Step 2: Normative Requirements Pass (Discussion Section)

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 (discussion 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: The Board of Ethical Review (BER) has addressed question surrounding an engineer’s duty to report risk to the public health, safety, and welfare on several occasions. For example, in BER Case 76-4 , Engineer was hired to confirm discharge’s effect on water quality will not be below standards. After analysis but before preparing a written report, Engineer verbally advises client that the discharge will reduce water quality below the standards and that remediation will be expensive. Client instructs Engineers not to file a written report, pays Engineer, and terminates the contract. Engineer learns that Client appeared at a public hearing with data showing compliance. Although this case is 45 years old and the specific words of the Code have changed in the interim, the concepts are unchanged. Public health, safety, and welfare are the paramount concern of every engineer and pre-empt any obligation to clients. There is a clear risk to public health, safety, and welfare with a consequent clear duty to report. In BER Case 90-5 , Engineer was retained as an expert by Attorney for the landlord-defendant in a lawsuit involving non-structural functionality issues. Engineer discovered serious structural defects which Engineer believes constitute an immediate threat to the safety of the tenants. Engineer immediately informed Attorney. Attorney instructs Engineer to keep the information confidential since it is part of the lawsuit (which it is not – the tenants included no safety-related complaints). The BER found that Engineer’s obligation to protect the public health, safety, and welfare pre-empted Engineer’s duty of confidentiality to Attorney and Attorney’s client. Consequently, Engineer had an obligation to notify the tenants and the appropriate public authorities of the danger. [The BER did not discuss any consequences of the Attorney’s deceptive practices.] There is a clear risk to public health, safety, and welfare with a consequent clear duty to report. In BER Case 17-3 , Forensic Engineer was retained to conduct a post-arson evaluation of a beam for possible re-use. Forensic Engineer determined that the beam had suffered little enough damage that it could be re-used. However, Forensic Engineer was concerned that the beam appeared to be too light for the loads it carried, ran the appropriate structural calculations, and determined that the beam was seriously undersized. Forensic Engineer includes the information in the written report, expressing the concern that the deficient design had been repeated in other tract homes in the development of the same design. The BER held that Forensic Engineer had an obligation to notify individual homeowners, the local homeowners or community civic association, and local building officials of the findings. Again, there is a clear risk to public health, safety, and welfare with a consequent clear duty to report. In the present case, there is no duty of confidentiality to the builder that would place any obligations of Engineer A in tension. That means that the inquiry is solely focused on whether Engineer A has a duty to intervene by notifying the homeowner.Were the circumstances only slightly different and Engineer A observed clearly hazardous conditions such as frayed, sparking wires or a displaced collar on a water heater that is almost certain to be releasing carbon monoxide, then public health, safety, and welfare would clearly be at risk. However, in the present case, the direct risks are the inoperability of the sprinkler system and property damage from flooding resulting from frozen pipes. If Engineer A has a duty to intervene, it would arise either because of an imminent risk to public health, safety, and welfare or from duties associated with Sections I.4 (faithful agent) and III.1.b (project won’t be successful). Frozen pipes could cause the sprinkler system to become inoperable, posing a potential risk to the public’s health, safety, and welfare, triggering a duty to report the issue to the Owner/Client in writing. The BER holds that Engineer A’s duties under Sections 1.4 (faithful agent) and III.1.b (project won’t be successful) require that Engineer A advise the Owner in writing of the risks associated with frozen pipes. Engineer A does not, however, have a duty to investigate or to recommend mitigation alternatives. 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" } ] }