Ethics Code Expansive Interpretation Canon Applied to Plans and Specifications
P · Principle
Individual
http://proethica.org/ontology/case/72#Ethics_Code_Expansive_Interpretation_Canon_Applied_to_Plans_and_Specifications
Properties
Instance of
EthicsCodeExpansiveInterpretationCanon
http://proethica.org/ontology/intermediate#EthicsCodeExpansiveInterpretationCanon
Applied to
§2(c) of the NSPE Code of Ethics as applied to Engineer Doe's written report findings
Balancing with
Strict textual reading of ethics code provisions
Concrete expression
The Board interprets §2(c)'s reference to 'plans and specifications' expansively to include all engineering instruments of service — including written reports — so that the provision's public welfare protective purpose is not defeated by the fact that Doe's work product was a report rather than formal plans
Confidence
0.9
Importance
high
Interpretation
The specific enumeration of 'plans and specifications' in §2(c) must be read in light of the overall thrust of §§2 and 2(a); the provision applies to all engineering instruments of service, not only formal design documents
Invoked by
Engineer Doe Public Health Risk Reporting Engineer
Tension resolution
The purposive interpretation prevails over the literal text; the protective purpose of the provision encompasses all engineering instruments of service
Source Evidence
Source text
We interpret 'plans and specifications' in this section to include all engineering instruments of service.
Text references
It is not material, in our view, that the subject matter does not involve plans and specifications as stipulated in §2(c).
That particular reference must be read in light of the overall thrust of §§2 and 2(a), both of which indicate clearly that the paramount duty of the engineer is to protect the public safety, health and welfare in a broad context.
We interpret 'plans and specifications' in this section to include all engineering instruments of service.
TTL
@prefix case72: <http://proethica.org/ontology/case/72#> .
@prefix owl: <http://www.w3.org/2002/07/owl#> .
@prefix proeth: <http://proethica.org/ontology/intermediate#> .
@prefix prov: <http://www.w3.org/ns/prov#> .
@prefix rdfs: <http://www.w3.org/2000/01/rdf-schema#> .
@prefix xsd: <http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#> .
case72:Ethics_Code_Expansive_Interpretation_Canon_Applied_to_Plans_and_Specifications a proeth:EthicsCodeExpansiveInterpretationCanon,
owl:NamedIndividual ;
rdfs:label "Ethics Code Expansive Interpretation Canon Applied to Plans and Specifications" ;
proeth:appliedto "§2(c) of the NSPE Code of Ethics as applied to Engineer Doe's written report findings" ;
proeth:balancingwith "Strict textual reading of ethics code provisions" ;
proeth:conceptCategory "Principle" ;
proeth:concreteexpression "The Board interprets §2(c)'s reference to 'plans and specifications' expansively to include all engineering instruments of service — including written reports — so that the provision's public welfare protective purpose is not defeated by the fact that Doe's work product was a report rather than formal plans" ;
proeth:confidence "0.9" ;
proeth:discoveredincase "72" ;
proeth:discoveredinpass "2" ;
proeth:discoveredinsection "discussion" ;
proeth:firstdiscoveredat "2026-02-26T12:05:13.603514+00:00" ;
proeth:firstdiscoveredincase "72" ;
proeth:generatedattime "2026-02-26T12:05:13.603514+00:00" ;
proeth:importance "high" ;
proeth:interpretation "The specific enumeration of 'plans and specifications' in §2(c) must be read in light of the overall thrust of §§2 and 2(a); the provision applies to all engineering instruments of service, not only formal design documents" ;
proeth:invokedby "Engineer Doe Public Health Risk Reporting Engineer" ;
proeth:principleclass "Ethics Code Expansive Interpretation Canon" ;
proeth:sourcetext "We interpret 'plans and specifications' in this section to include all engineering instruments of service." ;
proeth:tensionresolution "The purposive interpretation prevails over the literal text; the protective purpose of the provision encompasses all engineering instruments of service" ;
proeth:textreferences "It is not material, in our view, that the subject matter does not involve plans and specifications as stipulated in §2(c).",
"That particular reference must be read in light of the overall thrust of §§2 and 2(a), both of which indicate clearly that the paramount duty of the engineer is to protect the public safety, health and welfare in a broad context.",
"We interpret 'plans and specifications' in this section to include all engineering instruments of service." ;
proeth:wasattributedto "Case 72 Extraction" ;
prov:generatedAtTime "2026-02-26T12:15:43.076069"^^xsd:dateTime ;
prov:wasGeneratedBy "ProEthica Case 72 Extraction" .
Metadata
Extraction details
Discovered in case
72
Discovered in pass
2
Discovered in section
discussion
First discovered
2026-02-26T12:05:13.603514+00:00
First case
72
Generated
2026-02-26T12:05:13.603514+00:00
Attributed to
Case 72 Extraction
Generated
2026-02-26T12:15:43.076069
Generated by
ProEthica Case 72 Extraction