Sunday, November 4, 2012

An Introduction to Ethics


I have been absent for several months from this blog, completing a book manuscript on ethics, which includes most of the posts here. Now that the manuscript has gone into the publisher, I want to resume posting here, including parts of the work that I wrote over the summer than hasn't yet appeared here. The following is a short introduction to the manuscript - and to the role of ethics in architecture.

Architects have ethical as well as professional responsibilities to protect the health, safety, and welfare of others. Those ethical obligations get addressed to a certain extent in the AIA’s Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct, although that document, which has gone through several iterations since its promulgation in 1909, largely focuses on business ethics: our obligations to clients, colleagues, the profession, the environment, and the general public.

Protecting the public’s health, safety, and welfare, which provides the primary justification for the licensure of architects, has ethical implications that go beyond those of running a business to encompass the design, construction, and operation of buildings. Health relates to the well being of people as both individuals and groups, and it parallels the attention paid in virtue ethics to the development of character traits that that promote well being of each person and society. Indeed, leading a virtuous life can promote both physical and mental health.

Safety involves the related goal of having physical security and freedom from danger. While architects cannot protect people from every danger, building and zoning codes do guard against most physical hazards and the design process does help practitioners anticipate possible risks during the design and detailing of a project. The architect’s attention to public safety and assessment of the possible consequences of every design decision grounds the profession in utilitarianism, with its ethic of seeking the greatest good for the greatest number.

Of all the architect’s responsibilities, welfare remains a less well defined. Not to be confused with the system of governmental support for unemployed people, the welfare obligations of architects does share with those governmental programs the goal of helping people thrive and prosper. The areas of ethics most closely related to that goal are social contract ethics, which addresses the agreements that individuals enter into as members of a society, and duty ethics, which argues that we should treat others as we would want to be treated were we in their situation.

The architect’s responsibilities for the health, safety, and welfare of others makes the practice of architecture inherently ethical, in a profession that encounters ethical dilemmas almost continuously in the course of designing and constructing buildings. Understanding the basic systems and principles of ethics can help architects resolve those dilemmas by helping practitioners determine what is the right thing to do in a particular situation. A good grasp of ethics also enables practitioners to have greater success in meeting the needs and expectations of communities, clients, co-workers, consultants, contractors, and the whole range of people involved in and affected by architecture.  

22 comments:

  1. Thanks for this! I am a young architecture student at Lawrence Tech University out of Michigan and I am doing research for an ethics paper based on my chosen profession.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Just Interio is an interior designing company in Delhi NCR. We offer quality interior designing services in Delhi NCR.

    Office Interior Designers
    Interior Designers in Indirapuram

    ReplyDelete
  3. very good blog.
    Home and Beyond is the best home interior designer in India.
    modular kitchen designs
    small house interior design

    ReplyDelete
  4. We are a boutique custom home builder with a business model set to complete about 16 homes per year. By limiting the number of homes we build annually, we can give the attention to our customers that they expect and deserve.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Very Good Blog

    We are the Leading Best Pest Control Services In Chennai, Madurai, Coimbatore, Trichy and Bangalore.
    (Best Price With Warranty)
    Termite control (Pre Construction & Post Construction)
    Rat control Services
    Cockroach control Services
    Bed Bugs control Services
    Call Now: 9941916916

    ReplyDelete
  6. Here is the investors contact Email details,_   lfdsloans@lemeridianfds.com  Or Whatsapp +1 989-394-3740 that helped me with loan of 90,000.00 Euros to startup my business and I'm very grateful,It was really hard on me here trying to make a way as a single mother things hasn't be easy with me but with the help of Le_Meridian put smile on my face as i watch my business growing stronger and expanding as well.I know you may surprise why me putting things like this here but i really have to express my gratitude so anyone seeking for financial help or going through hardship with there business or want to startup business project can see to this and have hope of getting out of the hardship..Thank You.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Pest control services Chennai is a dedicated service solution to all your pest and insect troubles in Chennai.
    Pest control services in chennai.
    Pest control in chennai.
    Pest control services near me.

    ReplyDelete
  8. Realme Mobile Service center in Chennai
    Realme Servicing by No. 1 Leaders Awesome Services On-time, Every time!
    Realme Mobile Service Center in Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  9. iPhone Service center in Bangalore No. 1 Leaders Awesome Services On-time, Every time!
    iPhone Service Center in Bangalore
    Apple Service center in Bangalore
    Apple Service Center in Bangalore

    ReplyDelete
  10. Mi Service Center in Chennai

    Mi Service Center in Chennai No. 1 Leaders Awesome Services On-time, Every time!
    Mi Service Center in Chennai
    Redmi Service Center in Chennai
    Mi Service Center in Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  11. Moto service center in Chennai
    Leading Motorola Service Center In Chennai. Fast & Reliable Services On-time, Every time!
    Moto service center in Chennai
    Motorola Service Center In Chennai
    Motorola Service Center In Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  12. Iphone service center in Chennai

    Iphone service Center in Chennai offers you best quality of Services On-time, Every time!
    IPhone Service Center in Chennai
    Apple Iphone Service center in Chennai
    Apple Service Center in Chennai
    Apple Service center in Chennai
    IPhone Service Center in Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  13. LG Mobile Service Center In Chennai

    LG Mobile Service Center In Chennai. Providing Fast, Honest, Reliable & Cost Effective Service Solutions To The LG Mobile Users.
    LG Mobile Service Center In Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  14. Nokia Mobile Service Center In Chennai
    Nokia Mobile Service Center In Chennai. Providing Fast, Honest, Reliable & Cost Effective Service Solutions to The Nokia Mobile Users.
    NOkia Mobile Service Center In Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  15. Honor service center in Chennai

    Honor Service Center in Chennai for the Best & Right Place to service your Honor mobile phone.
    Honor Service Center in Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  16. Ipad service center in Chennai

    Ipad service Center in Chennai offers you best quality of Services On-time, Every time!
    Ipad Service Center in Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  17. Acer Service Center in Chennai

    Acer Service Center in Chennai Best service for all model acer laptop and desktop Services On-time, Every time!
    Acer Laptop Service Center in Chennai
    Acer Service Center in Chennai
    Acer Service Center in Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  18. Lenovo Service Center in Chennai

    Lenovo Service Center Chennai
    Lenovo Service Center Chennai
    Lenovo service center near me in Chennai
    Lenovo service center near me in Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  19. Awesome Post!!!

    Redmi Service Center in Chennai

    Redmi Service Center in Chennai No. 1 Leaders Awesome Services On-time, Every time!
    Redmi Service center in chennai
    Mi Service Center in Chennai
    Mi Service Center in Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  20. WOW Great Post!!!

    Apple iPhone Service Center in Chennai

    Chennai No-1 Apple iPhone Service Center in Chennai
    Apple iPhone Service Center in Chennai
    Iphone Service Center in Chennai
    Iphone Service Center in Chennai
    Apple Service Center In Chennai
    Apple Service Center In Chennai

    ReplyDelete
  21. Oneplus Service Center in Bangalore

    Oneplus Repair Service Center in Bangalore. For the finest service and fastest delivery for your Oneplus mobile, visit us! Go home a happy customer! Connect with us!!

    Oneplus Mobile Service Center in Bangalore

    ReplyDelete