Step 2: Normative Requirements Pass (Facts Section)

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

Duty to Report Misconduct
Step 2 of 5

Facts Section

Section Content:
Facts:
Engineer A works in a metropolitan area bordering on two states, and designs bridges and culverts as an employee of ABC Consultants, working in both State Q and State Z.
ABC’s competitors, XYZ Engineers, hired a new project manager, Engineer B, with extensive experience in responsible charge of projects in another region, and began to market bridge and culvert designs in both states.
Engineer B’s projects completed while in previous employment did not involve proprietary design concepts, and the capabilities of project team members on those projects were within Engineer B’s areas of expertise.
XYZ Engineers’ qualifications statements accompanying their project proposals clearly indicate their projects in the body of the proposal.
In addition, at the beginning of an individual qualification section, Engineer B’s projects for a different firm are identified as a part of Engineer B’s experience, identifying the prior employer and the associated client for each project.
However, while this notice appears to indicate an intent to provide transparency, this notice was not included in all paragraphs of the lengthy individual descriptions of those projects.
Engineer A questions whether this proposal/marketing practice is misleading to clients and unethical.
Engineer A decides to review the NSPE Code of Ethics and the engineering licensing board law and rules of professional conduct in both states.
The State Q Licensing Board Rules, patterned after the NCEES Model Rules, indicate in relevant part that “presentations incidental to the solicitation of employment shall not misrepresent facts concerning employers, employees, associates, joint ventures or past accomplishments”.
Engineer Q finds that the Rules in State Z, which have a long and unique legislative history, are much more specific, indicating in part that “a licensee who has been an employee of another design firm may not claim unconditional credit for design projects contracted for in the name of a previous employer”, and that “any list of such projects must include, next to the specific project listing, detailed information naming the previous firm and the licensee’s specific involvement in the project”.
The Rules in both states require a licensee who has knowledge or reason to believe that a person or firm has violated those Rules to report such knowledge or belief to the Board of Licensure in writing.
Engineer Q considers whether this proposal/marketing practice is unethical in accordance with the NSPE Code of Ethics and whether Engineer A has an obligation to report to the two licensing jurisdictions.
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 A works in a metropolitan area bordering on two states, and designs bridges and culverts as an employee of ABC Consultants, working in both State Q and State Z. ABC’s competitors, XYZ Engineers, hired a new project manager, Engineer B, with extensive experience in responsible charge of projects in another region, and began to market bridge and culvert designs in both states. Engineer B’s projects completed while in previous employment did not involve proprietary design concepts, and the capabilities of project team members on those projects were within Engineer B’s areas of expertise. XYZ Engineers’ qualifications statements accompanying their project proposals clearly indicate their projects in the body of the proposal. In addition, at the beginning of an individual qualification section, Engineer B’s projects for a different firm are identified as a part of Engineer B’s experience, identifying the prior employer and the associated client for each project. However, while this notice appears to indicate an intent to provide transparency, this notice was not included in all paragraphs of the lengthy individual descriptions of those projects. Engineer A questions whether this proposal/marketing practice is misleading to clients and unethical. Engineer A decides to review the NSPE Code of Ethics and the engineering licensing board law and rules of professional conduct in both states. The State Q Licensing Board Rules, patterned after the NCEES Model Rules, indicate in relevant part that “presentations incidental to the solicitation of employment shall not misrepresent facts concerning employers, employees, associates, joint ventures or past accomplishments”. Engineer Q finds that the Rules in State Z, which have a long and unique legislative history, are much more specific, indicating in part that “a licensee who has been an employee of another design firm may not claim unconditional credit for design projects contracted for in the name of a previous employer”, and that “any list of such projects must include, next to the specific project listing, detailed information naming the previous firm and the licensee’s specific involvement in the project”. The Rules in both states require a licensee who has knowledge or reason to believe that a person or firm has violated those Rules to report such knowledge or belief to the Board of Licensure in writing. Engineer Q considers whether this proposal/marketing practice is unethical in accordance with the NSPE Code of Ethics and whether Engineer A has an obligation to report to the two licensing jurisdictions. 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 17:33
LLM Response
```json
{
    "new_principle_classes": [
        {
            "label": "Professional Attribution",
            "definition": "Principle requiring accurate representation of credit and responsibility for professional work and accomplishments",
            "abstract_nature": "Truthfulness and intellectual honesty in professional claims",
            "extensional_examples": ["Project portfolios", "Resume claims", "Marketing materials", "Proposal submissions"],
            "value_basis": "Honesty and respect for intellectual contributions",
            "application_context": ["Competitive bidding", "Job applications", "Professional marketing", "Firm qualifications"],
            "operationalization": "Through clear identification of roles, employers, and specific contributions in all professional representations",
            "balancing_requirements": ["Competitive advantage", "Marketing effectiveness", "Professional mobility"],
            "examples_from_case": ["Engineer B's projects for a different firm are identified as a part of Engineer B's experience", "any list of such projects must include, next to the specific project listing, detailed information"],
            "source_text": "a licensee who has been an employee of another design firm may not claim unconditional credit for design projects contracted for in the name of a previous employer"
        },
        {
            "label": "Regulatory Compliance",
            "definition": "Principle requiring adherence to jurisdiction-specific professional regulations and standards",
            "abstract_nature": "Rule of law and professional accountability across jurisdictions",
            "extensional_examples": ["Multi-state practice", "Cross-border projects", "Varying licensing requirements"],
            "value_basis": "Respect for legal authority and professional standards",
            "application_context": ["Interstate practice", "Multi-jurisdictional projects", "Professional licensing"],
            "operationalization": "Through knowledge and application of specific rules in each jurisdiction of practice",
            "balancing_requirements": ["Business efficiency", "Competitive practices", "Varying state requirements"],
            "examples_from_case": ["Engineer A works in a metropolitan area bordering on two states", "State Q Licensing Board Rules", "Rules in State Z"],
            "source_text": "Engineer A decides to review the NSPE Code of Ethics and the engineering licensing board law and rules of professional conduct in both states"
        }
    ],
    "principle_individuals": [
        {
            "identifier": "Transparency_XYZ_Proposals",
            "principle_class": "Transparency Principle",
            "concrete_expression": "Engineer B's projects for a different firm are identified as a part of Engineer B's experience, identifying the prior employer and the associated client for each project",
            "invoked_by": ["XYZ Engineers", "Engineer B"],
            "applied_to": ["qualifications statements", "project proposals"],
            "interpretation": "Partial transparency through initial disclosure but incomplete follow-through in detailed descriptions",
            "source_text": "while this notice appears to indicate an intent to provide transparency, this notice was not included in all paragraphs of the lengthy individual descriptions",
            "balancing_with": ["Marketing effectiveness", "Competitive advantage"],
            "tension_resolution": "Incomplete transparency raises ethical questions despite initial disclosure",
            "case_relevance": "Central to determining whether the practice is misleading"
        },
        {
            "identifier": "Integrity_Reporting_Obligation",
            "principle_class": "Integrity Principle",
            "concrete_expression": "The Rules in both states require a licensee who has knowledge or reason to believe that a person or firm has violated those Rules to report such knowledge or belief to the Board of Licensure in writing",
            "invoked_by": ["State Q Rules", "State Z Rules"],
            "applied_to": ["Engineer A's decision whether to report"],
            "interpretation": "Professional integrity requires reporting suspected violations to maintain profession's standards",
            "source_text": "The Rules in both states require a licensee who has knowledge or reason to believe that a person or firm has violated those Rules to report such knowledge or belief",
            "balancing_with": ["Professional courtesy", "Competitive relationships"],
            "tension_resolution": "Regulatory requirement makes reporting obligatory regardless of competitive considerations",
            "case_relevance": "Determines Engineer A's ethical obligation to report"
        },
        {
            "identifier": "Honesty_Marketing_StateQ",
            "principle_class": "Professional Virtue Principle",
            "concrete_expression": "presentations incidental to the solicitation of employment shall not misrepresent facts concerning employers, employees, associates, joint ventures or past accomplishments",
            "invoked_by": ["State Q Licensing Board Rules"],
            "applied_to": ["XYZ Engineers' proposal practices"],
            "interpretation": "Honesty requires accurate representation of all professional relationships and accomplishments",
            "source_text": "presentations incidental to the solicitation of employment shall not misrepresent facts concerning employers, employees, associates, joint ventures or past accomplishments",
            "balancing_with": ["Marketing effectiveness", "Brevity in proposals"],
            "tension_resolution": "Accuracy in representation takes precedence over marketing convenience",
            "case_relevance": "Provides standard for evaluating XYZ's practices in State Q"
        },
        {
            "identifier": "Attribution_Requirement_StateZ",
            "principle_class": "Professional Attribution",
            "concrete_expression": "a licensee who has been an employee of another design firm may not claim unconditional credit for design projects contracted for in the name of a previous employer",
            "invoked_by": ["State Z Rules"],
            "applied_to": ["Engineer B's project claims"],
            "interpretation": "Strict requirement for conditional credit with detailed attribution for all previous employer projects",
            "source_text": "any list of such projects must include, next to the specific project listing, detailed information naming the previous firm and the licensee's specific involvement in the project",
            "balancing_with": ["Professional mobility", "Individual accomplishment recognition"],
            "tension_resolution": "State Z requires complete attribution regardless of impact on individual marketing",
            "case_relevance": "Establishes clear violation in State Z jurisdiction"
        }
    ]
}
```
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 A works in a metropolitan area bordering on two states, and designs bridges and culverts as an employee of ABC Consultants, working in both State Q and State Z. ABC’s competitors, XYZ Engineers, hired a new project manager, Engineer B, with extensive experience in responsible charge of projects in another region, and began to market bridge and culvert designs in both states. Engineer B’s projects completed while in previous employment did not involve proprietary design concepts, and the capabilities of project team members on those projects were within Engineer B’s areas of expertise. XYZ Engineers’ qualifications statements accompanying their project proposals clearly indicate their projects in the body of the proposal. In addition, at the beginning of an individual qualification section, Engineer B’s projects for a different firm are identified as a part of Engineer B’s experience, identifying the prior employer and the associated client for each project. However, while this notice appears to indicate an intent to provide transparency, this notice was not included in all paragraphs of the lengthy individual descriptions of those projects. Engineer A questions whether this proposal/marketing practice is misleading to clients and unethical. Engineer A decides to review the NSPE Code of Ethics and the engineering licensing board law and rules of professional conduct in both states. The State Q Licensing Board Rules, patterned after the NCEES Model Rules, indicate in relevant part that “presentations incidental to the solicitation of employment shall not misrepresent facts concerning employers, employees, associates, joint ventures or past accomplishments”. Engineer Q finds that the Rules in State Z, which have a long and unique legislative history, are much more specific, indicating in part that “a licensee who has been an employee of another design firm may not claim unconditional credit for design projects contracted for in the name of a previous employer”, and that “any list of such projects must include, next to the specific project listing, detailed information naming the previous firm and the licensee’s specific involvement in the project”. The Rules in both states require a licensee who has knowledge or reason to believe that a person or firm has violated those Rules to report such knowledge or belief to the Board of Licensure in writing. Engineer Q considers whether this proposal/marketing practice is unethical in accordance with the NSPE Code of Ethics and whether Engineer A has an obligation to report to the two licensing jurisdictions. 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 17:33
LLM Response
```json
{
  "new_obligation_classes": [
    {
      "label": "Marketing Transparency Obligation",
      "definition": "Requirement to clearly and consistently identify the source and context of all project experience claims in professional marketing materials",
      "derived_from_principle": "Honesty and Truthfulness",
      "duty_type": "professional",
      "enforcement_mechanism": "State licensing board review and sanctions",
      "violation_consequences": "Board sanctions, loss of license, damage to professional reputation",
      "examples_from_case": ["Clear identification of prior employer for each project", "Consistent attribution throughout proposal documents"],
      "source_text": "presentations incidental to the solicitation of employment shall not misrepresent facts concerning employers, employees, associates, joint ventures or past accomplishments",
      "confidence": 0.85,
      "reasoning": "Distinct from Attribution Obligation as it specifically addresses marketing/solicitation contexts and requires transparency about employment history, not just citing sources"
    },
    {
      "label": "Project Credit Obligation",
      "definition": "Duty to accurately represent one's role and employer context when claiming credit for past projects in professional contexts",
      "derived_from_principle": "Professional Integrity",
      "duty_type": "legal",
      "enforcement_mechanism": "State licensing board enforcement",
      "violation_consequences": "License suspension or revocation, legal penalties",
      "examples_from_case": ["Cannot claim unconditional credit for projects done under previous employer", "Must specify exact involvement in past projects"],
      "source_text": "a licensee who has been an employee of another design firm may not claim unconditional credit for design projects contracted for in the name of a previous employer",
      "confidence": 0.90,
      "reasoning": "Goes beyond general attribution to specifically address claiming credit for work done under different employment, with legal force in State Z"
    }
  ],
  "obligation_individuals": [
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerB_MarketingTransparency_StateQ",
      "obligation_class": "Marketing Transparency Obligation",
      "obligated_party": "Engineer B",
      "obligation_statement": "Must not misrepresent facts concerning past accomplishments and employers in project proposals",
      "derived_from": "State Q Licensing Board Rules",
      "enforcement_context": "State Q licensing board enforcement",
      "temporal_scope": "When submitting proposals in State Q",
      "compliance_status": "unclear",
      "case_context": "Engineer B's proposals identify prior employer at beginning but not consistently throughout",
      "source_text": "presentations incidental to the solicitation of employment shall not misrepresent facts concerning employers, employees, associates",
      "is_existing_class": false,
      "confidence": 0.85
    },
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerB_ProjectCredit_StateZ",
      "obligation_class": "Project Credit Obligation",
      "obligated_party": "Engineer B",
      "obligation_statement": "Must include detailed information naming previous firm and specific involvement next to each project listing",
      "derived_from": "State Z Licensing Board Rules",
      "enforcement_context": "State Z licensing board enforcement",
      "temporal_scope": "When marketing services in State Z",
      "compliance_status": "unmet",
      "case_context": "Engineer B failed to include attribution next to specific project listings throughout the proposal",
      "source_text": "any list of such projects must include, next to the specific project listing, detailed information naming the previous firm",
      "is_existing_class": false,
      "confidence": 0.95
    },
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerA_Reporting_StateQ",
      "obligation_class": "Reporting Obligation",
      "obligated_party": "Engineer A",
      "obligation_statement": "Must report knowledge or belief of Rules violations to State Q Board of Licensure in writing",
      "derived_from": "State Q Licensing Board Rules",
      "enforcement_context": "State licensing board requirement",
      "temporal_scope": "Upon having knowledge or reason to believe violation occurred",
      "compliance_status": "pending",
      "case_context": "Engineer A has reason to believe Engineer B violated State Q rules regarding misrepresentation",
      "source_text": "The Rules in both states require a licensee who has knowledge or reason to believe that a person or firm has violated those Rules to report",
      "is_existing_class": true,
      "confidence": 0.90
    },
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerA_Reporting_StateZ",
      "obligation_class": "Reporting Obligation",
      "obligated_party": "Engineer A",
      "obligation_statement": "Must report knowledge or belief of Rules violations to State Z Board of Licensure in writing",
      "derived_from": "State Z Licensing Board Rules",
      "enforcement_context": "State licensing board requirement",
      "temporal_scope": "Upon having knowledge or reason to believe violation occurred",
      "compliance_status": "pending",
      "case_context": "Engineer A has reason to believe Engineer B violated State Z's specific project credit requirements",
      "source_text": "The Rules in both states require a licensee who has knowledge or reason to believe that a person or firm has violated those Rules to report",
      "is_existing_class": true,
      "confidence": 0.95
    }
  ]
}
```
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 A works in a metropolitan area bordering on two states, and designs bridges and culverts as an employee of ABC Consultants, working in both State Q and State Z. ABC’s competitors, XYZ Engineers, hired a new project manager, Engineer B, with extensive experience in responsible charge of projects in another region, and began to market bridge and culvert designs in both states. Engineer B’s projects completed while in previous employment did not involve proprietary design concepts, and the capabilities of project team members on those projects were within Engineer B’s areas of expertise. XYZ Engineers’ qualifications statements accompanying their project proposals clearly indicate their projects in the body of the proposal. In addition, at the beginning of an individual qualification section, Engineer B’s projects for a different firm are identified as a part of Engineer B’s experience, identifying the prior employer and the associated client for each project. However, while this notice appears to indicate an intent to provide transparency, this notice was not included in all paragraphs of the lengthy individual descriptions of those projects. Engineer A questions whether this proposal/marketing practice is misleading to clients and unethical. Engineer A decides to review the NSPE Code of Ethics and the engineering licensing board law and rules of professional conduct in both states. The State Q Licensing Board Rules, patterned after the NCEES Model Rules, indicate in relevant part that “presentations incidental to the solicitation of employment shall not misrepresent facts concerning employers, employees, associates, joint ventures or past accomplishments”. Engineer Q finds that the Rules in State Z, which have a long and unique legislative history, are much more specific, indicating in part that “a licensee who has been an employee of another design firm may not claim unconditional credit for design projects contracted for in the name of a previous employer”, and that “any list of such projects must include, next to the specific project listing, detailed information naming the previous firm and the licensee’s specific involvement in the project”. The Rules in both states require a licensee who has knowledge or reason to believe that a person or firm has violated those Rules to report such knowledge or belief to the Board of Licensure in writing. Engineer Q considers whether this proposal/marketing practice is unethical in accordance with the NSPE Code of Ethics and whether Engineer A has an obligation to report to the two licensing jurisdictions. 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 17:34
LLM Response
```json
{
  "new_constraint_classes": [
    {
      "label": "Marketing Attribution Constraint",
      "definition": "Limitations on how past work experience and projects can be claimed or presented in professional marketing materials and proposals",
      "constraint_type": "legal",
      "flexibility": "hard",
      "violation_impact": "Misleading clients, potential ethics violations, licensing board sanctions",
      "mitigation_possible": "Can be mitigated through proper attribution and disclosure in all references",
      "examples_from_case": ["Cannot claim unconditional credit for previous employer's projects", "Must include detailed attribution next to project listings"],
      "source_text": "a licensee who has been an employee of another design firm may not claim unconditional credit for design projects contracted for in the name of a previous employer",
      "confidence": 0.9,
      "reasoning": "While Attribution Constraint exists, this specifically addresses marketing/proposal contexts with legal requirements for how past work is presented, distinct from general attribution"
    },
    {
      "label": "Reporting Obligation Constraint",
      "definition": "Boundaries that trigger mandatory reporting requirements when violations are observed or suspected",
      "constraint_type": "legal",
      "flexibility": "hard",
      "violation_impact": "Failure to report known violations may result in professional sanctions",
      "mitigation_possible": "Cannot be mitigated - reporting is mandatory when triggered",
      "examples_from_case": ["Must report known violations to licensing board", "Required to report in writing when having knowledge or reason to believe violations occurred"],
      "source_text": "The Rules in both states require a licensee who has knowledge or reason to believe that a person or firm has violated those Rules to report",
      "confidence": 0.85,
      "reasoning": "Creates a boundary condition that when crossed (observing violations) triggers mandatory action, distinct from general ethical constraints"
    }
  ],
  "constraint_individuals": [
    {
      "identifier": "StateQ_Misrepresentation_Constraint",
      "constraint_class": "Regulatory Constraint",
      "constrained_entity": "All engineers practicing in State Q",
      "constraint_statement": "Presentations incidental to solicitation shall not misrepresent facts concerning employers, employees, associates, joint ventures or past accomplishments",
      "source": "State Q Licensing Board Rules",
      "enforcement_mechanism": "State licensing board enforcement",
      "temporal_scope": "During all solicitation activities",
      "severity": "major",
      "case_context": "Applies to XYZ Engineers' proposal practices in State Q",
      "source_text": "presentations incidental to the solicitation of employment shall not misrepresent facts concerning employers, employees, associates",
      "is_existing_class": true,
      "confidence": 0.95
    },
    {
      "identifier": "StateZ_Project_Credit_Constraint",
      "constraint_class": "Marketing Attribution Constraint",
      "constrained_entity": "Engineer B and all licensees in State Z",
      "constraint_statement": "Cannot claim unconditional credit for design projects contracted for in the name of a previous employer",
      "source": "State Z Licensing Board Rules",
      "enforcement_mechanism": "State Z licensing board enforcement",
      "temporal_scope": "When presenting past project experience",
      "severity": "critical",
      "case_context": "Engineer B's presentation of prior employer projects in proposals",
      "source_text": "a licensee who has been an employee of another design firm may not claim unconditional credit for design projects",
      "is_existing_class": false,
      "confidence": 0.95
    },
    {
      "identifier": "StateZ_Attribution_Detail_Constraint",
      "constraint_class": "Marketing Attribution Constraint",
      "constrained_entity": "Engineer B and all licensees in State Z",
      "constraint_statement": "Must include detailed information naming previous firm and specific involvement next to each project listing",
      "source": "State Z Licensing Board Rules",
      "enforcement_mechanism": "State Z licensing board enforcement",
      "temporal_scope": "In all project listings in marketing materials",
      "severity": "critical",
      "case_context": "Engineer B failed to include attribution in all paragraphs of project descriptions",
      "source_text": "any list of such projects must include, next to the specific project listing, detailed information naming the previous firm",
      "is_existing_class": false,
      "confidence": 0.95
    },
    {
      "identifier": "Mandatory_Violation_Reporting_Constraint",
      "constraint_class": "Reporting Obligation Constraint",
      "constrained_entity": "Engineer A",
      "constraint_statement": "Must report in writing to Board when having knowledge or reason to believe violations occurred",
      "source": "State Q and State Z Licensing Board Rules",
      "enforcement_mechanism": "Professional licensing board sanctions",
      "temporal_scope": "Upon gaining knowledge of potential violations",
      "severity": "critical",
      "case_context": "Engineer A's obligation upon discovering potential violations by Engineer B",
      "source_text": "require a licensee who has knowledge or reason to believe that a person or firm has violated those Rules to report",
      "is_existing_class": false,
      "confidence": 0.9
    },
    {
      "identifier": "Jurisdictional_Practice_Boundary",
      "constraint_class": "Jurisdictional Constraint",
      "constrained_entity": "ABC Consultants and XYZ Engineers",
      "constraint_statement": "Must comply with different rules when operating across State Q and State Z boundaries",
      "source": "State licensing jurisdictions",
      "enforcement_mechanism": "Respective state licensing boards",
      "temporal_scope": "When practicing in each respective state",
      "severity": "major",
      "case_context": "Both firms operate in metropolitan area spanning two states with different rules",
      "source_text": "Engineer A works in a metropolitan area bordering on two states...working in both State Q and State Z",
      "is_existing_class": true,
      "confidence": 0.85
    }
  ]
}
```
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 A works in a metropolitan area bordering on two states, and designs bridges and culverts as an employee of ABC Consultants, working in both State Q and State Z. ABC’s competitors, XYZ Engineers, hired a new project manager, Engineer B, with extensive experience in responsible charge of projects in another region, and began to market bridge and culvert designs in both states. Engineer B’s projects completed while in previous employment did not involve proprietary design concepts, and the capabilities of project team members on those projects were within Engineer B’s areas of expertise. XYZ Engineers’ qualifications statements accompanying their project proposals clearly indicate their projects in the body of the proposal. In addition, at the beginning of an individual qualification section, Engineer B’s projects for a different firm are identified as a part of Engineer B’s experience, identifying the prior employer and the associated client for each project. However, while this notice appears to indicate an intent to provide transparency, this notice was not included in all paragraphs of the lengthy individual descriptions of those projects. Engineer A questions whether this proposal/marketing practice is misleading to clients and unethical. Engineer A decides to review the NSPE Code of Ethics and the engineering licensing board law and rules of professional conduct in both states. The State Q Licensing Board Rules, patterned after the NCEES Model Rules, indicate in relevant part that “presentations incidental to the solicitation of employment shall not misrepresent facts concerning employers, employees, associates, joint ventures or past accomplishments”. Engineer Q finds that the Rules in State Z, which have a long and unique legislative history, are much more specific, indicating in part that “a licensee who has been an employee of another design firm may not claim unconditional credit for design projects contracted for in the name of a previous employer”, and that “any list of such projects must include, next to the specific project listing, detailed information naming the previous firm and the licensee’s specific involvement in the project”. The Rules in both states require a licensee who has knowledge or reason to believe that a person or firm has violated those Rules to report such knowledge or belief to the Board of Licensure in writing. Engineer Q considers whether this proposal/marketing practice is unethical in accordance with the NSPE Code of Ethics and whether Engineer A has an obligation to report to the two licensing jurisdictions. 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 17:34
LLM Response
```json
{
  "new_capability_classes": [
    {
      "label": "Cross-Jurisdictional Regulatory Knowledge Capability",
      "definition": "The competency to understand and navigate different regulatory requirements across multiple state jurisdictions",
      "capability_type": "analytical",
      "norm_competence_related": "Enables compliance with varying state licensing board rules and professional conduct requirements",
      "skill_level": "advanced",
      "acquisition_method": "Experience working across state boundaries, study of multiple state regulations, continuing education",
      "examples_from_case": ["Working in both State Q and State Z", "Understanding different rules between states"],
      "source_text": "Engineer A works in a metropolitan area bordering on two states, and designs bridges and culverts as an employee of ABC Consultants, working in both State Q and State Z",
      "confidence": 0.9,
      "reasoning": "This represents a distinct competency for understanding and applying different regulatory frameworks across jurisdictions, not covered by the existing Regulatory Compliance Capability which focuses on single jurisdiction compliance"
    },
    {
      "label": "Marketing Ethics Evaluation Capability",
      "definition": "The competency to assess whether marketing materials and proposals accurately represent professional qualifications and past work",
      "capability_type": "ethical",
      "norm_competence_related": "Enables proper representation of professional accomplishments and prevents misleading clients",
      "skill_level": "intermediate",
      "acquisition_method": "Ethics training, professional experience, understanding of marketing standards",
      "examples_from_case": ["Evaluating XYZ's proposal practices", "Identifying potential misrepresentation"],
      "source_text": "Engineer A questions whether this proposal/marketing practice is misleading to clients and unethical",
      "confidence": 0.85,
      "reasoning": "This is a specific ethical competency for evaluating marketing practices that goes beyond general ethical capabilities"
    },
    {
      "label": "Professional Misconduct Reporting Capability",
      "definition": "The competency to identify potential violations of professional conduct rules and properly report them to licensing authorities",
      "capability_type": "ethical",
      "norm_competence_related": "Enables fulfillment of mandatory reporting obligations for professional misconduct",
      "skill_level": "advanced",
      "acquisition_method": "Ethics training, knowledge of reporting procedures, understanding of professional conduct rules",
      "examples_from_case": ["Obligation to report violations", "Writing reports to licensing boards"],
      "source_text": "The Rules in both states require a licensee who has knowledge or reason to believe that a person or firm has violated those Rules to report",
      "confidence": 0.95,
      "reasoning": "This is a distinct capability for recognizing and reporting professional violations, not covered by existing capabilities"
    }
  ],
  "capability_individuals": [
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerA_BridgeDesign",
      "capability_class": "Technical Capability",
      "possessed_by": "Engineer A",
      "capability_statement": "Design bridges and culverts",
      "demonstrated_through": "Employment at ABC Consultants",
      "proficiency_level": "advanced",
      "enables_obligations": "Fulfillment of engineering design responsibilities",
      "temporal_aspect": "Current employment",
      "case_context": "Actively designs infrastructure in two states",
      "source_text": "designs bridges and culverts as an employee of ABC Consultants",
      "is_existing_class": true,
      "confidence": 1.0
    },
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerB_ResponsibleCharge",
      "capability_class": "Responsible Charge Capability",
      "possessed_by": "Engineer B",
      "capability_statement": "Maintain responsible charge of engineering projects",
      "demonstrated_through": "Extensive experience in responsible charge of projects in another region",
      "proficiency_level": "expert",
      "enables_obligations": "Supervision and control of engineering work from conception to completion",
      "temporal_aspect": "Previous employment",
      "case_context": "Experience used in marketing materials for new position",
      "source_text": "Engineer B, with extensive experience in responsible charge of projects in another region",
      "is_existing_class": true,
      "confidence": 1.0
    },
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerA_CrossJurisdictional",
      "capability_class": "Cross-Jurisdictional Regulatory Knowledge Capability",
      "possessed_by": "Engineer A",
      "capability_statement": "Navigate regulatory requirements in State Q and State Z",
      "demonstrated_through": "Working in both states and reviewing both states' rules",
      "proficiency_level": "advanced",
      "enables_obligations": "Compliance with varying state licensing requirements",
      "temporal_aspect": "Current practice",
      "case_context": "Reviews and understands different rules in both states",
      "source_text": "Engineer A decides to review the NSPE Code of Ethics and the engineering licensing board law and rules of professional conduct in both states",
      "is_existing_class": false,
      "confidence": 0.9
    },
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerA_EthicsEvaluation",
      "capability_class": "Marketing Ethics Evaluation Capability",
      "possessed_by": "Engineer A",
      "capability_statement": "Evaluate ethical compliance of competitors' marketing practices",
      "demonstrated_through": "Analysis of XYZ's proposal practices against ethics codes",
      "proficiency_level": "intermediate",
      "enables_obligations": "Professional responsibility to maintain ethical standards in the profession",
      "temporal_aspect": "Current situation",
      "case_context": "Questioning competitor's proposal practices",
      "source_text": "Engineer A questions whether this proposal/marketing practice is misleading to clients and unethical",
      "is_existing_class": false,
      "confidence": 0.85
    },
    {
      "identifier": "EngineerA_MisconductReporting",
      "capability_class": "Professional Misconduct Reporting Capability",
      "possessed_by": "Engineer A",
      "capability_statement": "Report potential violations to licensing boards",
      "demonstrated_through": "Consideration of reporting obligations",
      "proficiency_level": "intermediate",
      "enables_obligations": "Mandatory reporting of professional conduct violations",
      "temporal_aspect": "Current consideration",
      "case_context": "Considering whether to report to two licensing jurisdictions",
      "source_text": "Engineer Q considers whether this proposal/marketing practice is unethical...and whether Engineer A has an obligation to report",
      "is_existing_class": false,
      "confidence": 0.9
    }
  ]
}
```