ENGR 482 Exam Questions and Complete Solutions Graded A+

ENGR 482 Exam Questions and Complete Solutions Graded A+ What is the Hallmark of proper engineering decision? - Answer: Involves technical matters or affects public health, safety or welfare [T/F] The decision of whether to launch Challenger would be an appropriate opportunity to employ the line-drawing technique. - Answer: True Thiokol's reversal of the initial no-launch recommendation happened after... - Answer: The Rogers Commission "concluded that the Thiokol Management reversed its position and recommended the launch of 51-L, at the urging of Marshall and contrary to the views of its engineers in order to accommodate a major customer." What are the characteristics of a proper management decision? - Answer: Does not force Engineers to make unacceptable compromises with their own technical or ethical standards By testifying about the questionable process that led up to the decision to launch Challenger, Roger Boisjoly was exercising which type of ethics? - Answer: Preventative Organizational factors that contributed to the loss of the Columbia included: - Answer: Schedule pressures One factor in the foam shedding was the result of. - Answer: Defects resulting from a non-optimal design, because the bipod structure and foam application processes were designed separately The cause of Colombia's break up during re-entry was determined to be... - Answer: Hot gases entering a breach in the wing leading edge and destroying the structural integrity of the wing The term 'organizational culture' refers to the basic values, norms, beliefs and practices shared across institutions within a profession. - Answer: False A situation in which individuals conform to the consensus around them at the expense of critical thinking is called _____. - Answer: group think Although foam strikes were below performance specifications for the shuttle, management convinced themselves that past successes were an indication that a known defect would not cause problems, instead of deciding the issue on the basis of testing and sound engineering analysis. This is an example of... - Answer: Normalizing deviance The purpose of the foam on the bipod ramp is... - Answer: To provide protection against the high heating of exposed surfaces during ascent By testifying about the questionable process that led up to the decision to launch Challenger, Roger Boisjoly was exercising which type of ethics? - Answer: Preventative Although foam strikes were below performance specifications for the shuttle, management convinced themselves that past successes were an indication that a known defect would not cause problems, instead of deciding the issue on the basis of testing and sound engineering analysis. This is an example of... - Answer: Normalizing deviance Which of the following operational changes were made after the loss of the Challenger? - Answer: Management of the Space Shuttle program was moved from Johnson Space Center to NASA HQ in Washington, DC Establishment of an Office of Safety, Reliability, and Quality Assurance at NASA HQ Which of the following was an attitude at NASA identified as a factor in the loss of the Columbia? - Answer: NASA felt that it is alone in its ability to execute a program of human space flight, and didn't readily accept constructive criticism such as the Rogers Commission report following the Challenger disaster. match the following statements to the corresponding concept that they exemplify: - Answer: Despite being told to "put on [his] management hat," Roger Boisjoly maintained his view that it was unsafe to launch Challenger in such cold conditions Proper engineering decision Even though o-ring blowby and foam shedding were not included in the performance specifications for the space shuttle, engineers began to accept the risk posed by these anomalies. Normalizing deviance The working environment at NASA encouraged a "can-do-attitude" that was resistant to constructive criticism and critical thinking, even in the face of a disaster. Groupthink After the loss of Challenger, President Ronald Reagan announced that the shuttle program would "no longer be in the business of launching private satellites," which ended the Air Force and intelligence community's reliance on the shuttle to launch national security payloads. Proper management decision Thiokol's reversal of the initial no-launch recommendation happened after... - Answer: A phone call from the Press Secretary of the President of the United States A quick calculation was made of the costs of a delay Pressure was applied by a Utah Senator None of these <---- NASA threatened to terminate Thiokol's contract The decision of whether to launch Challenger would be an appropriate opportunity to employ the line-drawing technique. - Answer: True After testifying that the decision-making process leading up to the launch of Challenger was flawed and earning the label of a whistleblower, Roger Boisjoly was vindicated and afforded a high degree of reverence from the aerospace industry. - Answer: False [T/F] Although an overall majority of "teachers" involved in Milgram's experiment were willing to administer painful shock to the "learners," gender, social class, and nationality appeared to play a significant role in what types of people demonstrated this willingness. - Answer: False In what way was Robert Lund's behavior leading up to the loss of Challenger similar to that of the "teachers" in Milgram's experiment? - Answer: They were overly deferential to authority Which of the following is true of many who choose self-interest over professional responsibility? - Answer: They often hold a weak conception of professionalism 'Normalizing deviance' is a good example of the moral impediment of... - Answer: Self-deception Concern about impediments to moral responsibility is best considered which kind of applied ethics? - Answer: Preventive ethics [T/F] The fact that 'groupthink' can influence self-deception is an example of the inter-relatedness of impediments to moral responsibility. - Answer: True Which of the following is a definition of 'groupthink'? - Answer: A situation in which groups come to apparent agreement at the expense of genuine and independent critical thinking [T/F] Failures in moral decision-making are often attributable to narrow or distorting regulations that preclude consideration of the moral dimension of our action. - Answer: False Match the following scenarios to the corresponding impediment to moral responsibility... - Answer: After he was told to "take off his engineering hat and put on his management hat," Robert Lund reversed his recommendation not to launch Challenger. Uncritical acceptance to authority When NASA management was considering where to solicit in-flight images of the damage to Columbia, one employee remarked, "I'm not going to be chicken little about this." Groupthink Although foam-shedding is outside design specifications for the space shuttle, engineers began to treat this deviant behavior as normal. Self-deception After NASA-Marshall was "appalled" by the initial no-launch recommendation for Challenger, Thiokol managers asked for a break in the teleconference to reconsider. Fear of retribution Although Halliburton recommended 21 centralizers for use in the Macondo oil well, BP managers elected to use only 6 centralizers in order to reduce cost and time. Self-interest Which of the following impediments to moral responsibility played a role in the Challenger and Columbia disasters? - Answer: Uncritical acceptance of authority<-- Ignorance<-- Microscopic vision Self-interest Uncritical acceptance of authority<-- Avoiding the moral impediments of self-interest, groupthink, and microscopic vision is best accomplished... - Answer: encouraging personal traits to overcome their influence Dr. Harris's father's failure to consider the environmental impact of his engineering work is an example of... - Answer: microscopic vision Which of the following is a possible antidote to 'microscopic vision'? - Answer: A robust moral imagination [T/F] 'Groupthink' was one of the impediments that affected the decision-makers involved in the Columbia disaster. - Answer: True Which of the following is not among the antidotes suggested for impediments to moral responsibility? - Answer: Construct mental modes to direct our thinking Which of the following were among the reactions to the Macondo blowout and resulting oil spill? - Answer: Two new federal regulations were immediately adopted requiring licensed engineers to approve certain aspects of the drilling and completion process and to certify the blowout preventer In addition to the loss of 11 lives, which of the following reflect the extent of the environmental damage caused by the Macondo blowout? - Answer: After the sinking of the rig, the subsequent failure to contain the well head allowed five million barrels of crude oil to escape into the Gulf of Mexico. The TEPA, in a section commonly referred to as the "industry exemption," allows employees of a private company to do certain work without a license if... - Answer: The work can include tasks considered to be the practice of engineering so long as engineering services are not offered to the public [T/F] The National Society for Professional Engineers (NSPE) does not conduct reviews of actual cases in order to determine whether certain behavior is consistent with their Code of Ethics. - Answer: False In regard to an engineer's responsibility to protect the public welfare, which of the following statements are accurate? - Answer: The NSPE code of ethics is perhaps more emphatic than the TBPE rules in describing this responsibility as "paramount" What prompted the Texas state legislature to pass the Texas Engineering Practices Act? - Answer: An explosion at a school that was caused by a gas leak killing nearly 300 Which of the following is an example of conflict of interest according to the definition in the TBPE rules? - Answer: When an engineer accepts an assignment in which the decisions he or she will make for the client may be impacted by his or her financial interests A person is allowed to practice engineering in Texas without a license from the State if... - Answer: He or she does not offer to perform engineering services for the public An unlicensed engineer who works for a licensed engineer can perform which of the following tasks under the supervision of that licensed engineer? - Answer: Design of engineered products or projects Which of the following are among the TEPA rules on professional conduct and ethics? - Answer: Engineers shall be objective and truthful Engineers shall not perform any engineering function that is likely to endanger the public Engineers shall practice only in areas of their competence All of them Which state was the first to pass a law to regulate the practice of engineering? - Answer: Wyoming Which of the following projects are exempt from the requirement to be sealed by a licensed engineer? - Answer: A public project costing less than $8,000 involving electrical or mechanical engineering, or a public project that does not cost more than $20,000. The purpose behind the NSPE defining an engineer's responsibility to the profession is probably... - Answer: To ensure that engineers continue to be well compensated To ensure that the public impression of the engineering profession remains positive To strengthen the networking of engineers in professional societies To help unlicensed persons practice engineering None of the above<---- The rules outlined in the TEPA should be considered: - Answer: A law binding on all engineers licensed by TBPE Sequence the steps in the line-drawing technique: - Answer: Choose paradigm examples Identify relevant features Place Xs according to where the test case fails Consider additional factors that may influence the appropriate course of action [T/F] Most moral issues encountered in the workplace closely resemble a paradigm. - Answer: False [T/F] When using the line-drawing technique, marking the most important features assists with the final decision - Answer: True Deciding whether a particular case is an incident of extortion is an example of - Answer: An application issue Determining what is meant by the term "bribe" requires the resolution of a _____ issue, while the question of whether Denise should accept the gift even if it isn't a bribe is a ______ issue. - Answer: Conceptual, moral The line drawing method is based on a particular _____ since it concerns how a moral rule is applied. - Answer: case [T/F] The line-drawing technique can be helpful for application issues and conceptual issues. - Answer: False When employing the line drawing method, some actions that are legally correct can still be morally wrong. These actions are typically those that fall close the line you draw. Why is this - Answer: these actions give the perception of impropriety One benefit of using the line drawing method is that it requires that you explicitly articulate the relevant moral issues and parties involved in making your decision. - Answer: True Which one of the following statements is true of the line-drawing technique? - Answer: When analyzing cases, sometimes one must make assumptions that, if they were made differently, would alter the conclusion drawn from the technique. What is a case-based approach to ethics, where one evaluates a particular case, called? - Answer: Casuistry Which of the following are true statements? (Choose all that apply) Moral issues can always be resolved by analyzing application issues Whether Denise's gift is a bribe and whether she ought to accept the gift should be considered two separate issues when using the line-drawing technique To claim that "company policies always trump moral concerns" is to make a factual claim The line-drawing technique is useful for some but not all types of moral analysis - Answer: Whether Denise's gift is a bribe and whether she ought to accept the gift should be considered two separate issues when using the line-drawing technique The line-drawing technique is useful for some but not all types of moral analysis What is the principle difference between the weak and strong anthropocentric world views? - Answer: Weak anthropocentrism does not view the natural world as merely a standing reserve. Which of the following is true of environmental ethics? - Answer: some argue it is a necessary foundation for all ethics it is in some ways a product of advances in ecology What kind of value does Aristotle assign to the possession of material goods? - Answer: Instrumental value [T/F] One principle concern of environmental ethics is the effect of our actions on future generations. - Answer: True What kind of value is assigned to the engineering sciences on account of the beauty of the description of natural objects? - Answer: Intrinsic value Why is the destruction, degradation, and fragmentation of the environment of particular concern for engineers? - Answer: these effects share a close causal relationship with the transformation of nature into artifact What must an advocate for anthropocentric ethics argue? - Answer: All things equal, human value trumps the value of non-human life. Humans are the only beings with intrinsic value. How do recent trends toward environmental issues affect engineering problem solving? - Answer: They often increase the timeframe that must be considered They often increase the kind of organisms when assessing an engineering project Which of the following situations would probably be acceptable to someone holding a strong anthropocentric view of the world? - Answer: Clear-cutting an old growth forest to build a golf course [T/F] If something has instrumental value then it cannot, at the same time, have intrinsic value. - Answer: False [T/F]The question of which beings deserve moral consideration is of minimal significance to environmental ethics. - Answer: False Which of the following acts employed market mechanisms to address pollution? - Answer: The 1990 Amendment to the Clean Air Act Like utilitarian theories, biocentrism is _____, which means they do not give special value or importance to the person acting. - Answer: Agent neutral What kind of value does Aristotle assign to eudaimonia or flourishing? - Answer: Intrinsic value [T/F] Environmental destruction involves splitting up a habitat in a way that prevents animals from moving about in order to breed and to find food and water. - Answer: False [T/F] The Brundtland Report defined sustainable development as "development which meets the needs of the current generation without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." - Answer: True What would a utilitarian objection to harm the environment depend upon? - Answer: That harming the environment would indirectly harm people Which of the following statements best represents the "Strong View" toward the morality of technological artifacts? - Answer: Humans and technological artifacts form an inseparable unit that is itself morally responsible in action Why are Robert Moses' architectural designs indicative of Langdon Winner's view of the moral properties of artifacts (i.e. the "Strong View")? - Answer: Moral values are built into his designs, which come to embody these values Eliminates the distinction the common sense view draws between human agents and artifacts. What is meant by Don Ihde's phrase "technological intentionality"? - Answer: Technology "shades" how we see the world, emphasizing some things at the expense of others Mediating tech "have intentions" when they change the way we perceive the world. What is meant by Don Ihde's term "multistability"? - Answer: An artifact can be used in different ways based on each user's intentions Like the internet, used by many different people for different purposes. [T/F] The difference between the "Common Sense" and "Strong" views toward the morality of technological artifacts is a matter of the degree to which people blame artifacts for immoral actions. - Answer: False Which of the following is an example of an embodiment relationship? - Answer: The use of a cane by a blind person. Serves as an extension of the body to its user Which of the following best captures the sense of Bruno Latuor's "script" of a thing? - Answer: The behaviors that an artifact invites its user to perform The "script" is what the material object itself invites or inhibits a user to do. [T/F] The physical structure of a classroom can be said to "mediate praxis" because it affects how material is taught and how students learn. - Answer: True Match the following statements to the view toward technological artifacts that they most closely resemble. - Answer: Guns don't kill people, people kill people. Common Sense View Guns are just as responsible as the people who use them to commit immoral acts. Strong View Guns should not be manufactured because they give people the ability to commit immoral acts. Moderate View Building more greenhouse gas-emitting power plants is immoral because it will enable us to contribute even more to global warming. Moderate View The only thing to blame for global warming are the people who have allowed it to happen. Common Sense View Dismantling a factory run on exploited labor is equally as obligatory as arresting the people in charge of it. Strong View [T/F] The physical structure of a classroom can be said to "mediate interpretation" because it affects how material is taught and how students learn. - Answer: False [T/F] Bruno Latour, reflecting the "Strong View: toward technological artifacts, believed artifacts are morally considerable because they work as actuants alongside human beings in a responsible network. - Answer: True [T/F] According to the "Common Sense View," technological artifacts take on moral properties when used for good or evil by human beings. - Answer: False Which of the following is an example of a mediating technology? - Answer: The use of an x-ray machine to view a broken bone. Mediates an experience by emphasizing the integrity of the bone while making other body parts visible. What does Martin Heidegger say often happens with tools as they are used? - Answer: They become invisible because the user's focus is on the task at hand They are noticed when they do not function as designed A person may not be thinking about the tool, and only notices when it does not perform correctly. Which of the following is true according to the "Moderate View" toward technological artifacts? - Answer: artifacts affect what choice of actions are available to us artifacts can give us reasons to do things we couldn't do before [T/F] The main objective of the EUR ING licensure is to standardize wages for engineers across Europe. - Answer: False Which of the following might result from world-wide standards for engineering licensure? - Answer: Employers could be confident that applicants have mastered basic engineering knowledge Standardization would ensure for the public that professional engineers possess a minimum level of competence [T/F] Perhaps because it acts as a sort of social contract, the Western concept of professionalism can be a powerful motivator for moral conduct. - Answer: True [T/F] The general obligation to uphold agreements that underlies the social contract view of professionalism is based primarily in professional codes of ethics. - Answer: False Which of the following is true of 'professionalism' in an international context? - Answer: It may be problematic to apply the concept (as understood in the West) onto other cultures A society of engineers could be generally understood as a sort of family, with similar responsibilities and obligations to the social group Why might an engineer be obligated to follow engineering codes and regulations according to a utilitarian? - Answer: The codes and regulations maximize the greatest possible outcomes. [T/F] The concept of professionalism has been rejected by most Asian cultures. - Answer: False [T/F] The International Engineering Alliance's Template for Codes of Ethical Conduct most closely resembles aspirational ethics. - Answer: False What are some potential limitations of adopting a social contract approach to ethics? - Answer: It may not hold in cultures that are more group-oriented or collective-oriented. [T/F] To be considered a "professional" often generates indirect motivation for acting correctly. - Answer: True [T/F] There is already a widespread agreement on universal standards for engineering education, so a global license will likely be established soon. - Answer: False Which of the following does Dr. Harris identify as a potential advantage of universal standards for education in engineering? - Answer: It facilitates the learning process for students It promotes unity among different countries Engineers are likely to act with greater moral concern It will improve academic quality of each engineering program None of these<--- An egoist would have a hard time settling a moral disagreement between countries because they think that all agents should act in their own self-interest. - Answer: True [T/F] Even the most extreme interpretations of natural rights theory establish a distinction between taxation and theft. - Answer: False If the consequences of granting people the right to free speech are better than those of not doing so, then... - Answer: A utilitarian would argue that we should grant people a socially constructed right to free speech. The upshot of Nozick's objection to the mixing theory of labor is that... - Answer: Mixing your labor with something no one owns does not make you the owner of it. [T/F] Prohibitions against cruel and unusual treatment of human beings are an example of a positive right. - Answer: False What does it mean to say rights are socially constructed? - Answer: That we have the rights we have are due to the result of some social process, e.g. because we have voted on a bill of rights in a democratic election. [T/F] A "negative right" is a right against someone doing something to you. - Answer: True That some rights are "socially constructed" (that they are the result of agreements) does not mean they are completely meaningless. Which of the following is an example of something whose value or meaning is "socially constructed"? - Answer: A dollar An engineering degree If you download Dr. Peterson's textbook illegally, what kind of right are you violating? - Answer: A negative right against theft. What is a "right"? - Answer: A right is a legitimate claim to something. A "positive right" generates a moral obligation or reason for someone to provide something to you. Which of the following do most international organizations consider universal "positive" rights? - Answer: The right to clean water The right to shelter The right to fair elections A natural rights theorist would object to the needless destruction of the environment. Why might this be the case? (Select all that apply) - Answer: Because such destruction is wasteful and prevents one from leaving as many resources for others as possible Because one's rights end where someone else's begin, and in many cases, the environment is owned by someone [T/F] The European court ruling established a "right to be forgotten" does not extend to search engines in the United States. - Answer: True A utilitarian might argue that rights should not always be respected. - Answer: True What is a negative right? - Answer: Other people have an obligation to refrain from doing certain things to you. Why might a utilitarian defend the creation (the social construction) of certain rights? - Answer: Because those right produce maximal consequences for society Why might a utilitarian defend the right to free speech? - Answer: Free speech must be a right because it produces maximal consequences