Engineering is a profession, but what exactly does that mean? What is it that engineers are supposed to profess? 

On one account, to be a professional is to have an exclusive claim on authoritative judgment in some domain, which brings with it a certain social standing and a higher degree of autonomy than is generally possible for those who merely have jobs. That acknowledgment of authority is conditional, however: for the public to accept and to trust such an exclusive claim of expertise, professionals must strive to be worthy of trust.

In short, to become a professional is to make a commitment to practice well and responsibly; it is to be accountable to the public. 

In this course, we will examine the ethical commitments at the heart of engineering through attentive reading, lecture, active discussion and writing.