PHIL 482 - Exam 2 Questions and Complete Solutions Graded A+

PHIL 482 - Exam 2 Questions and Complete Solutions Graded A+ (T/F) Subjective Risk depends on what one perceives about a technology or situation - Answer: True (T/F) The precautionary principle is the dominant way of approaching risk in the US - Answer: False (Europe) (T/F) Risk-benefit analysis is the dominant way of approaching risk in the US - Answer: True (T/F) That the subjective and objective risks of an activity sometimes differ demonstrates that subjects are irrational or irrelevant - Answer: False The likeliness that a negative event will actually happen is called _____ risk. - Answer: objective (T/F) A fundamental problem with the risk-benefit analysis is that the principle of maximizing benefit is based solely on human intuitions - Answer: False (T/F) Although a human life has no precise monetary value, even a precautionary analysis would consider it irrational to spend enormous amounts of money to prevent a statistical death - Answer: True (T/F) The principle of maximizing expected value holds that we must always be willing to accept a risk if the benefits of doing so are large enough - Answer: True Common objections to risk-benefit analysis - Answer: seems morally problematic to assign monetary value to human life, numbers in quantitative analysis are often uncertain (T/F) Someone who subscribes to the precautionary principle believes that safety and the avoidance of risk often outweigh the potential benefits that taking a risk may offer - Answer: True Allais' Pradox (Lottery) - Answer: The principle of maximizing expected value sometimes calls for individuals to make counter intuitive decisions Symptoms of groupthink - Answer: self-censoring contrary opinions, construing silence as consent, holding an illusion of morality when it comes to group actions Definition of groupthink - Answer: Situation in which groups to apparent agreement at the expense of genuine and independent critical thinking How was Robert Lund's behavior leading up to Challenger Disaster similar to that of the "teachers" in Milgrim's experiment? - Answer: overly deferential to authority (T/F) Groupthing was one of the factors that led to Colombia accident - Answer: True, also normalizing deviance Concern about impediments to moral responsibility is best considered which kind of applied ethics? - Answer: Preventive ethics 7 Impediments to moral responsibility - Answer: universal acceptance of authority, groupthink, self deception, self interest, microscopic vision, fear of retribution, ignorance Avoiding the moral impediments of self interest, group think and microscopic vision is best accomplished by - Answer: Encouraging personal traits to overcome influence (T/F) The fact that groupthink can influence self deception is an example of the inter-relatedness of the impediments to moral responsibility - Answer: True (T/F) Microscopic vision allows for small details to generate greater awareness of the larger details involved - Answer: False Why do many choose self interest over professional responsibility? - Answer: Weak grasp of professionalism Normalizing deviance is a good example of which impediment to moral responsibility? - Answer: Self deception Characteristics of a proper management decision - Answer: Does not force engineers to make unacceptable compromises when it comes to 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: Preventive (whistleblower) Hallmarks of a proper engineering decision - Answer: Involves technical matters or affects public health, safety or welfare Thiokol's concern about low temperatures centered on... - Answer: O ring functionality Thiokol's reversal of the initial no launch recommendation happened after... - Answer: at the urging of Marshall The purpose of the foam on the bipod ramp was to - Answer: Thermal protection (T/F) The term "organization culture" refers to the basic values, norms, beliefs and practices shared across institutions within a profession - Answer: False The cause of the Colombia's breakup during reentry was determined to be - Answer: Hot gases entering a breach in the wing due to foam collision during takeoff 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 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 (T/F) The NSPE doesn't conduct reviews of actual cases in order to determine whether certain behavior is consistent with Code of Conduct - Answer: False Which state was the first to pass a law to regulate the practice of engineering? - Answer: Wyoming A person is allowed to practice engineering in Texas without a license from the state if... - Answer: He or she doesn't offer to perform engineering services to the public Task that an unlicensed engineering who works for a licensed engineer can take on - Answer: Design of engineered products or projects TEPA defines practice of engineering as - Answer: The performance of or the offer to attempt to perform any public or private service or creative work, the adequate performance of which requires engineering education, training and experience in applying special knowledge or judgement of the mathematical, physical or engineering sciences The rules outlined in TEPA should be considered: - Answer: A law binding on all engineers licensed by TBPE Often lawyers work on a "contingency basis" whereby they only receive a fee from their client for their services when their services result in financial award to their client. In regard to this type of practice in engineering, which of the following is true? - Answer: The TBPE rules don't specifically address this while the NSPE prohibits it What prompted the Texas state legislature to pass TEPA? - Answer: Explosion at a school due to a gas leak that killed nearly 300 TEPA rules on professional conduct and ethics - Answer: Engineers shall be objective and truthful, engineers shall not engage in any engineering function that is likely to endanger the public, engineers shall practice only in their areas of competence