Engineering Ethics

184 Engineering Ethics: An Industrial Perspective

Ross, P. E., Waiting and waiting for the next killer wave, IEEE Spectrum, March, 2005, 42, 17.

Schiermeier, Q., Tsunami exposes need for organized aid. [e-mail], May 6, 2005.

Waldman, W., Asia’s deadly waves: disaster; thousands die as quake-spawned waves crash

onto coastlines across southern Asia. NY Times,A1, December 27, 2004.

Williamson, M., Catch the wave, IEE Review, March, 2005, 51, 30–34.

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION

1. What ethical dilemmas did Smith Thammasaroj experience?

2. Did the Thai Meteorology Department fulfill its professional responsi-

bilities on December 26, 2004? Discuss.

3. Considering that only one Indian Ocean tsunami occurred in the 100

years before the 2004 tsunami, does a cost-benefit analysis justify the

installation of a tsunami warning system in the Indian Ocean?

4. Do richer nations have an obligation to pay for installation of the

Indian Ocean tsunami warning system when Indian Ocean nations can-

not afford its cost?

5. In 2005 the identity of Deep Throat, the Washington Post’s secret source

who helped unravel the Watergate scandal, was revealed to be W. Mark

Felt. During the Watergate investigation, Felt was the number two offi-

cial at the Federal Bureau of Investigation. Read about Felt in Purdum,

2005. Recall from Chapter 1 that the employee conscience is an

employee working for change within his or her organization, and the

observer conscience is a person working for change outside an organiza-

tion. Would Felt be classified as an employee or observer conscience? Is

Felt a hero or a traitor?

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