no violation of privacy or the necessity to resort to personal gadgets would have taken place.
Another episode highlights the issues of accuracy and property of information. At some point, I had to take a seasonal job with an employer who paid most of my salary in cash in order to minimize taxes. However, when I contacted him for subsequent tax deductions, I suddenly realized that most of the transactions were never officially registered, which was a violation of accuracy. I tried to learn how much money he had actually saved by paying in cash. However, my employer framed my inquiry as a violation of his informational property, which was completely reasonable.
Reference
Mason, R. O. (1986). Four ethical issues of the information age. MIS Quarterly, 5-12.
This report is written with the purpose of demonstrating the knowledge and understanding of ethics in information systems. For the purpose of this study, the code of conduct for Australian Migration Agents has been analysed for comparison with the Australian Computer Society professional code of conduct.
The report begins with a brief overview of the selected business, where things such as its structure and objectives are clearly observed and highlighted. There is also a detailed analysis of the code of conduct currently applied by the organisation in its missions and objectives.
The observed code is then compared and contrasted with that of the Australian Computer Society (ACS), to identify any similarities and differences. In this context, any notable omissions to the selected code of conduct are noted, and recommendations for future inclusions as well as revisions are proposed. Finally, the report closes with a conclusive paragraph which summarises the key elements presented in the paper.
Summary of the Business
Australian migration agents are business organisations which specialize in migration issues in the country. These businesses are accredited with the right to offer experienced and professional advice on immigration services ranging from visa processing to the provision of legal advice on immigration.
Australian migration agents who have already registered under the relevant regulations are authorised to carry a number of services related to immigration (ACS 2012). Some of these services would include advice on immigration procedures as well as visa provision and processing on behalf of clients.
Australian migration agents are known to have a long history of operation considering the fact that Australia is one of the most visited regions of the world. Australia is characterised by a strong political stability plus a thriving economy; these two options are enough to justify the huge numbers of visitors and immigrants entering the country every year.
The operations of Australian migration agents are regulated by the Migration Agents Registration Authority, simply known as the MARA. This is a government authority that deals with the registration and control of migration agents in the country. The migration agents are required to have a sound knowledge and understanding of the Australian Immigration Law, which is a mandate to any business which is involved in immigration matters.
Some Australian migration agents have gone a step ahead to become dedicated members of the Migration Institute of Australia, a body that offers immigration-related updates and relevant seminars to its members (Morgan 2006).
More importantly, all Australian migration agents are expected to maintain a constant professional development by remaining loyal to the code of conduct which has been presented to them. In order to ensure strict adherence of the provided ethical standards, all Australian Migration Agents are expected to display the codes openly in their offices or places of work where they can be seen by the clients.
Analysis of the Selected Code of Conduct
The code of conduct for Australian Immigration Agents is divided into eleven key parts which provide an in-depth focus on the expected ethical standards for all registered agents. The first part of the code is the introduction section, which offers a detailed focus on the key elements of the Code to the registered agents as it is required by the Migration Agents Registration Authority.
This section also provides useful information on the registration process as well as the requirements for registration with the MARA authority. More importantly, the section gives a clear guidance on the code together with the role it is intended to play in this business setting. Also the main benefits and costs that can be associated with the compliance or non-compliance of the code by the agents are observed in this section.
The second part of the code revolves around the standards of professional conduct that all registered migration agents must adhere to in their duties. One of the key areas featured in this section is a sector that emphasizes on the need for migration agents to act in accordance with the Australian Immigration Laws, among other key regulations surrounding the immigration department.
This part has also reflected on the fundamentals of immigration as they are stipulated by Australian Migration Act and Regulations. This section also provides a guideline on the steps which Australian Migration Agents must follow in order to maintain high standards of professionalism in their work. Part three of the code is based on the commitment as well as the obligations which the immigration agents would have on their clients.
This section has highlighted some of the crucial details which registered migration agents should observe when dealing with their clients. The main role of this section is to equip the migration agents with some pieces of advice on the measures they need to take to ensure that their work is satisfying to clients.
Part four of the Australian Migration Agents Code of Conduct is based on the relationships of migration agents with each other as far as their services to clients are concerned. This section equips the migration agents with an in-depth guideline on how they should behave towards other registered migration agents.
The content of this section does not only advis e agents on how to treat each other, but they also emphasise on the need to maintain good business relationships among themselves (Castles 2004). Section five of the Code is about fees and charges, and it provides a focus on matters regarding the normal charges which migration agents obtain from their clients in exchange to the services they are offering.
Part six of the Code offers an in-depth guideline on record keeping and management. The section revolves around all the actions that should be taken in maintaining proper business records as required by the Law.
Part seven of the Code offers advice regarding financial duties and the procedures which migration agents should follow in the course of their work. Part eight of the Code is about the duties of registered migration agents to their workers and their clients. Part nine is about complaints, and it provides a guideline on how migration agents should deal with any form of complaint coming from either the clients or their employees.
Part ten is about termination of services, and it advices migration agents on the rightful procedures which they need follow, when terminating their services on clients. The final part of the code is a reminder of the need to ensure that agents are always focused on the ethical standards governing their professional environment. This section also emphasises on the actions that would be necessary in ensuring that the clients are also aware of the code followed by their agents in serving them.
Similarities and Differences
As it would be observed, there are some similarities as well as differences between the Code of Conduct followed by the Australian migration agents and the Professional Code of Conduct of the Australian Computer Society. One similarity about the two codes is that they are both intended to guide members of their relevant organisations to act within the law, in their respective jobs to clients and stakeholders.
Another way by which the codes are similar is through the value of competence, which has been emphasized in the two codes. Competence in work, which is one of the core values of the ACS, has also been applied in part three of the Australian Migration Agents Code of Conduct. Another outstanding similarity here is the value of honest, as it is observed in the two codes.
In the Australian Migration Agents Codes of Conduct, the value of honest is manifested in parts 4 and 5 about relations between migration agents, fees and charges, respectively. The two codes also share the value of professional development. This is clearly stated in the ACS values and also in part 2 of the Australian Migration Agents Code of Conduct, which focuses on the standards of professional conduct expected of the agents in their work.
As it is observed, there are differences as well, between the two codes. One of the main differences here is that each of the two codes has some ethical values which the other lacks. For instance, values such as the primacy of the public interest and the enhancement of quality of life highlighted in the ACS professional code of conduct are missing in the Australian migration agents code of professional conduct.
Likewise, there are parts which the Australian migration agents code of conduct has, which are not present in the ACS professional code of conduct. Another significant difference here is that the two codes appear to have been set in different aspects in respect to the missions and objectives of their member organisations.
In other words, the professional code of conduct of the ACS revolves around computer technology while the Australian migration agents code of conduct is about immigration services. The Australian migration agents code of conduct appears to be having every useful detail. However, it would be more effective if it included the values of the primacy of the public interest and the enhancement of quality of life, as applied in the ACS professional code of conduct.
Conclusion
This report has successfully demonstrated the knowledge of ethics in information systems. Using the Australian migration agents as the selected business, the report has offered an in-depth analysis of the code of conduct currently applied by the organisation in their business objectives. As it is observed from the report, Australian migration agents uses a strong code of conduct in their professional objectives (Crock 1988).
The main role of this assignment is to compare and contrast the code of conduct of the selected business with that of the Australian Computer Society. This objective is well achieved in the report, thus providing room for some of the inclusions that need to be added to the selected code of conduct.
The report concludes with a recommendation of two values; the primacy of the public interest and the enhancement of quality of life should be included in the Australian migration agents professional code of conduct so as to make it stronger and more effective in its directives.
List of References
ACS 2012, ACS Code of Professional Conduct, Australian Computer Society. Web.
Castles, S 2004, The Factors that Make and Unmake Migration Policies, International Migration Review, vol. 38 no. 3, pp. 852-884.
Crock, M 1988, Immigration and refugee law in Australia, Federation Press, Sydney.
Morgan, S 2006, Australian immigration archives as sources for business and economic history, Australian Economic History Review, vol. 46 no. 3, pp. 268-282.
It has been an argument for a long time whether people are supposed to reveal or conceal knowledge that they have gained. It is common to observe situations and events where people have intentionally withheld information which could have been used for the benefit of society.
In this regard, it has been argued by many people that possession of knowledge comes with ethical responsibility, especially concerning the use of information gained. However, there is always a conflict of interests when one contemplates on whether to reveal or conceal information he or she has learned. Therefore, it is important to explore the idea as to whether people become ethically responsible by means of possessing knowledge.
To begin with, it is paramount to define what is meant by ethical responsibility. Ethics is generally defined in society as the ability to choose right from the wrong, and differentiate between good behavior and bad behavior. Some people go further and consider ethical responsibility as the possibility of one to prevent evil from taking place, and nurturing good deeds as being ethically correct.
However, ethics does not necessarily mean good and bad; right and wrong, or evil and prosperity. It goes deeper to stress on what can critically be regarded as expected code of conduct in society. In general, ethics entails moral values that are used to define the behavior of a person in society, and thus dictates what is expected of a person.
It should be noted that ethics does not only guide behaviors that are peculiar to given societies, but also includes what can be referred to as universal code of conduct. In this regard, ethical responsibility refers to the societal expectation that people will do anything within their power to prevent both themselves and others from harm.
Based on the above definition, it follows that possession of knowledge comes with ethical responsibility, though this depends on the kind of information. Firstly, it is the ethical responsibility of every person to make society a better place to live in. In this regard, if by any chance one happens to have knowledge of an event, either happening or about to happen, which can cause destruction to the society, the person is bound to reveal the information.
Take for example a person who has knowledge about a criminal gang or a crime that has taken place. If the person keeps quite, the crime will go unreported or the criminal gang will continue with their heinous activities causing harm to members of the society.
If the matter is reported, there are more chances that the criminals will be arrested, so there might be less future crimes. Consequently, possessing the information like this will impose an ethical responsibility on a person to report the matter to respective authorities.
Similarly, some knowledge imposes commitment and challenge to the person with the knowledge to react or risk many peoples lives. People with knowledge about some live threatening or live saving ideas are obliged to share the information, or use the information for the benefit of everyone in the society.
However, in certain instances there is a conflict of interest between saving ones live and the society, while putting personal life in jeopardy. If a person finds some food in a hidden place and the whole village is starving, the person will be torn between telling the other members of the village about the food and serving personal interests.
Ethics demands that the food is shared among village members. On the other hand, giving the food to the society members means risking personal life since there is no guarantee that food will be found again.
The case where Daniel Elisberg made public the pentagon papers that contained illegal and unconstitutional issues that were being perpetrated by the president and high ranking officials have been debated for long. Daniel knew that the public was being deceived especially regarding Vietnam War.
It should be noted that the whole public was being misguided by the very institution that was supposed to guide the nation. Ethical responsibility calls on any person to prevent any evil in society; lies are part of evil in the society. It was, therefore, Daniels ethical responsibility to make the public aware of the correct information.
However, there are instances when advantages and disadvantages of ethical responsibility have to be weighed before making any decision. Take the case where scientists discover some new technologies which can help in improving society, but can also be misused by evil minded people.
Scientists will be ethically obliged to release the technology to the public to be used in making life easier. On the other hand, conscience will trouble the scientists in case the technology is misused because they will feel responsible for the effects.
In this situation, a choice has to be made because the ethical responsibility is two way, namely, aiding the society in making their lives easier and protecting evil from occurring. Ethics requires that a person should always endeavor for happiness not only for himself but also for others. Consequently, scientists have the obligation of ensuring that they use their knowledge to make the society a happy place to live in.
Moreover, some roles in the society enable one person to have knowledge about some important issues which either need to be kept secret or made public for the sake of others. Managers of companies usually have knowledge of some secret company information which can be used against the firm if enemies find it.
Consequently, directors and any other people who happen to have this information are ethically obliged to use the information in a way that is only beneficial to the company. It should be noted that managers and company directors are ethically bound to protect company assets, including information.
On the same note, various professionals usually have knowledge that is beneficial to the society. During medical emergencies, doctors are called upon to use their knowledge to save lives. Some of the situations might be risky to the doctors themselves. Under normal circumstances, every human being will choose to protect personal live over society.
Nevertheless, doctors have a moral duty of helping people and will thus have to help the situation. The case is the same for other professionals for example, police officers, fire fighters and engineers, to name a few. Therefore, accessing any kind of knowledge comes with ethical responsibility either to reveal or to conceal the same.
It all depends on whether the knowledge can cause harm or reprieve when revealed. All in all, it is upon each and every one of us to make informed choices whenever faced with ethical dilemmas, especially regarding possession of knowledge.