The ECPD proposed canons of ethics

THE TERM “professional ethics”, is commonly used quite loosely but, in fact, it means “rules of right conduct in which each item is fundamental to social relations” within the scope of professional activities. It is often said that engineering is not a profession because it has been unable to agree upon a suitable code of ethics which applies through the field of all of our great engineering societies. The lawyers, through the American Bar Association many years ago, adopted a code of ethics which they have modified and added to in the interval and which has 47 items. This code is published by the Association under the tide “Canons of Professional Ethics” in a small pamphlet, along with some additional matters relating to judicial ethics. The doctors also, through the American Medical Association, have their code published by the Association in a pamphlet called “Principles of Medical Ethics,” containing 42 items. Each lawyer and physician usually possesses a copy of the pamphlet relating to his profession and cherishes it as of importance in his active life.