Step 2: Normative Requirements Pass (Facts Section)

Extract principles, obligations, constraints, and capabilities from the facts section

Professional Responsibility if Appropriate Authority Fails to Act
Step 2 of 5

Facts Section

Section Content:
Facts:
Engineer B, a resident of City M and a consulting engineer with ABC Engineers, was retained to evaluate changing the Metropolitan Water Commission’s (MWC) public water source serving City M from remote reservoirs located in another regional authority to using the local river.
The purpose of the contemplated change in water source would be to reduce expenses.
City M is a major client of ABC Engineers, through the MWC on water supply projects, and on other public works projects through other commissions and departments.
Engineer B’s report recommended to the MWC the need for appropriate water treatment prior to making the change in water source to ensure that sufficient corrosion control is provided so that old service pipes in the MWC service area don’t leach lead in excess of drinking water standards.
The report clearly outlined the risk of even short-term exposure of adults, and particularly children, to elevated lead levels if appropriate treatment was not provided concurrent with the change in water source.
The MWC met and decided to proceed with the change in water source but to construct water treatment improvements at a later date.
Engineer B pointed out at a public meeting with the Water Commissioners that public health and safety would be at risk.
Following the meeting, Engineer B provided the Water Commissioners with a letter detailing the risk to public health and safety.
Engineer B subsequently sent the original report with a letter to the water supply division of the State Department of the Environment.
The MWC discharged Engineer B and ABC Engineers from project involvement in the water source change, and retained XYZ Consultants to assist with implementation.
XYZ Consultants provided a report to the Water Commission indicating that insufficient information was available to predict the severity of any potential public health and safety risk.
Several months later, Engineer B read in the local newspaper that the professional engineer in charge of the water supply division of the State Department of the Environment had approved the change of water source, with a five-year implementation plan to provide updated water treatment.
Engineer B continued to be concerned that public health and safety would be at risk and considered whether there were continuing ethical obligations, and if so, what alternative courses of action as an engineer and/or as a citizen of City M might merit consideration.
Principles Extraction
LLM Prompt
DUAL PRINCIPLE EXTRACTION - Ethical Principles Analysis THEORETICAL CONTEXT (Chapter 2.2.2): - Principles are ABSTRACT ethical foundations requiring extensional definition through cases - They function like constitutional principles - open-textured and requiring interpretation - Principles mediate moral ideals into concrete reality through context-specific application - They cannot be applied deductively but require balancing and interpretation EXISTING PRINCIPLE CLASSES IN ONTOLOGY: - Competence Principle: Balances professional autonomy with recognition of limitations and need for collaboration. - Confidentiality Principle: Must be balanced against public safety obligations and legal disclosure requirements. - Domain-Specific Principle: Examples: Environmental Stewardship (engineering), Patient Autonomy (medicine), Academic Freedom (education). These address domain-specific ethical ch - Environmental Stewardship Principle: Bridges engineering practice with broader environmental and societal responsibilities. - Ethical Principle: Legacy synonym for Principle. Use :Principle for new concepts. - Fundamental Ethical Principle: Examples: Public Welfare Paramount, Respect for Persons, Justice, Beneficence. These require extensive interpretation and balancing in specific contex - Integrity Principle: Central to professional identity formation and trust maintenance in professional relationships. - Principle: An information content entity representing ethical values and guidelines for conduct. This is the P component of the formal specification D=(R,P,O,S,R - Principle Argument: An argument based on fundamental ethical principles or values. - Principle Refinement: Capability to evolve principles as inconsistencies are resolved and new cases are added (GenEth system, Anderson & Anderson 2018) - Professional Virtue Principle: Examples: Integrity, Competence, Honesty, Professional Courage, Accountability. These shape professional character and decision-making. - Public Welfare Principle: Requires contextual interpretation to balance against client confidentiality and employer loyalty when public safety is at risk. - Relational Principle: Examples: Confidentiality, Loyalty, Fairness, Transparency, Respect for Autonomy. These govern interpersonal professional dynamics. - Transparency Principle: Essential for maintaining trust and enabling stakeholder participation in professional decisions. === TASK === From the following case text (facts section), extract information at TWO levels: LEVEL 1 - NEW PRINCIPLE CLASSES: Identify ethical principles that appear to be NEW types not covered by existing classes above. Look for: - Fundamental ethical values being invoked - Abstract moral ideals guiding decisions - Constitutional-like principles requiring interpretation - Values that transcend specific rules or obligations For each NEW principle class, provide: - label: Clear principle name (e.g., "Environmental Stewardship", "Professional Autonomy") - definition: What moral ideal this principle represents - abstract_nature: The abstract ethical foundation (justice, welfare, autonomy, etc.) - extensional_examples: Concrete cases/situations where this principle applies - value_basis: Core moral value underlying the principle - application_context: Professional domains or situations where relevant - operationalization: How this abstract principle becomes concrete in practice - balancing_requirements: What other principles it typically must be balanced against - examples_from_case: How this principle appears in the case text LEVEL 2 - PRINCIPLE INDIVIDUALS: Identify specific instances where principles are invoked or applied. For each instance: - identifier: Unique identifier for this principle instance (e.g., "PublicSafety_Case8_Discussion") - principle_class: Which principle class it instantiates (use existing classes when possible) - concrete_expression: EXACT text showing how the principle is expressed - invoked_by: Who invokes or appeals to this principle - applied_to: What decision/situation/dilemma it applies to - interpretation: How the principle is interpreted in this specific context - balancing_with: Other principles that must be balanced against it - tension_resolution: How conflicts between principles are resolved - case_relevance: Why this principle matters in this specific case IMPORTANT: - Focus on ABSTRACT ethical foundations, not specific rules or procedures - Principles are broader than obligations - they generate obligations in context - Use EXACT quotes from case text where principles are expressed - Distinguish between the abstract principle CLASS and its concrete APPLICATION CASE TEXT: Engineer B, a resident of City M and a consulting engineer with ABC Engineers, was retained to evaluate changing the Metropolitan Water Commission’s (MWC) public water source serving City M from remote reservoirs located in another regional authority to using the local river. The purpose of the contemplated change in water source would be to reduce expenses. City M is a major client of ABC Engineers, through the MWC on water supply projects, and on other public works projects through other commissions and departments. Engineer B’s report recommended to the MWC the need for appropriate water treatment prior to making the change in water source to ensure that sufficient corrosion control is provided so that old service pipes in the MWC service area don’t leach lead in excess of drinking water standards. The report clearly outlined the risk of even short-term exposure of adults, and particularly children, to elevated lead levels if appropriate treatment was not provided concurrent with the change in water source. The MWC met and decided to proceed with the change in water source but to construct water treatment improvements at a later date. Engineer B pointed out at a public meeting with the Water Commissioners that public health and safety would be at risk. Following the meeting, Engineer B provided the Water Commissioners with a letter detailing the risk to public health and safety. Engineer B subsequently sent the original report with a letter to the water supply division of the State Department of the Environment. The MWC discharged Engineer B and ABC Engineers from project involvement in the water source change, and retained XYZ Consultants to assist with implementation. XYZ Consultants provided a report to the Water Commission indicating that insufficient information was available to predict the severity of any potential public health and safety risk. Several months later, Engineer B read in the local newspaper that the professional engineer in charge of the water supply division of the State Department of the Environment had approved the change of water source, with a five-year implementation plan to provide updated water treatment. Engineer B continued to be concerned that public health and safety would be at risk and considered whether there were continuing ethical obligations, and if so, what alternative courses of action as an engineer and/or as a citizen of City M might merit consideration. Respond with valid JSON in this format: { "new_principle_classes": [ { "label": "Sustainable Development", "definition": "Principle that engineering solutions must balance current needs with long-term environmental and societal impacts", "abstract_nature": "Intergenerational justice and environmental stewardship", "extensional_examples": ["Green building design", "Renewable energy projects", "Resource conservation"], "value_basis": "Responsibility to future generations", "application_context": ["Infrastructure projects", "Environmental engineering", "Urban planning"], "operationalization": "Through environmental impact assessments, lifecycle analysis, sustainable design criteria", "balancing_requirements": ["Economic feasibility", "Immediate safety needs", "Client requirements"], "examples_from_case": ["Engineer considered long-term environmental impacts", "balanced immediate needs with sustainability"], "source_text": "Engineer considered long-term environmental impacts and balanced immediate needs with sustainability" } ], "principle_individuals": [ { "identifier": "PublicSafety_Case8_Facts", "principle_class": "Public Safety", "concrete_expression": "the safety of the public must be held paramount", "invoked_by": ["Engineer L"], "applied_to": ["stormwater management system design"], "interpretation": "Safety considerations override cost savings in drainage design", "source_text": "the safety of the public must be held paramount", "balancing_with": ["Cost Efficiency", "Client Interests"], "tension_resolution": "Safety takes precedence even if it increases project costs", "case_relevance": "Critical for evaluating adequacy of proposed drainage solution" } ] }
Saved: 2025-12-29 17:15
LLM Response
```json
{
    "new_principle_classes": [
        {
            "label": "Professional Persistence",
            "definition": "Principle that professionals have continuing obligations to address unresolved ethical concerns even after formal involvement ends",
            "abstract_nature": "Moral responsibility that transcends contractual boundaries",
            "extensional_examples": ["Whistleblowing after project completion", "Following up on safety concerns post-employment", "Monitoring implementation of safety recommendations"],
            "value_basis": "Enduring responsibility for public welfare",
            "application_context": ["Post-project safety concerns", "After discharge from assignment", "Continuing professional obligations"],
            "operationalization": "Through continued monitoring, reporting to authorities, public disclosure when necessary",
            "balancing_requirements": ["Professional reputation", "Legal constraints", "Former client relationships"],
            "examples_from_case": "Engineer B continued to be concerned that public health and safety would be at risk and considered whether there were continuing ethical obligations",
            "source_text": "Engineer B continued to be concerned that public health and safety would be at risk and considered whether there were continuing ethical obligations"
        }
    ],
    "principle_individuals": [
        {
            "identifier": "PublicWelfare_EngineerB_InitialReport",
            "principle_class": "Public Welfare Principle",
            "concrete_expression": "recommended to the MWC the need for appropriate water treatment prior to making the change in water source to ensure that sufficient corrosion control is provided so that old service pipes in the MWC service area don't leach lead in excess of drinking water standards",
            "invoked_by": ["Engineer B"],
            "applied_to": ["Water source change decision"],
            "interpretation": "Public health protection requires preventive measures before implementing infrastructure changes",
            "source_text": "recommended to the MWC the need for appropriate water treatment prior to making the change in water source",
            "balancing_with": ["Cost reduction objectives"],
            "tension_resolution": "Safety measures must precede cost-saving changes",
            "case_relevance": "Establishes the ethical foundation for Engineer B's subsequent actions"
        },
        {
            "identifier": "PublicWelfare_EngineerB_PublicMeeting",
            "principle_class": "Public Welfare Principle",
            "concrete_expression": "Engineer B pointed out at a public meeting with the Water Commissioners that public health and safety would be at risk",
            "invoked_by": ["Engineer B"],
            "applied_to": ["MWC's decision to delay water treatment"],
            "interpretation": "Professional duty to publicly voice safety concerns when private warnings are ignored",
            "source_text": "Engineer B pointed out at a public meeting with the Water Commissioners that public health and safety would be at risk",
            "balancing_with": ["Client confidentiality", "Professional relationship with MWC"],
            "tension_resolution": "Public safety concerns override client relationship considerations",
            "case_relevance": "Demonstrates escalation when initial warnings are not heeded"
        },
        {
            "identifier": "Transparency_EngineerB_Letter",
            "principle_class": "Transparency Principle",
            "concrete_expression": "Engineer B provided the Water Commissioners with a letter detailing the risk to public health and safety",
            "invoked_by": ["Engineer B"],
            "applied_to": ["Documentation of safety risks"],
            "interpretation": "Creating formal written record ensures transparency and accountability",
            "source_text": "Engineer B provided the Water Commissioners with a letter detailing the risk to public health and safety",
            "balancing_with": ["Professional relationship maintenance"],
            "tension_resolution": "Documentation of risks takes precedence over avoiding conflict",
            "case_relevance": "Establishes paper trail for accountability"
        },
        {
            "identifier": "PublicWelfare_EngineerB_StateReporting",
            "principle_class": "Public Welfare Principle",
            "concrete_expression": "Engineer B subsequently sent the original report with a letter to the water supply division of the State Department of the Environment",
            "invoked_by": ["Engineer B"],
            "applied_to": ["Regulatory oversight of water source change"],
            "interpretation": "When client ignores safety warnings, engineer must escalate to regulatory authorities",
            "source_text": "Engineer B subsequently sent the original report with a letter to the water supply division of the State Department of the Environment",
            "balancing_with": ["Client confidentiality", "Loyalty to employer ABC Engineers"],
            "tension_resolution": "Public safety justifies disclosure to regulatory authorities",
            "case_relevance": "Shows proper escalation pathway when client dismisses safety concerns"
        },
        {
            "identifier": "ProfessionalPersistence_EngineerB_Continuing",
            "principle_class": "Professional Persistence",
            "concrete_expression": "Engineer B continued to be concerned that public health and safety would be at risk and considered whether there were continuing ethical obligations",
            "invoked_by": ["Engineer B"],
            "applied_to": ["Post-discharge professional responsibilities"],
            "interpretation": "Professional obligations to public safety persist beyond termination of formal engagement",
            "source_text": "Engineer B continued to be concerned that public health and safety would be at risk and considered whether there were continuing ethical obligations",
            "balancing_with": ["Legal limitations after discharge", "Professional boundaries"],
            "tension_resolution": "Ongoing safety concerns require consideration of both professional and citizen obligations",
            "case_relevance": "Raises question of whether professional duties end with contractual relationship"
        }
    ]
}
```
Obligations Extraction
LLM Prompt
You are an expert in professional ethics analyzing a case for obligations (professional duties and requirements). Based on the literature: - Obligations are CONCRETE PROFESSIONAL DUTIES derived from abstract principles (Hallamaa & Kalliokoski 2022) - They specify what professionals MUST, SHOULD, or MUST NOT do (Dennis et al. 2016) - Obligations have deontic force and are enforceable (Wooldridge & Jennings 1995) - They operationalize principles in specific contexts (Kong et al. 2020) Your task is to: 1. Identify NEW OBLIGATION CLASSES not in the existing ontology 2. Extract SPECIFIC OBLIGATION INDIVIDUALS from the case EXISTING OBLIGATIONS IN ONTOLOGY (check if your identified obligations match these before creating new classes): - Attribution Obligation: Duty to properly cite and acknowledge all sources, tools, and methods used in creating professional deliverables - Collegial Obligation: Duties toward professional peers including respect, fairness, and credit for work - Competence Obligation: Requirement to perform services only in areas of competence (NSPE II.2) - Conditional Obligation: Obligations that apply only when specific conditions are met - Confidentiality Obligation: Duty to protect confidential information of clients or employers (NSPE III.4) - Defeasible Obligation: Obligations that admit justified exceptions under specified conditions (Ganascia 2007) - Disclosure Obligation: Requirement to inform stakeholders about conflicts, limitations, or risks (NSPE II.3.a) - Ethical Obligation: Obligations arising from ethical principles beyond legal requirements - Legal Obligation: Obligations arising from legal requirements and regulations - Mandatory Obligation: Obligations that MUST be fulfilled (deontic force: mandatory) - Obligation: An information content entity expressing required actions or behaviors in professional contexts. This is the O component of the formal specification D=(R,P,O,S,Rs,A,E,Ca,Cs). - Prima Facie Obligation: Obligations that hold at first appearance but may be overridden by stronger duties (Anderson & Anderson) - Professional Obligation: A duty or responsibility arising from professional role or standards - Quality Assurance Obligation: Requirement to implement appropriate review and verification processes for all professional deliverables before submission - Reporting Obligation: Duty to report violations or unsafe conditions to appropriate authorities - Responsible Charge Obligation: Duty to maintain active engagement and personal decision-making authority throughout engineering process from conception to completion - Safety Obligation: Duty to hold paramount the safety, health, and welfare of the public (NSPE I.1) - Technology Competence Obligation: Requirement to understand and verify the capabilities, limitations, and risks of technological tools used in professional practice - Technology Verification Obligation: Requirement to thoroughly verify and validate outputs from technological tools including AI before incorporating them into professional work Analyze this facts section: Engineer B, a resident of City M and a consulting engineer with ABC Engineers, was retained to evaluate changing the Metropolitan Water Commission’s (MWC) public water source serving City M from remote reservoirs located in another regional authority to using the local river. The purpose of the contemplated change in water source would be to reduce expenses. City M is a major client of ABC Engineers, through the MWC on water supply projects, and on other public works projects through other commissions and departments. Engineer B’s report recommended to the MWC the need for appropriate water treatment prior to making the change in water source to ensure that sufficient corrosion control is provided so that old service pipes in the MWC service area don’t leach lead in excess of drinking water standards. The report clearly outlined the risk of even short-term exposure of adults, and particularly children, to elevated lead levels if appropriate treatment was not provided concurrent with the change in water source. The MWC met and decided to proceed with the change in water source but to construct water treatment improvements at a later date. Engineer B pointed out at a public meeting with the Water Commissioners that public health and safety would be at risk. Following the meeting, Engineer B provided the Water Commissioners with a letter detailing the risk to public health and safety. Engineer B subsequently sent the original report with a letter to the water supply division of the State Department of the Environment. The MWC discharged Engineer B and ABC Engineers from project involvement in the water source change, and retained XYZ Consultants to assist with implementation. XYZ Consultants provided a report to the Water Commission indicating that insufficient information was available to predict the severity of any potential public health and safety risk. Several months later, Engineer B read in the local newspaper that the professional engineer in charge of the water supply division of the State Department of the Environment had approved the change of water source, with a five-year implementation plan to provide updated water treatment. Engineer B continued to be concerned that public health and safety would be at risk and considered whether there were continuing ethical obligations, and if so, what alternative courses of action as an engineer and/or as a citizen of City M might merit consideration. Extract obligations following this JSON structure: { "new_obligation_classes": [ { "label": "Clear, specific obligation class name", "definition": "What this type of obligation requires professionals to do", "derived_from_principle": "Which principle this operationalizes (e.g., 'Public Safety', 'Honesty')", "duty_type": "professional|legal|ethical|societal", "enforcement_mechanism": "How this obligation is typically enforced", "violation_consequences": "What happens when this obligation is violated", "examples_from_case": ["Example 1 from the case", "Example 2"], "source_text": "EXACT text snippet from case where this obligation is identified (max 200 characters)", "confidence": 0.0-1.0, "reasoning": "Why this is a new class not in existing ontology" } ], "obligation_individuals": [ { "identifier": "Unique name for this specific obligation instance", "obligation_class": "Name of the obligation class (new or existing)", "obligated_party": "Who has this obligation (e.g., 'Engineer L', 'All Licensed PEs')", "obligation_statement": "The specific duty statement (e.g., 'Report safety risks to authorities')", "derived_from": "Source principle or law (e.g., 'NSPE Code', 'State Law')", "enforcement_context": "How enforced in this case", "temporal_scope": "When this obligation applies", "compliance_status": "met|unmet|unclear|pending", "case_context": "How this obligation manifests in the specific case", "source_text": "EXACT text snippet from case where this obligation is mentioned (max 200 characters)", "is_existing_class": true/false, "confidence": 0.0-1.0 } ] } Focus on: 1. NEW obligation types that represent novel professional duties 2. Specific obligation instances showing how duties apply in this case 3. The relationship between obligations and the principles they operationalize 4. Enforcement mechanisms and compliance status Return ONLY the JSON structure, no additional text.
Saved: 2025-12-29 17:15
LLM Response
```json
{
  "new_obligation_classes": [
    {
      "label": "Public Communication Obligation",
      "definition": "Duty to communicate risks and safety concerns to the public when governmental bodies fail to adequately address them",
      "derived_from_principle": "Public Safety and Welfare",
      "duty_type": "ethical",
      "enforcement_mechanism": "Professional ethics boards, public accountability",
      "violation_consequences": "Public harm, loss of professional credibility, potential liability",
      "examples_from_case": ["Engineer B pointed out at a public meeting with the Water Commissioners that public health and safety would be at risk"],
      "source_text": "Engineer B pointed out at a public meeting with the Water Commissioners that public health and safety would be at risk",
      "confidence": 0.85,
      "reasoning": "Distinct from Disclosure Obligation as it specifically involves public communication when authorities fail to act on safety warnings"
    },
    {
      "label": "Persistent Advocacy Obligation",
      "definition": "Continuing duty to advocate for public safety even after formal professional engagement ends",
      "derived_from_principle": "Paramount Public Safety",
      "duty_type": "ethical",
      "enforcement_mechanism": "Professional ethics review, moral imperative",
      "violation_consequences": "Preventable public harm, ethical violations",
      "examples_from_case": ["Engineer B continued to be concerned... and considered whether there were continuing ethical obligations"],
      "source_text": "Engineer B continued to be concerned that public health and safety would be at risk and considered whether there were continuing ethical obligations",
      "confidence": 0.9,
      "reasoning": "Goes beyond standard professional obligations to address continuing duties after discharge from a project"
    }
  ],
  "obligation_individuals": [
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerB_SafetyReporting_MWC",
      "obligation_class": "Safety Obligation",
      "obligated_party": "Engineer B",
      "obligation_statement": "Hold paramount the safety of City M residents regarding water quality and lead exposure risks",
      "derived_from": "NSPE Code I.1",
      "enforcement_context": "Professional engineering standards and public health regulations",
      "temporal_scope": "Throughout engagement and potentially beyond",
      "compliance_status": "met",
      "case_context": "Engineer B's report clearly outlined risks of lead exposure to adults and children",
      "source_text": "The report clearly outlined the risk of even short-term exposure of adults, and particularly children, to elevated lead levels",
      "is_existing_class": true,
      "confidence": 0.95
    },
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerB_Disclosure_LeadRisks",
      "obligation_class": "Disclosure Obligation",
      "obligated_party": "Engineer B",
      "obligation_statement": "Inform MWC about lead contamination risks from changing water source without treatment",
      "derived_from": "NSPE Code II.3.a",
      "enforcement_context": "Professional standards requiring disclosure of risks",
      "temporal_scope": "During consultation period",
      "compliance_status": "met",
      "case_context": "Engineer B provided detailed report and follow-up letter about risks",
      "source_text": "Engineer B provided the Water Commissioners with a letter detailing the risk to public health and safety",
      "is_existing_class": true,
      "confidence": 0.95
    },
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerB_Reporting_StateAuthority",
      "obligation_class": "Reporting Obligation",
      "obligated_party": "Engineer B",
      "obligation_statement": "Report public safety risks to state environmental authorities when client ignores warnings",
      "derived_from": "NSPE Code II.1.e",
      "enforcement_context": "Professional duty to report to appropriate authorities",
      "temporal_scope": "After MWC decision to proceed without treatment",
      "compliance_status": "met",
      "case_context": "Engineer B sent report to State Department of Environment",
      "source_text": "Engineer B subsequently sent the original report with a letter to the water supply division of the State Department of the Environment",
      "is_existing_class": true,
      "confidence": 0.95
    },
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerB_PublicCommunication_Meeting",
      "obligation_class": "Public Communication Obligation",
      "obligated_party": "Engineer B",
      "obligation_statement": "Communicate safety risks directly to public at commission meetings",
      "derived_from": "Public Safety Principle",
      "enforcement_context": "Ethical duty when authorities ignore warnings",
      "temporal_scope": "During public meeting with Water Commissioners",
      "compliance_status": "met",
      "case_context": "Engineer B spoke at public meeting about health risks",
      "source_text": "Engineer B pointed out at a public meeting with the Water Commissioners that public health and safety would be at risk",
      "is_existing_class": false,
      "confidence": 0.85
    },
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerB_PersistentAdvocacy_PostDischarge",
      "obligation_class": "Persistent Advocacy Obligation",
      "obligated_party": "Engineer B",
      "obligation_statement": "Continue monitoring and potentially acting on public safety concerns after professional discharge",
      "derived_from": "Paramount Public Safety",
      "enforcement_context": "Ethical imperative beyond contractual obligations",
      "temporal_scope": "After discharge from project",
      "compliance_status": "pending",
      "case_context": "Engineer B considering continued action as engineer/citizen",
      "source_text": "considered whether there were continuing ethical obligations, and if so, what alternative courses of action",
      "is_existing_class": false,
      "confidence": 0.9
    },
    {
      "identifier": "XYZ_Competence_WaterAssessment",
      "obligation_class": "Competence Obligation",
      "obligated_party": "XYZ Consultants",
      "obligation_statement": "Provide competent assessment of water source change risks",
      "derived_from": "NSPE Code II.2",
      "enforcement_context": "Professional competence standards",
      "temporal_scope": "During their engagement with MWC",
      "compliance_status": "unclear",
      "case_context": "XYZ claimed insufficient information to assess risks",
      "source_text": "XYZ Consultants provided a report...indicating that insufficient information was available to predict the severity",
      "is_existing_class": true,
      "confidence": 0.8
    }
  ]
}
```
Constraints Extraction
LLM Prompt
You are an expert in professional ethics analyzing a case for constraints (boundaries, limitations, and restrictions). Based on the literature: - Constraints are INVIOLABLE BOUNDARIES that limit acceptable actions (Dennis et al. 2016) - They differ from obligations by being restrictions rather than requirements - Constraints can be legal, physical, resource-based, or procedural - They define the space within which ethical decisions must be made Your task is to: 1. Identify NEW CONSTRAINT CLASSES not in the existing ontology 2. Extract SPECIFIC CONSTRAINT INDIVIDUALS from the case EXISTING CONSTRAINTS IN ONTOLOGY (check if your identified constraints match these before creating new classes): - Attribution Constraint: Requirements and limitations regarding the disclosure and citation of tools, methods, or sources used in professional work products - Competence Constraint: Boundaries defined by agent capabilities and technical limitations (Hallamaa & Kalliokoski 2022) - Confidentiality Constraint: Boundaries on information disclosure and privacy (Dennis et al. 2016) - Constraint: An information content entity expressing limitations or restrictions on professional actions or decisions. This is the Cs component of the formal specification D=(R,P,O,S,Rs,A,E,Ca,Cs). - Defeasible Constraint: Constraints that admit justified exceptions under specified conditions (Ganascia 2007) - Ethical Constraint: Professional ethical boundaries beyond legal requirements (Benzmüller et al. 2020) - Inviolable Constraint: Absolute constraints that cannot be overridden under any circumstances (Dennis et al. 2016) - Jurisdictional Constraint: Boundaries of authority and geographical or organizational scope (Dennis et al. 2016) - Legal Constraint: Constraints arising from legal requirements and statutes that establish inviolable boundaries (Kroll 2020, Stenseke 2024) - Priority Constraint: Constraints establishing precedence when multiple requirements conflict (Scheutz & Malle 2014) - Procedural Constraint: Requirements for following specific processes or protocols (Furbach et al. 2014) - Regulatory Constraint: Constraints from regulatory bodies and professional standards organizations (Taddeo et al. 2024) - Resource Constraint: Limitations on available time, budget, materials, or human resources (Ganascia 2007) - Safety Constraint: Constraints ensuring safety requirements are met (Arkin 2008) - Technology Substitution Constraint: Boundaries preventing technology from replacing professional judgment and human oversight in critical decision-making Analyze this facts section: Engineer B, a resident of City M and a consulting engineer with ABC Engineers, was retained to evaluate changing the Metropolitan Water Commission’s (MWC) public water source serving City M from remote reservoirs located in another regional authority to using the local river. The purpose of the contemplated change in water source would be to reduce expenses. City M is a major client of ABC Engineers, through the MWC on water supply projects, and on other public works projects through other commissions and departments. Engineer B’s report recommended to the MWC the need for appropriate water treatment prior to making the change in water source to ensure that sufficient corrosion control is provided so that old service pipes in the MWC service area don’t leach lead in excess of drinking water standards. The report clearly outlined the risk of even short-term exposure of adults, and particularly children, to elevated lead levels if appropriate treatment was not provided concurrent with the change in water source. The MWC met and decided to proceed with the change in water source but to construct water treatment improvements at a later date. Engineer B pointed out at a public meeting with the Water Commissioners that public health and safety would be at risk. Following the meeting, Engineer B provided the Water Commissioners with a letter detailing the risk to public health and safety. Engineer B subsequently sent the original report with a letter to the water supply division of the State Department of the Environment. The MWC discharged Engineer B and ABC Engineers from project involvement in the water source change, and retained XYZ Consultants to assist with implementation. XYZ Consultants provided a report to the Water Commission indicating that insufficient information was available to predict the severity of any potential public health and safety risk. Several months later, Engineer B read in the local newspaper that the professional engineer in charge of the water supply division of the State Department of the Environment had approved the change of water source, with a five-year implementation plan to provide updated water treatment. Engineer B continued to be concerned that public health and safety would be at risk and considered whether there were continuing ethical obligations, and if so, what alternative courses of action as an engineer and/or as a citizen of City M might merit consideration. Extract constraints following this JSON structure: { "new_constraint_classes": [ { "label": "Clear, specific constraint class name", "definition": "What this type of constraint limits or restricts", "constraint_type": "legal|physical|resource|temporal|procedural", "flexibility": "hard|soft|negotiable", "violation_impact": "What happens if this constraint is violated", "mitigation_possible": "Whether and how this constraint can be mitigated", "examples_from_case": ["Example 1 from the case", "Example 2"], "source_text": "EXACT text snippet from case where this constraint is identified (max 200 characters)", "confidence": 0.0-1.0, "reasoning": "Why this is a new class not in existing ontology" } ], "constraint_individuals": [ { "identifier": "Unique name for this specific constraint instance", "constraint_class": "Name of the constraint class (new or existing)", "constrained_entity": "What or who is constrained (e.g., 'Engineer L', 'Project')", "constraint_statement": "The specific limitation (e.g., 'Cannot exceed budget of $X')", "source": "Origin of constraint (e.g., 'Client budget', 'Environmental law')", "enforcement_mechanism": "How this constraint is enforced", "temporal_scope": "When this constraint applies", "severity": "critical|major|minor", "case_context": "How this constraint manifests in the specific case", "source_text": "EXACT text snippet from case where this constraint is mentioned (max 200 characters)", "is_existing_class": true/false, "confidence": 0.0-1.0 } ] } Focus on: 1. NEW constraint types that represent novel limitations or boundaries 2. Specific constraint instances showing how limitations apply in this case 3. The difference between constraints (boundaries) and obligations (duties) 4. Impact and severity of constraints on decision-making Return ONLY the JSON structure, no additional text.
Saved: 2025-12-29 17:16
LLM Response
```json
{
  "new_constraint_classes": [
    {
      "label": "Client Relationship Constraint",
      "definition": "Limitations on professional actions arising from ongoing business relationships and financial dependencies with clients",
      "constraint_type": "procedural",
      "flexibility": "soft",
      "violation_impact": "Loss of future contracts, damaged business relationships, financial losses to firm",
      "mitigation_possible": "Can be mitigated through clear contractual terms, professional standards adherence, and transparency",
      "examples_from_case": ["ABC Engineers' dependency on City M as major client", "Discharge from project after raising safety concerns"],
      "source_text": "City M is a major client of ABC Engineers, through the MWC on water supply projects, and on other public works projects",
      "confidence": 0.85,
      "reasoning": "Distinct from existing ethical/professional constraints - specifically addresses economic dependencies and business relationship boundaries not covered in current ontology"
    },
    {
      "label": "Discharge Constraint",
      "definition": "Limitations on professional involvement and authority following termination or removal from a project or position",
      "constraint_type": "legal",
      "flexibility": "hard",
      "violation_impact": "Legal action for interference, professional sanctions, loss of license",
      "mitigation_possible": "Limited mitigation through whistleblower protections or public citizen actions",
      "examples_from_case": ["Engineer B discharged from project", "Continuing ethical obligations post-discharge"],
      "source_text": "The MWC discharged Engineer B and ABC Engineers from project involvement in the water source change",
      "confidence": 0.9,
      "reasoning": "Not covered by existing jurisdictional or procedural constraints - specifically addresses post-termination boundaries on professional action"
    }
  ],
  "constraint_individuals": [
    {
      "identifier": "MWC_Budget_Constraint",
      "constraint_class": "Resource Constraint",
      "constrained_entity": "Metropolitan Water Commission",
      "constraint_statement": "Limited budget requiring expense reduction through water source change",
      "source": "MWC budget limitations",
      "enforcement_mechanism": "Commission decision-making authority",
      "temporal_scope": "Current and ongoing",
      "severity": "major",
      "case_context": "Drives decision to change water source and defer treatment improvements",
      "source_text": "The purpose of the contemplated change in water source would be to reduce expenses",
      "is_existing_class": true,
      "confidence": 0.95
    },
    {
      "identifier": "Lead_Safety_Constraint",
      "constraint_class": "Safety Constraint",
      "constrained_entity": "Water source change project",
      "constraint_statement": "Cannot exceed drinking water standards for lead levels",
      "source": "Federal/State drinking water standards",
      "enforcement_mechanism": "State Department of Environment oversight",
      "temporal_scope": "Permanent",
      "severity": "critical",
      "case_context": "Requires corrosion control to prevent lead leaching from old pipes",
      "source_text": "old service pipes in the MWC service area don't leach lead in excess of drinking water standards",
      "is_existing_class": true,
      "confidence": 1.0
    },
    {
      "identifier": "State_Approval_Constraint",
      "constraint_class": "Regulatory Constraint",
      "constrained_entity": "Water source change",
      "constraint_statement": "Requires approval from State Department of Environment water supply division",
      "source": "State environmental regulations",
      "enforcement_mechanism": "State regulatory authority",
      "temporal_scope": "Prior to implementation",
      "severity": "critical",
      "case_context": "State approved with five-year implementation plan",
      "source_text": "professional engineer in charge of the water supply division of the State Department of the Environment had approved",
      "is_existing_class": true,
      "confidence": 0.95
    },
    {
      "identifier": "Client_Dependency_Constraint",
      "constraint_class": "Client Relationship Constraint",
      "constrained_entity": "ABC Engineers",
      "constraint_statement": "Cannot freely oppose client decisions without risking major revenue source",
      "source": "Business relationship with City M",
      "enforcement_mechanism": "Contract termination, loss of future work",
      "temporal_scope": "During engagement period",
      "severity": "major",
      "case_context": "ABC Engineers dependent on City M for multiple projects",
      "source_text": "City M is a major client of ABC Engineers, through the MWC on water supply projects",
      "is_existing_class": false,
      "confidence": 0.85
    },
    {
      "identifier": "Post_Discharge_Authority_Constraint",
      "constraint_class": "Discharge Constraint",
      "constrained_entity": "Engineer B",
      "constraint_statement": "No formal authority or standing in project after discharge",
      "source": "MWC discharge decision",
      "enforcement_mechanism": "Legal boundaries on project involvement",
      "temporal_scope": "Post-discharge period",
      "severity": "major",
      "case_context": "Engineer B removed from project but retains ethical concerns",
      "source_text": "The MWC discharged Engineer B and ABC Engineers from project involvement",
      "is_existing_class": false,
      "confidence": 0.9
    },
    {
      "identifier": "Five_Year_Implementation_Constraint",
      "constraint_class": "Procedural Constraint",
      "constrained_entity": "Water treatment improvements",
      "constraint_statement": "Water treatment updates must be completed within five-year timeframe",
      "source": "State Department approval conditions",
      "enforcement_mechanism": "State regulatory oversight",
      "temporal_scope": "Five years from approval",
      "severity": "major",
      "case_context": "Allows water source change before treatment upgrades",
      "source_text": "approved the change of water source, with a five-year implementation plan to provide updated water treatment",
      "is_existing_class": true,
      "confidence": 0.9
    }
  ]
}
```
Capabilities Extraction
LLM Prompt
You are an expert in professional ethics analyzing a case for capabilities (competencies and skills required for professional practice). Based on the literature: - Capabilities are COMPETENCIES that enable norm compliance (Hallamaa & Kalliokoski 2022) - They represent the skills needed to fulfill professional obligations (Dennis et al. 2016) - Capabilities include technical, ethical, communicative, and analytical competencies - They constitute "norm competence" - the ability to act ethically (Kong et al. 2020) Your task is to: 1. Identify NEW CAPABILITY CLASSES not in the existing ontology 2. Extract SPECIFIC CAPABILITY INDIVIDUALS from the case EXISTING CAPABILITIES IN ONTOLOGY (check if your identified capabilities match these before creating new classes): - AI Tool Evaluation Capability: The competency to assess, validate, and appropriately use AI-generated content in professional work - Capability: A realizable entity that can be realized by specific types of actions or processes in professional contexts. This is the Ca component of the formal specification D=(R,P,O,S,Rs,A,E,Ca,Cs). - Capability Type: Meta-class for specific capability types recognized by the ProEthica system - Data Privacy Protection Capability: The competency to safeguard confidential client information when using digital tools and platforms - Justification Capability: Capability to trace reasoning paths connecting decisions to authoritative sources (McLaren 2003, Anderson & Anderson 2018) - Regulatory Compliance Capability: The competency to ensure designs and documents meet local regulations and safety standards - Responsible Charge Capability: The competency to maintain active engagement and supervisory control from conception to completion of engineering work - Technical Capability: A specialized technical skill or competency in a professional domain - Technical Writing Capability: The competency to produce clear, accurate, and professional technical documentation and reports - Technology Integration Capability: The competency to appropriately integrate new technologies while maintaining professional judgment Analyze this facts section: Engineer B, a resident of City M and a consulting engineer with ABC Engineers, was retained to evaluate changing the Metropolitan Water Commission’s (MWC) public water source serving City M from remote reservoirs located in another regional authority to using the local river. The purpose of the contemplated change in water source would be to reduce expenses. City M is a major client of ABC Engineers, through the MWC on water supply projects, and on other public works projects through other commissions and departments. Engineer B’s report recommended to the MWC the need for appropriate water treatment prior to making the change in water source to ensure that sufficient corrosion control is provided so that old service pipes in the MWC service area don’t leach lead in excess of drinking water standards. The report clearly outlined the risk of even short-term exposure of adults, and particularly children, to elevated lead levels if appropriate treatment was not provided concurrent with the change in water source. The MWC met and decided to proceed with the change in water source but to construct water treatment improvements at a later date. Engineer B pointed out at a public meeting with the Water Commissioners that public health and safety would be at risk. Following the meeting, Engineer B provided the Water Commissioners with a letter detailing the risk to public health and safety. Engineer B subsequently sent the original report with a letter to the water supply division of the State Department of the Environment. The MWC discharged Engineer B and ABC Engineers from project involvement in the water source change, and retained XYZ Consultants to assist with implementation. XYZ Consultants provided a report to the Water Commission indicating that insufficient information was available to predict the severity of any potential public health and safety risk. Several months later, Engineer B read in the local newspaper that the professional engineer in charge of the water supply division of the State Department of the Environment had approved the change of water source, with a five-year implementation plan to provide updated water treatment. Engineer B continued to be concerned that public health and safety would be at risk and considered whether there were continuing ethical obligations, and if so, what alternative courses of action as an engineer and/or as a citizen of City M might merit consideration. Extract capabilities following this JSON structure: { "new_capability_classes": [ { "label": "Clear, specific capability class name", "definition": "What competency or skill this capability represents", "capability_type": "technical|ethical|communicative|analytical", "norm_competence_related": "Which professional obligations this capability enables", "skill_level": "basic|intermediate|advanced|expert", "acquisition_method": "How this capability is typically acquired (education, training, experience)", "examples_from_case": ["Example 1 from the case", "Example 2"], "source_text": "EXACT text snippet from case where this capability is identified (max 200 characters)", "confidence": 0.0-1.0, "reasoning": "Why this is a new class not in existing ontology" } ], "capability_individuals": [ { "identifier": "Unique name for this specific capability instance", "capability_class": "Name of the capability class (new or existing)", "possessed_by": "Who has this capability (e.g., 'Engineer L', 'All Licensed PEs')", "capability_statement": "The specific competency (e.g., 'Design stormwater systems')", "demonstrated_through": "How shown in the case (e.g., 'Years of experience', 'Professional license')", "proficiency_level": "basic|intermediate|advanced|expert", "enables_obligations": "Which obligations this capability enables", "temporal_aspect": "When this capability is relevant", "case_context": "How this capability manifests in the specific case", "source_text": "EXACT text snippet from case where this capability is mentioned (max 200 characters)", "is_existing_class": true/false, "confidence": 0.0-1.0 } ] } Focus on: 1. NEW capability types that represent novel competencies 2. Specific capability instances showing professional competencies in this case 3. The relationship between capabilities and norm competence 4. How capabilities enable fulfillment of professional obligations Return ONLY the JSON structure, no additional text.
Saved: 2025-12-29 17:16
LLM Response
```json
{
  "new_capability_classes": [
    {
      "label": "Public Health Risk Assessment Capability",
      "definition": "The competency to evaluate, quantify, and communicate potential public health risks from engineering decisions and infrastructure changes",
      "capability_type": "analytical",
      "norm_competence_related": "Enables fulfillment of obligation to protect public health and safety through systematic risk evaluation",
      "skill_level": "advanced",
      "acquisition_method": "Specialized training in public health engineering, toxicology, and risk assessment methodologies",
      "examples_from_case": ["Evaluating lead leaching risks from old service pipes", "Assessing short-term exposure impacts on children"],
      "source_text": "report clearly outlined the risk of even short-term exposure of adults, and particularly children, to elevated lead levels",
      "confidence": 0.9,
      "reasoning": "Distinct from general Technical Capability - specifically focuses on public health risk evaluation competency not covered in existing ontology"
    },
    {
      "label": "Whistleblowing Capability",
      "definition": "The competency to appropriately escalate safety concerns through proper channels when client decisions endanger public welfare",
      "capability_type": "ethical",
      "norm_competence_related": "Enables fulfillment of paramount duty to public safety when normal channels fail",
      "skill_level": "advanced",
      "acquisition_method": "Ethics training, understanding of regulatory reporting requirements, professional codes of conduct",
      "examples_from_case": ["Sending report to State Department after client dismissal", "Continuing concern after discharge"],
      "source_text": "Engineer B subsequently sent the original report with a letter to the water supply division of the State Department of the Environment",
      "confidence": 0.85,
      "reasoning": "Goes beyond Regulatory Compliance - involves ethical decision-making about when and how to report concerns outside normal client relationships"
    }
  ],
  "capability_individuals": [
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerB_PublicHealthRiskAssessment",
      "capability_class": "Public Health Risk Assessment Capability",
      "possessed_by": "Engineer B",
      "capability_statement": "Evaluate water source changes for lead contamination risks to public health",
      "demonstrated_through": "Comprehensive report on corrosion control and lead leaching risks",
      "proficiency_level": "expert",
      "enables_obligations": "Duty to protect public health and safety in water system design",
      "temporal_aspect": "During initial evaluation and continuing after discharge",
      "case_context": "Identified critical health risks from water source change without proper treatment",
      "source_text": "report recommended to the MWC the need for appropriate water treatment prior to making the change in water source",
      "is_existing_class": false,
      "confidence": 0.95
    },
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerB_TechnicalWriting",
      "capability_class": "Technical Writing Capability",
      "possessed_by": "Engineer B",
      "capability_statement": "Produce clear technical reports on water treatment requirements and risks",
      "demonstrated_through": "Written report and follow-up letter to Water Commissioners",
      "proficiency_level": "advanced",
      "enables_obligations": "Duty to communicate technical findings clearly to decision-makers",
      "temporal_aspect": "Throughout project engagement",
      "case_context": "Documented risks in formal report and letter detailing public health concerns",
      "source_text": "Engineer B provided the Water Commissioners with a letter detailing the risk to public health and safety",
      "is_existing_class": true,
      "confidence": 0.9
    },
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerB_Whistleblowing",
      "capability_class": "Whistleblowing Capability",
      "possessed_by": "Engineer B",
      "capability_statement": "Report public safety concerns to appropriate regulatory authorities",
      "demonstrated_through": "Sending report to State Department of Environment after client discharge",
      "proficiency_level": "advanced",
      "enables_obligations": "Paramount duty to public welfare when client actions endanger public",
      "temporal_aspect": "After discharge from project",
      "case_context": "Escalated concerns to state authority when client ignored safety recommendations",
      "source_text": "Engineer B subsequently sent the original report with a letter to the water supply division",
      "is_existing_class": false,
      "confidence": 0.85
    },
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerB_ResponsibleCharge",
      "capability_class": "Responsible Charge Capability",
      "possessed_by": "Engineer B",
      "capability_statement": "Maintain professional responsibility for public safety beyond contractual obligations",
      "demonstrated_through": "Continued concern and consideration of obligations after discharge",
      "proficiency_level": "expert",
      "enables_obligations": "Continuing duty to public welfare even after project involvement ends",
      "temporal_aspect": "Continuing after formal project discharge",
      "case_context": "Maintained professional concern for public safety after being removed from project",
      "source_text": "Engineer B continued to be concerned that public health and safety would be at risk",
      "is_existing_class": true,
      "confidence": 0.8
    }
  ]
}
```