The past few days of discussion on Rhetoric have been thought provoking. I think the biggest thing that has stood out to me is Aristotle’s strong position on the ethical implications of Rhetoric. Ethics is a controversial subject in today’s world for sure. I think every field or career has a wide range of ethical implications.
I am a mechanical engineering major and although it is a highly technical field ethics still holds an important place in the work of engineers. I think as Rhetoric can be seen in so many conversational scenarios so can ethics.
Personally I try to live of life of integrity and that means behaving ethically even when no one may know. I hope that as I created Rhetorical pieces of writing in class that I may never sacrifice my integrity for the sake of making a point. I believe that no matter how great a reward is at stake it will never be worth behaving unethically and sacrificing my integrity.
As a former ME student and current Construction Science and Management student i too am faced with decisions of ethics out on a job. The CSM program grooms most of us to be project managers or site superintendents, thus entrusting us with the task of making sure the job is built on time, under/on budget and also safely and correctly. All of these points of measure introduce an opportunity for ethical misconduct but like you said, i will not sacrifice my integrity for the sake of a project.
ReplyDeleteI am a Civil Engineering student and your statements about rhetoric, ethics, and integrity interests me. As engineers we are regarded by the public as being one of the most ethical professions which is strongly linked to our integrity and desire to protect the welfare of the public. However, I am unsure how this idea of rhetoric plays out in our vocation. To what degree is being a good rhetorician important to us and why should we study rhetoric?
ReplyDeleteI definitely agree with the above comments and as an engineering student myself, rhetoric does seem to dance the line of ethical standards in the engineering world. Although it can be used for unethical means, I feel rhetoric is important as an engineer if used honestly, and without mal-intent. For instance, say an owner doesn't know jack squat about steel columns and wants to have his building look like a bunker due to his inexperience. An engineer will have to use rhetoric to persuade the owner to not go overboard on the steel design, when an equally strong, but more economical and aesthetically pleasing option might be availiable. I feel it is in an engineers intrest to be an honest mechanic of rhetoric, due to the fact that all and engineer has is his reputation in the buisness, and once that is lost, it is very difficult to have work, or to retain his/her professional status.
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