Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley Chapter 8!Professional Ethics!Ethics for the Information Age Third Edition by Michael J. Quinn1-2 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-2 Chapter Overview • Introduction • Is software engineering a profession? • Software engineering code of ethics • Analysis of the code • Case studies • Whistleblowing1-3 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-3 Introduction • Profession (informal) – High level of education – Practical experience – Decisions have impact • We pay professionals well – Doctors – Lawyers • We expect professionals to act for public good1-4 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-4 Characteristics of a Profession • Initial professional education • Accreditation • Skills development • Certification • Licensing • Professional development • Code of ethics • Professional society1-5 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-5 Certified Public Accountants • Bachelor’s degree – 150+ semester hours – 24+ hours of accounting-related classes • Two years’ experience working under supervision of a CPA • CPA exam • To retain certification – Continuing education – Follow code of ethics1-6 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-6 Software Engineers • Certification and licensing not needed • Without these, other characteristics are irrelevant – No college education needed – No apprenticeship needed – No membership in professional society needed – No continuing education needed • Most software engineers are part of teams • Software engineers have ability to harm public1-7 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-7 Software Engineering Code: Preamble • Software engineers have opportunities to do good or do harm • Software engineers ought to be committed to doing good • Eight principles identify key ethical relationships and obligations within these relationship • Code should be seen as a whole, not a collection of parts • Concern for the public interest is paramount1-8 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-8 Software Engineering Code: Principles • Public • Client and employer • Product • Judgment • Management • Profession • Colleagues • Self1-9 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-9 Analysis of Preamble • No mechanical process for determining if an action is right or wrong • Should not take an overly legalistic view of the Code – If Code doesn’t forbid something, that doesn’t mean it is morally acceptable – Judgment required • Code reflects principles drawn from multiple ethical theories1-10 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-10 Origin of Virtue Ethics • Aristotle – Happiness results from living a life of virtue – Intellectual virtue: developed through education – Moral virtue: developed by repeating appropriate acts – Deriving pleasure from a virtuous act is a sign that the virtue has been acquired • Some virtues: Benevolence, courage, fairness, generosity, honesty, loyalty, patience, tolerance • A person of strong moral character – possesses many virtues – knows right thing to do in each situation1-11 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-11 Strengths of Virtue Ethics • Provides a motivation for good behavior • Provides a solution to the problem of impartiality – Some virtues are partial (e.g., generosity) – Other virtues must be impartial (e.g., honesty)1-12 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-12 Weakness of Virtue Ethics • No methodology for answering moral problems – Given a problem, which virtues apply? – How to resolve a conflict between more than one virtue?1-13 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-13 Virtue Ethics Complements Other Theories • Virtue ethics may not work as a stand-alone theory • It may be a good complement to utilitarianism • Allows rationale for action to be considered • Solves problem of moral luck that plagued act utilitarianism1-14 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-14 Alternative List of Fundamental Principles (1/2) • Be impartial. • Disclose information that others ought to know. • Respect the rights of others. • Treat others justly.1-15 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-15 Alternative List of Fundamental Principles (2/2) • Take responsibility for your actions and inactions. • Take responsibility for the actions of those you supervise. • Maintain your integrity. • Continually improve your abilities. • Share your knowledge, expertise, and values.1-16 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-16 Case: Software Recommendation • Sam Shaw asks for free advice on LAN security. • Prof. Smith answers questions and recommends top-ranked package. • Prof. Smith does not disclose – She has financial interest in company producing top-ranked package. – Another package was given a “best buy” rating. • Did Prof. Smith do anything wrong?1-17 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-17 Analysis • Most relevant principles – Be impartial. – Disclose information others ought to know. – Share your knowledge, expertise, and values. • Clause 1.06: Prof. Smith was deceptive • Clauses 1.08, 6.02: Prof. Smith freely gave valuable information • Clauses 4.05, 6.05: Prof. Smith did not reveal conflict of interest1-18 Copyright © 2009 Pearson Education, Inc. Publishing as Pearson Addison-Wesley 8-18 Case: Child Pornography • Joe Green a system administrator • Asked to install new software package on Chuck Dennis’s computer • Green not