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> Anyone who is not willing to promise to behave ethically will have a hard time doing so That is not true. Many people don't accept the authority or legitima

> Anyone who is not willing to promise to behave ethically will have a hard time doing so That is not true. Many people don't accept the authority or legitimacy of those who would demand a pledge (religious, anarchists). I reject out of principal any pledge (and the subjugation to authority it implies). I do the right thing because it is the right thing. Someone asking me to pledge to do the right thing is an insult and an attack on my character/honor. Pledges are also, psychologically, a cop-out. Like giving money to poor people. They let one feel good about themselves and not dwell on the consequences of all their other actions.

rbanffy 17y ago
I feel that, by taking the oath I took, I was reaffirming my commitment to act on a set of professional guidelines. It's also a powerful commitment - you state the rules that will bind your professional (and many times, personal) conduct for life. That's a big thing - a rite of passage (something important we have precious little left). It turned engineering students into professional engineers. It's insane to reject every pledge out of principle. A pledge, specially one like that, sets a good example - a model of conduct. If you are not happy with it (like the author), propose an alternative one, one you would be comfortable taking.The worst that can happen is to make an empty promise, one you know you won't keep. It's deeply demoralizing and we have had lots of that in upper management lately. And, finally, sorry if you feel attacked, but nobody is obliged to trust you to even know what's "the right thing", much less to do it or to agree with the rest of the society on what "good" means. That's what pledges are for.
- shrughes 17y ago
  To some people, rejecting pledges is sane for the same reason that rejecting the right to sell oneself into lifelong slavery is sane.
jfoutz 17y ago
Sounds like a rough way to live. No drivers license. No insurance. No access to debt. I'd have had a real tough time getting any work without promising to actually do the work. Honestly, I'm pretty impressed you're able to maintain an internet connection without promising to behave in a certain way.

rbanffy 17y ago

I feel that, by taking the oath I took, I was reaffirming my commitment to act on a set of professional guidelines. It's also a powerful commitment - you state the rules that will bind your professional (and many times, personal) conduct for life. That's a big thing - a rite of passage (something important we have precious little left). It turned engineering students into professional engineers. It's insane to reject every pledge out of principle. A pledge, specially one like that, sets a good example - a model of conduct. If you are not happy with it (like the author), propose an alternative one, one you would be comfortable taking.The worst that can happen is to make an empty promise, one you know you won't keep. It's deeply demoralizing and we have had lots of that in upper management lately. And, finally, sorry if you feel attacked, but nobody is obliged to trust you to even know what's "the right thing", much less to do it or to agree with the rest of the society on what "good" means. That's what pledges are for.

shrughes 17y ago
To some people, rejecting pledges is sane for the same reason that rejecting the right to sell oneself into lifelong slavery is sane.

jfoutz 17y ago

Sounds like a rough way to live. No drivers license. No insurance. No access to debt. I'd have had a real tough time getting any work without promising to actually do the work. Honestly, I'm pretty impressed you're able to maintain an internet connection without promising to behave in a certain way.