Reading Assignment

• Chapter 9 of Quinn (Professional Ethics). Be sure to read the interview with Paul Axtell at the end of the chapter as well.

Discussion Questions

1. Should software engineers be licensed (i.e. via a certification exam)?
2. Does the Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice cover all situations in which a software engineer would need to make an ethical decision?
3. Should software engineers have a fixed code of ethics?
4. Do software engineering professionals have additional ethical responsibilities beyond those of anyone who handles confidential or copyrighted information? If so, what are they?
5. Richard De George gives conditions for having the right to whistleblow and for having the duty to whistleblow (on page 444 of Quinn). Do you agree with this list? Do you think that a software engineer is ever morally obligated to whistleblow?
6. Your development organization has signed a contract to implement a software system. During the development process, it becomes obvious that a system that meets the requirements specified in the contract can not be delivered under the deadlines and budget specified in the contract. Assuming that you are an "ordinary" developer (you are not a manager or an officer of the development organization), what are your ethical responsibilities in this situation? Analyze the morality of any actions that you might take using the Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice, Kantianism, act utilitarianism, rule utilitiarianism and social contract theory.
7. Discussion Question 10 on page 449 of Quinn.
8. Consider the situation described in in-class exercise 19 on page 450 of Quinn. Analyze the morality of any actions that Gina might take using the Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice, Kantianism, act utilitarianism, rule utilitiarianism and social contract theory.