Ethics

Front 1

T F There is an FE exam offered in November 2006.

Back 1

F

Front 2

Most states require how much professional experience to become a licensed professional engineer?
a. 2 or 3 years
b. 4 or 5 years
c. 6 or 7 years
d. at least 10 years

Back 2

b. 4 or 5 years

Front 3

List two of the course outcomes and the ABET criteria each outcome affects.

Back 3

- An understanding of professional and ethical responsibility, abet f;

- the broad education necessary to understand the impact of engineering solutions
in a global and societal context, abet h;

- a recognition of the need for, and an ability to engage in life-long learning,
abet i; and

- a knowledge of contemporary issues, abet j*.

Front 4

“Moral autonomy” is defined in the textbook most closely as

a. engineering decision making without using any standards.
b. there is no authority outside an individual’s concerning what is right or wrong.
c. moral understanding is automatically clear to individuals.
d. is the ability to think critically and independently about moral issues.

Back 4

d.is the ability to think critically and independently about moral issues. (textbook page 3 paragraph 3)

Front 5

T F The Ford case discussed in class and the textbook involving the
unfortunate accident where the teenagers were killed was a civil
case, not a criminal case. (textbook page 1 paragraphs 1 & 2)

Back 5

F

Front 6

T F At the time the Ford Pinto was in production, all other USA manufactured compact car could have withstood a 50 mph rear
end crash without rupturing the fuel tank.

Back 6

F

Front 7

T F There were several cases of hot gases eroding O-rings during space shuttle launches before the disaster that occurred on January 28, 1986.

Back 7

T

Front 8

T F An engineer is no longer bound engineering ethics when he or she is promoted to management.

Back 8

F

Front 9

T F Engineering is a job, but not a profession.

Back 9

F

Front 10

In class Tuesday, three reasons were mentioned for why there should be a code of ethics (Why a Code of Ethics?). List one of the items.

Back 10

(anyone of the following is adeq.)
- Framework for ethical judgment.
- Shows the commitment to ethical conduct by a profession
- Defines the roles and responsibilities of the profession.

Front 11

A licensed professional engineer is expected to do all of the following except:

a. work within his/her area of expertise.
b. only seal plans developed under their supervision or plans they are in charge of.
c. seal large projects they are in charge of after all the group leaders have sealed their
sections.
d. seal any and all company documents provided to them.

Back 11

d. seal any and all company documents provided to them

Front 12

The Code of Ethics used in the FE exam is:

a. NSPE
b. ASCE
c. ASME
d. NCEES
e. IEEE

Back 12

d. NCEES

Front 13

List one of the reasons given in the lecture why logic and critical thinking may be important to you.

Back 13

- Critical for a working democracy
- helps to cultivate a solid world view
- helps to avoid scams
- helps to evaluate information
- may save your career/lives.

Front 14

T F Critical thinking is best described as having a very negative attitude.

Back 14

F
(asking questions/evaluating information)

Front 15

T F Deductive logic is the basis for the scientific method.

Back 15

F
(inductive is)

Front 16

The professor’s thermodynamic presentations aren’t worth considering because he is a fat slob. This would be an example of which logical fallacy?

a. Self-refutation
b. Hasty generalization
c. False analogy
d. Argumentum ad hominem

Back 16

d. Argumentum ad hominem

Front 17

Given:
Major premise: Only birds lay eggs (not true)
Minor premise:
Duckbill platypuses lay eggs (true)
Conclusion:A duckbill platypus is a bird
This is:
a. valid and sound
b. valid but not sound
c. invalid but sound
d. invalid and unsound

Back 17

b. valid but not sound

Front 18

T F The use of “red flag” words, such as always, never, etc. are never appropriate in written communications.

Back 18

F

Front 19

T F Reading critically means asking the right questions.

Back 19

T

Front 20

A feather is light. Light cannot be dark. Therefore, a feather cannot be dark. The logical fallacy is:
a. Accent
b. Amphiboly
c. Composition
d. Equivocation

Back 20

d. Equivocation

Front 21

Complete the sentence from the NCEES Code of Ethics. “Licensees, in the performance of their services for clients, employers, and customers, shall be cognizant that their first and foremost responsibility is to the public …”

a. confidence.
b. good.
c. trust.
d. welfare.

Back 21

d. welfare

Front 22

Ideally, what is the precedence (from highest importance to lowest importance) of your ethical responsibilities?
I. yourself
II. your client III. society as a whole
IV. your profession

a. I-II-IV-III
b. IV-II-III-I
c. II-IV-III-I
d. III-II-IV-I

Back 22

d. III-II-IV-I

Front 23

T F Mr. LeMessurier designed the Citicorp Center using bolted connections.

Back 23

F

Front 24

T F The probability of a storm event occurring that might damage or destroy the Citicorp Center was quite low, unlikely to happen in a person’s lifetime.

Back 24

F

Front 25

T F Several of GE’s customers, automotive light manufacturers, did not benefit from GE’s innovations, but the consumers did benefit.

Back 25

T

Front 26

T F Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) crash information is unreliable and should not be considered because insurance companies finance the IIHS.

Back 26

F

Front 27

In order to receive compensation for offering a statement of professional option,
an engineer must:
a. Reveal the names of those who are offering compensation for the statement.
b. Reveal the interest the parties have in giving such compensation for the statement.
c. Both a and b are correct.
d. Receiving compensation for such a statement is not allowed under the codes of ethics.

Back 27

c. Both a and b are correct.
According to the standard codes of ethics, in order for an engineer to receive monetary or other compensation in exchange for a professional statement of opinion, he must reveal two things to the public: the names of the paying parties and the interest they have in the statement. So both these answers are correct.

Front 28

T F Engineering is considered to be a “profession” rather than an “occupation” because of several important characteristics shared with other recognized learned professions, law, medicine, and theology: special knowledge, special privileges, and special responsibilities.

Back 28

T

Front 29

Complete the following sentence: “Engineers are to uphold the health, safety, and public…” (A.1 in the NCEES Code of Ethics)
a. trust.”
b. welfare.”
c. confidence.”
d. good.”

Back 29

b. welfare.”
(A.1 in the NCEES Code of Ethics)

Front 30

What is the relationship between ethical requirements and legal requirements?
a. They place restrictions on the same actions.
b. They cover none of the same actions.
c. Ethical requirements add restrictions not required by the law.
d. Legal actions are ethical actions.

Back 30

c. Ethical requirements add restrictions not required by the law.

Codes of ethics are guidelines of behavior. Ethics place more restrictions on your behavior than does the law. An action may be unethical (e.g. moonlighting) and still be legal. Some ethical actions (e.g. a reporter who refuses a judge’s order to specify a secret source of information) may be illegal.

Front 31

Your boss has indicated that you are going to receive a special assignment. There are parts of this assignment that you do not feel confident undertaking. What should you do?
a. Tell your boss of your reservations.
b. Take the assignment and do your best on the difficult parts.
c. Get other engineers you feel would do a better job to help you on the difficult parts of the assignment.

Back 31

a. Tell your boss of your reservations.

Front 32

You are asked by your boss to find out all you can about the credentials of a
certain competitor. It is implied that your firm might have something to gain by this. What should you do?

a. Refuse, because this is not a productive use of your time.
b. Refuse, because the intent of this assignment is obviously malicious.
c. Accept, because this could help your business to grow.
d. Accept, because maybe there is something shady about your competitor that people should now about.

Back 32

b. Refuse, because the intent of this assignment is obviously malicious.
Purposely attempting to discredit another’s business is unethical whatever the justification might be. This principle should be the reason for your refusal of the assignment.

Front 33

You are asked by your boss to find out all you can about the credentials of a
certain competitor. It is implied that your firm might have something to gain by this. What should you do?

a. Refuse, because this is not a productive use of your time.
b. Refuse, because the intent of this assignment is obviously malicious.
c. Accept, because this could help your business to grow.
d. Accept, because maybe there is something shady about your competitor that people should now about.

Back 33

b. Refuse, because the intent of this assignment is obviously malicious.
Purposely attempting to discredit another’s business is unethical whatever the justification might be. This principle should be the reason for your refusal of the assignment.

Front 34

Two engineers submitted sealed bids to a prospective client for a design project.
The client told engineer A how much engineer B had bid and invited engineer A
to beat that amount. Engineer A really wants the project and honestly believes
she can do a better job than engineer B. What should she do?
a. She should submit another quote, but only if she can perform the work adequately at
the reduced price.
b. She should withdraw from consideration for the project.
c. She should remain in consideration for the project, but not change her bid.
d. She should bargain with the client for the cost of the work.

Back 34

c. She should remain in consideration for the project, but not change her bid.
It would be unfair and unethical for engineer A to submit another bid. Depending upon the regulating agency, it may also be illegal. She does not, however, have to remove herself from consideration for the project (Linde, 2000). (partly B. 4. key appears to be legality and fair play. C. 3 has some applications as it is indirectly injure the other engineer’s consulting or employment opportunities. The client also appears to be trying to create a “bidding war.” The problems deal with openness and if the bid represents your best estimate of the price to do the job, are you going to be able to assure proper design to uphold the public welfare, etc. If the client is innocently trying to “bargain hunt” they might just need to be informed that such behavior is unethical for engineers to engage in. If the client’s activities are otherwise, I would wonder if the client is willing to do things behind engineer B’s back, they are likely to do the same to me.)

Front 35

Two engineers submitted sealed bids to a prospective client for a design project.
The client told engineer A how much engineer B had bid and invited engineer A
to beat that amount. Engineer A really wants the project and honestly believes
she can do a better job than engineer B. What should she do?
a. She should submit another quote, but only if she can perform the work adequately at
the reduced price.
b. She should withdraw from consideration for the project.
c. She should remain in consideration for the project, but not change her bid.
d. She should bargain with the client for the cost of the work.

Back 35

c. She should remain in consideration for the project, but not change her bid.
It would be unfair and unethical for engineer A to submit another bid. Depending upon the regulating agency, it may also be illegal. She does not, however, have to remove herself from consideration for the project (Linde, 2000). (partly B. 4. key appears to be legality and fair play. C. 3 has some applications as it is indirectly injure the other engineer’s consulting or employment opportunities. The client also appears to be trying to create a “bidding war.” The problems deal with openness and if the bid represents your best estimate of the price to do the job, are you going to be able to assure proper design to uphold the public welfare, etc. If the client is innocently trying to “bargain hunt” they might just need to be informed that such behavior is unethical for engineers to engage in. If the client’s activities are otherwise, I would wonder if the client is willing to do things behind engineer B’s back, they are likely to do the same to me.)

Front 36

What is the best description of “going along with the crowd” and “doing what the
Romans do?”
a. ethical behavior
b. legal behavior
c. moral behavior
d. mob action

Back 36

d. mob action

Front 37

What is the best description of “going along with the crowd” and “doing what the
Romans do?”
a. ethical behavior
b. legal behavior
c. moral behavior
d. mob action

Back 37

d. mob action

Front 38

While working to revise the design of the suspension for a popular car, an engineer discovers a flaw in the design currently being produced. Based on a statistical analysis, the company determines that although this mistake is likely to cause a small increase in the number of fatalities seen each year, it would be prohibitively expensive to do a recall to replace the part. Accordingly, the company decides not to issue a recall notice. What should the engineer do?

a. The engineer should go along with the company’s decision. The company has
researched it options and chosen the most economic alternative.
b. The engineer should send an anonymous tip to the media, suggesting that they alert the public and begin an investigation of the company’s business practices.
c. The engineer should notify the National Transportation Safety Board, providing enough details for them to initiate a formal inquiry.
d. The engineer should resign from the company. Because of standard nondisclosure agreements, it would be unethical as well as illegal to disclose any information about this situation. In addition, the engineer should not associate with a company that is engaging in such behavior.

Back 38

c. The engineer should notify the National Transportation Safety Board, providing enough details for them to initiate a formal inquiry.

Front 39

While working to revise the design of the suspension for a popular car, an engineer discovers a flaw in the design currently being produced. Based on a statistical analysis, the company determines that although this mistake is likely to cause a small increase in the number of fatalities seen each year, it would be prohibitively expensive to do a recall to replace the part. Accordingly, the company decides not to issue a recall notice. What should the engineer do?

a. The engineer should go along with the company’s decision. The company has
researched it options and chosen the most economic alternative.
b. The engineer should send an anonymous tip to the media, suggesting that they alert the public and begin an investigation of the company’s business practices.
c. The engineer should notify the National Transportation Safety Board, providing enough details for them to initiate a formal inquiry.
d. The engineer should resign from the company. Because of standard nondisclosure agreements, it would be unethical as well as illegal to disclose any information about this situation. In addition, the engineer should not associate with a company that is engaging in such behavior.

Back 39

c. The engineer should notify the National Transportation Safety Board, providing enough details for them to initiate a formal inquiry.

Front 40

Which would probably be considered an ethical gift for an engineer to accept from a supplier?
a. paid trip to an industry trade show.
b. ticket for a trip to Europe
c. coffee mug with the supplier’s corporate logo
d. a $100 check

Back 40

c. coffee mug with the supplier’s corporate logo

Front 41

Which would probably be considered an ethical gift for an engineer to accept from a supplier?
a. paid trip to an industry trade show.
b. ticket for a trip to Europe
c. coffee mug with the supplier’s corporate logo
d. a $100 check

Back 41

c. coffee mug with the supplier’s corporate logo

Front 42

An engineer is consulting for a construction company that has been receiving bad publicity in the local papers about its waste-handling practices. Knowing that this criticism is based on public misperceptions and the paper’s thirst for controversial stories, the engineer would like to write an article to be printed in the paper’s editorial page. What statement best describes the engineer’s ethical obligations? (Lindeburg, M. R. 2004, FE Review Manual)

a.The engineer’s relationship with the company makes it unethical for him to take any public action on its behalf.
b.The engineer should request that a local representative of the engineering registration board review the data and write the article in order that an impartial point of view be presented.
c.As long as the article is objective and truthful and presents all relevant information including the engineer’s professional credentials, ethical obligations have been satisfied.
d.The article must be objective and truthful, present all relevant information including the engineer’s professional credentials, and disclose all details of the engineer’s affiliation with the company.

Back 42

d.The article must be objective and truthful, present all relevant information including the engineer’s professional credentials, and disclose all details of the engineer’s affiliation with the company.

It is ethical for the engineer to issue a public statement concerning a company he/she works for, provided he/she makes that relationship clear, and provided the statement is truthful and objective.

Front 43

You have discovered that your advertising agency is involved in tax evasion and
fraud. What should you do? (www.feexam.ou.edu)

a. Don’t worry about it; it’s none of your business.
b. Abandon your association with the agency and get a new one.
c. Threaten to report them to the proper authorities
d. Attempt to discredit the agency by disseminating negative information about their business practices.

Back 43

b. Abandon your association with the agency and get a new one.

To attempt to damage their businees would be wrong even thought their practices are not right. Threatening to report them is closer to being correct, but there is a safer, much better alternative. The “clean hands” rule states that engineers should not associate with anyone who makes use of unethical business practices. So to discontinue relations with them is the best answer.

Front 44

T F Absolute truths require that you believe they are true before they can become true.

Back 44

F
(An absolute truth is true if you believe it or not. That does not change its being true.)

Front 45

T F Ethics is the study of standards of conduct and moral judgment.

Back 45

T

Front 46

T F The statement, “There are no absolutes” is self-refuting.

Back 46

T

Front 47

Confiscating the wealth of the rich for the benefit of the entire society would
come closest to which ethical system?

a. Cultural Relativism
b. Ethical Egoism
c. Theistic Ethics
d. Utilitarianism

Back 47

d. Utilitarianism (saying the needs of the many outweigh the few.)

Front 48

T F The majority of the ASCE ethics violations were not willful ones.

Back 48

F
(majority were willful, both in Tennessee and nationally).

Front 49

T F An engineer’s ethical behavior has no influence on their professional careers.

Back 49

F
(Lecture notes, a person’s ethics may make or break his/her career).

Front 50

T F … a high level of technical expertise without adherence to ethical guidelines is as much a threat to public welfare as is professional incompetence.

Back 50

T

Front 51

You are the engineer in charge of the electrical work on a building project. Your
boss asks you to certify some wiring that you think was done incorrectly. What do you do? (www.feexam.ou.edu)

a. Certify the wiring, but ask your boss for a raise in return.
b. Ask the client whether or not he/she wants the wiring approved.
c. Refuse to certify the wiring.
d. Certify the wiring, but also notify the county building inspectors of your supervisor’s wrong intentions.

Back 51

c. Refuse to certify the wiring.

Front 52

T F An engineer should seek to keep up with the state of the art and current engineering practices in their area of practice, not just the legal laws and requirements.

Back 52

T

Front 53

T F The information in the textbook indicated that Mr. LeMessurier was very bitter and disappointed over the Citicorp Center case.

Back 53

F

Front 54

T F Flow charting’s advantages include providing a visualization of the situation and the consequences that develop from different decisions

Back 54

T

Front 55

One test to consider in evaluating the
appropriateness of accepting a gift, favor, special consideration, or course of action is:

a. The Washington Post test
b. The New York Times test
c. The National Enquirer test
d. The Calgary Leader test.

Back 55

b. The New York Times test

Front 56

T F Factual issues have to do with the meaning or applicability of an idea.

Back 56

F

Front 57

T F Potential employers do not expect honesty in undergraduate resumes, because undergraduates are not yet practicing engineers.

Back 57

F

Front 58

T F Cutting and pasting parts of papers found on the internet for use in your term paper would be plagiarism if you do not reference the material.

Back 58

T

Front 59

T F Ethics is the study of moral choices.

Back 59

T

Front 60

Which of the following is(are) objectives of the textbook?

a.The ability to think critically and independently about moral issues.
b.Learn techniques for analyzing and resolving ethical problems.
c.Both a and b.
d.Neither a or b.

Back 60

c.Both a and b. (Lecture notes)

Front 61

T F Most engineering graduates belong to an engineering professional society.

Back 61

F

Front 62

T F A job and a profession are completely interchangeable terms.

Back 62

F

Front 63

Which of the following would not be a professional from the textbook and lecture
notes?

a. Teacher
b. Engineer
c. Accountant
d. MN Timber Wolves basketball player

Back 63

d. MN Timber Wolves basketball player

Front 64

Judgment is best defined as

a. keeping information confidential.
b. making decisions autonomously.
c. making significant decisions based on formal training and experience.
d. none of the above.

Back 64

c. making significant decisions based on formal training and experience.
(Lecture notes)

Front 65

T F Being a professional means a person has a very high income

Back 65

F

Front 66

T F In the Paradyne Case, the Social Security Administration wanted a computer system that was custom designed using cutting edge technology.

Back 66

F

Front 67

A member of your firm is running for a public office in which he would be in a
position to grant government contracts to independent businesses. Which of the following is/are improper behavior?
a. You put a sign on your lawn endorsing your co-worker.
b. Your co-worker mentions his credentials with your firm in his advertisements.
c.You contribute to his campaign, hoping that in the future this may benefit your
business.
d. Both b and c.

Back 67

c. You contribute to his campaign, hoping that in the future this may benefit your
business.

Front 68

You have discovered that your advertising agency is involved in tax evasion and
fraud. What should you do? (www.feexam.ou.edu) (Aside: again you are an engineer and the advertising agency is a company hired by the company you work
for. Hint look at code).
a. Don’t worry about it; it’s none of your business.
b. Abandon your association with that agency and get a new one.
c. Threaten to report them to the proper authorities.
d. Attempt to discredit the agency by dissemination negative information about their business practices.

Back 68

b. Abandon your association with that agency and get a new one.

Front 69

T F Fred Martinez violated his nondisclosure contract with his previous
company by coming to work for Phaust.

Back 69

F
(he had no nondisclosure agreement, but this did raise questions about confidientiality).

Front 70

T F Fred Martinez was being questioned in Mexico due to groundwater
pollution caused by unlined evaporation ponds.

Back 70

F
(it was about the operator who was killed).

Front 71

You can reveal company proprietary/trade secret information:
a. after you leave the firm b. when compelled by law
c. to the highest bidder
d. with the consent of the client or employer
e. b and d

Back 71

e. b and d

Front 72

Two friends (both engineers) rent a house together, one works for Deere and Co.
and the other works for Case-New Holland. Both work in their respective company’s agricultural products areas. This would be a case of:
a.actual conflict of interest
b. potential conflict of interest
c.forbidden by state legislation
d. none of either company’s business

Back 72

b. potential conflict of interest

Front 73

T F It is acceptable in whistleblowing to violate company policies and state laws if necessary to collect the information you want to use in
the whistleblowing case.

Back 73

F

Front 74

T F Male and female engineering alumni has no difference in response
to the ethical survey at Ohio State University.

Back 74

F
(there were some)

Front 75

Which of the following statement is true concerning ethics?

a.There are no absolutes.
b. To keep your job, it would be ethical to certify a substandard concrete road as long as it did not endanger life.
c. It is okay to approve substandard designs if it will win a contract.
d. It is ethical to “blow the whistle” on a co-worker if he or she is falsifying a document.

Back 75

d.It is ethical to “blow the whistle” on a co-worker if he or she is falsifying a document.

Front 76

T F There are ethical absolutes that are the same for ALL cultures.

Back 76

T

Front 77

T F The engineer’s foremost duty is to uphold public welfare.

Back 77

T

Front 78

T F When working in foreign countries where bribery is a common business practice, it is okay to follow the principle of, “When in Rome, do as the Romans.”

Back 78

F

Front 79

T F If a course of action is legal, it is ethical.

Back 79

F

Front 80

T F There are some ethical practices that should not change over time.

Back 80

T

Front 81

Given the following statements

All insects have six legs (factually true)
Spiders have eight legs (factually true)

Therefore, spiders are not insects.
This argument is:
a.valid, but unsound.
b.invalid and unsound.
c.valid and sound. (Conclusion follows from the premises, and premises are true)
d.invalid and unsound.

Back 81

c.valid and sound. (Conclusion follows from the premises, and premises are true)

Front 82

T F Our conscience is always our best guide to correct ethical action.

Back 82

F
(again conscience is affected by many other factors)

Front 83

T F It is difficult, if not impossible, to have a consistent, logical
framework to act ethically if there is no God.

Back 83

T
(Comparison to outside standards)

Front 84

T F In the USA, your professional society’s code of ethics have the weight of legal law.

Back 84

F
(Laws may incorporate codes, but the codes do no have the force of law. This would violate the principle that only the legislative branch of the government can make laws).

Front 85

The following quote is from a Harvard senior’s commencement address.

“I believe that there is one idea, one sentiment, which we have all acquired at some point in our Harvard careers, and that, ladies and gentlemen is in a word, confusion. They tell us that it is heresy to suggest the superiority of some value, fantasy to believe in moral argument, slavery to submit to a judgment sounder than your own. The freedom of our day is the freedom to devote ourselves to the values we please, on the mere condition that we do not believe them to be true.”

What is his main point?

a. One should not rely on others for moral guidance.
b. Harvard promotes moral absolutes.
c. Ethics classes at Harvard are poorly taught.
d. Harvard teaches ethical relativism.
e. Ethics are a matter of opinion.

Back 85

d. Harvard teaches ethical relativism.

Front 86

T F It is at least as important to be motivated to act ethically as it is to know the codes of ethics.

Back 86

T

Front 87

T F The key ethics reference on the FE exam is the National Society of Professional Engineers’ code of ethics.

Back 87

F

Front 88

In order to receive compensation for offering a statement of professional opinion an engineer must:

a. Reveal the names of those who are offering compensation for the statement.
b. Reveal the interest the parties have in giving such compensation for the statement.
c. Both a and b are correct. (Check NCEES Code of Ethics)
d. Receiving compensation for such a statement is not ethically allowed.

Back 88

c. Both a and b are correct

Front 89

T F Inductive logic is the basis for the scientific method.

Back 89

T

Front 90

All insects have six legs (true)
Spiders have eight legs (true)
Therefore, spiders are not insects
This argument is
a. valid and sound
b. valid but not sound
c. invalid but sound
d. invalid and not sound

Back 90

a. valid and sound

Front 91

After hurricane Katrina a politician questioned if New Orleans should be rebuilt because much of the city is below sea level, the levies have a tendency to settle over time, etc. A website mentioned that the politician had told the people of New Orleans to “to drop dead, you are not valuable people.” Reponses in the website mentioned how insensitive and cruel the politician was to even consider saying these things. The logical fallacy made by the website was:

a. Argumentum ad hominem
b. Forced choice
c. Hasty generalization
d. Strawman

Back 91

d. Strawman

Front 92

T F Asking questions is a key aspect of critical thinking.

Back 92

T

Front 93

T F All informational items found in a Google search are equally valid and factual as references for a term paper.

Back 93

F

Front 94

T F Referred articles in a journal are more likely to contain accurate information than articles in a popular press news paper or magazine.

Back 94

T

Front 95

T F Seeing a red flag word or claim in an article means the articles should immediately be considered invalid.

Back 95

F

Front 96

A city bus gets far lower mileage per gallon of fuel than my car. I think personal cars are a more fuel efficient means of transportation than city buses. The logical fallacy here is:

a. Accent
b. Amphiboly
c. Composition
d. Equivocation

Back 96

c. Composition

Front 97

Which of the following acts would normally not be permitted by an engineering code of conduct (ethics)? (Lindeburg, 2004)

A.Revealing facts, data, or information obtained in a professional capacity without the consent of the client or employer.
B.Approving and sealing only those documents and surveys that conform to accepted engineering standards.
C.Providing the state board information of a violation of its engineering code of conduct by a registered engineer.

Back 97

A. Revealing facts, data, or information obtained in a professional capacity without the consent of the client or employer. (B.4)

Front 98

A new junior engineer in a design company notices a detail in a design that she feels has the potential to be dangerous to the end users. Her superiors explain that this detail was incorporated by the company to save manufacturing time. Furthermore, they assure her that although the analysis is technically correct, this “shortcut” has been used for several years and the company has never been accused of any wrongdoing. What should the engineer do? (Lindeburg, 2004)
A.Go along with the advice of the more senior engineers. They have more experience in the field, and are most likely right. Besides, if some harm does come from the design, they will take the blame, not her.
B.Ask one of her college professor, an expert in the field, to look at the plans and make a recommendation.
C.Bring the issue to the attention of the company’s upper non-technical management.
D.Report the company’s violation to the state board and any other appropriate regulatory agencies.

Back 98

C. Bring the issue to the attention of the company’s upper non-technical management. (first go through the chain-of-command in the company before going external with whistle-blowing).

Front 99

T F During the outside panel (2 engineers, on HR only person)discussion, one of the key ideas expressed was to be yourself during interviews.

Back 99

T

Front 100

T F The statement, “There are no absolutes,” is logically irrefutable.

Back 100

F
(It is logically inconsistent and therefore can be refuted)

Front 101

T F Logic can be considered right reasoning.

Back 101

T

Front 102

T F Educating people about what is the correct conduct is sufficient to ensure proper action.

Back 102

F

Front 103

Seeking to live a life centered on pursuing your pleasure/happiness (“Go for the gusto”) would most closely be:

a. Cultural Relativism
b. Emotivist Ethics
c. Ethical Egoism
d. Theistic Ethics

Back 103

c. Ethical Egoism

Front 104

T F From lecture notes, at their base, descriptive ethics have no absolute beliefs.

Back 104

T

Front 105

You have designed a piece of quality software that is quite deserving of praise. Your advertising company just released promotions of the first version, using language that suggests that your software works perfectly on every computer. You know that in reality it is not compatible with some machines. What do you do? (www.feexam.ou.edu)

a.You are not responsible for what the ad agency says, so you let them say what they want about your product.
b.Ask the promoters to add a clarify statement in fine print.
c.Start working on revisions that would make your product what it sounded like in the ad.
d.Require that the advertising company change the ad to reflect the limitations of the product.

Back 105

d. Require that the advertising company change the ad to reflect the limitations of the product.

Front 106

You have just learned that your firm is about to lose a valued customer to a competitor. What should you do? (www.feexam.ou.edu)

a. Send the client some informational literature that compares your work favorably
to that of the competition.
b.Give your client negative information about the competition.
c.Tell your client that if you lose their business, you will tell other firms about their late payments.
d.Offer the client monetary incentives for staying with your company.

Back 106

a. Send the client some informational literature that compares your work favorably
to that of the competition.

Front 107

T F Factual issues involve what is actually known about a case.

Back 107

T

Front 108

T F From the textbook’s discussion of risk, an activity with a high probability of a badly sprained ankle (say 50:50) would likely be more avoided than an activity with a low probability permanent crippling injury (say 10,000,000 to 1 against injury).

Back 108

T

Front 109

T F Overall, the Ford Pinto gas tank problem was a procedural error/accident. (looking at all the Pintos not just the one case)

Back 109

F

Front 110

Safe designs include all the following except:
a. good problem definition
b. follow one design idea
c. testing solutions

Back 110

b. follow one design idea