The Eight Moral Tests
Philosopher Michael Davis developed a set of eight practical “tests” that engineers can use as heuristics to evaluate a proposed course of action. These tests distill complex ethical theories into simple, intuitive questions.
The Heuristic Framework
When faced with a dilemma, pass your proposed solution through these tests:
- Harm Test: Does this option do less harm than any alternative?
- Publicity Test: Would I want my choice published in the newspaper or seen by the public?
- Defensibility Test: Could I defend this choice before a committee of my peers or a court of law?
- Reversibility Test: Would I still think this choice was good if I were one of those adversely affected by it? (A variation of the #FFD700en Rule).
- Virtue Test: What kind of person would I become if I did this? Does it align with my professional character?
- Professional Test: What does my professional code of ethics or my colleagues say about this?
- Colleague Test: If I told my most respected colleague about this, would they agree with my decision?
- Organization Test: What would the legal or human resources department of my company say about this?
Analysis of the Tests
These tests cover different philosophical dimensions:
- The Harm Test is primarily Utilitarian.
- The Reversibility Test reflects the Kantian “Respect for Persons.”
- The Virtue Test is obviously Agent-Centric.
- The Publicity and Defensibility Tests focus on transparency and social accountability.
Using the Tests in Practice
These tests are not meant to provide a mathematical “score.” Instead, they are tools for reflection. If a proposed action fails the “Reversibility Test” or the “Publicity Test,” it is a strong signal that the action is morally suspect, regardless of its short-term utility or convenience. By applying multiple tests, the engineer gains a holistic view of the ethical landscape, reducing the risk of being blinded by a single perspective or personal bias.