ProEthica Case 77 Ontology
type: Ontology
created: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.222524
imports: cases
imports: intermediate

Brochure Engineering Title Assignment
type: Action
type: NamedIndividual
concept category: Action
event role context: Decision-Makers, likely marketing and/or executive leadership
foreseen unintended effects: Erosion of public trust if discrepancy between titles and credentials is discovered
foreseen unintended effects: Possible violation of state licensing laws governing use of the title 'Engineer'
foreseen unintended effects: Potential misrepresentation of employee qualifications to clients and the public
fulfills obligation text: Partial alignment with federal contract terminology conventions
guided by principle text: Alignment with perceived industry norms
guided by principle text: Business competitiveness
has agent: ENGCO Management
has mental state: deliberate
intended outcome: Present the firm as having a larger and more qualified engineering staff to attract clients and win contracts
requires capability text: Ability to accurately classify personnel by credential level
requires capability text: Knowledge of state engineering licensing laws and title restrictions
requires capability text: Understanding of professional ethics obligations in marketing materials
temporal marker: Subsequent to federal agency contract adoption, ongoing practice
temporal sequence: 3
violates obligation text: Obligation of honesty and full disclosure in professional communications
violates obligation text: Obligation to accurately represent employee academic and professional qualifications in firm marketing materials
violates obligation text: Obligation to comply with state licensing acts restricting use of the title 'Engineer'
violates obligation text: Obligation to protect the public from misleading representations of firm competence
violates obligation text: Obligation to uphold the integrity and public trust of the engineering profession
within competence: false
comment: ENGCO decision-makers chose to mirror federal agency contract terminology in their company brochure, assigning titles such as 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' to key personnel regardless of whether those individuals held engineering degrees or professional licenses.
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239087
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Brochure Engineering Title Assignment → Brochure Misrepresentation Instantiated
type: CausalChain
type: NamedIndividual
causal language: Once ENGCO assigned engineering titles to personnel regardless of educational credentials and published this in its brochure, the misrepresentation was materially instantiated and communicated to external stakeholders
cause: Brochure Engineering Title Assignment
counterfactual: Had ENGCO conducted a credential audit before publishing the brochure, or had it used a non-protected title such as 'Inspector,' the misrepresentation would not have been instantiated
effect: Brochure Misrepresentation Instantiated
necessary factors: Absence of internal credential verification prior to title assignment
necessary factors: ENGCO decision-makers' deliberate choice to mirror federal contract terminology in public-facing materials
necessary factors: Publication and distribution of the brochure to clients and the public
responsibility type: direct
responsible agent: ENGCO Decision-Makers (Leadership and Marketing Personnel)
sufficient factors: Deliberate title assignment to non-degreed personnel + public brochure publication + no credential audit = completed act of misrepresentation
within agent control: true
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239486
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Brochure Misrepresentation Instantiated
type: Event
type: NamedIndividual
activates constraint: Non_Misrepresentation_Constraint
activates constraint: Professional_Honesty_Constraint
activates constraint: Public_Non_Deception_Constraint
activates constraint: State_Licensing_Law_Compliance
causes state change: ENGCO transitioned from a firm with questionable internal titling to a firm actively misrepresenting personnel qualifications in public-facing materials; legal and ethical liability became concrete and ongoing; clients and the public were now exposed to false credential claims
concept category: Event
creates obligation: Obligation_To_Audit_Personnel_Titles_Against_Credentials
creates obligation: Obligation_To_Correct_Public_Record
creates obligation: Obligation_To_Notify_Affected_Clients
creates obligation: Obligation_To_Recall_Or_Revise_Brochure
emergency status: high
event type: outcome
temporal marker: Upon publication and distribution of the ENGCO company brochure containing the inaccurate titles; ongoing for the duration of the brochure's circulation
temporal sequence: 4
urgency level: high
comment: Once ENGCO assigned engineering titles to personnel regardless of educational credentials and published these in its company brochure, a concrete act of public misrepresentation came into existence as a standing condition. The brochure, as a distributed artifact, continuously represented unqualified individuals as engineers to clients, regulators, and the public.
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239246
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Brochure Misrepresentation Self-Recognition
type: Action
type: NamedIndividual
concept category: Action
event role context: unspecified decision-makers within the firm
foreseen unintended effects: Acknowledging the misrepresentation could expose prior conduct to scrutiny
foreseen unintended effects: Correcting titles may reduce the apparent size of the engineering staff, potentially harming competitiveness
fulfills obligation text: Obligation to engage in ethical self-examination and professional accountability
fulfills obligation text: Obligation to identify and consider correcting potential misrepresentations before harm is compounded
guided by principle text: Ethical self-regulation
guided by principle text: Professional integrity
guided by principle text: Transparency and honesty in professional practice
has agent: ENGCO Leadership/Management
has mental state: deliberate and reflective
intended outcome: Identify whether current brochure practices violate professional ethics or legal standards and determine a corrective course of action
requires capability text: Ethical judgment and self-assessment
requires capability text: Knowledge of professional licensing standards
requires capability text: Organizational authority to revise brochure and titling practices
temporal marker: Current moment, point of ethical deliberation
temporal sequence: 6
within competence: true
comment: ENGCO proactively recognized and internally acknowledged that its brochure practice may constitute a misrepresentation of staff qualifications, initiating an ethical review of the titling practice rather than continuing it without scrutiny.
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239127
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Brochure Misrepresentation Self-Recognition → Ethical-Legal Problem Recognition
type: CausalChain
type: NamedIndividual
causal language: ENGCO proactively recognized and internally acknowledged that its brochure practice may constitute a misrepresentation, triggering the formal ethical-legal problem recognition event within the organization
cause: Brochure Misrepresentation Self-Recognition
counterfactual: Without internal self-recognition, the ethical-legal problem may only have been identified through external enforcement action, complaint, or audit, significantly increasing legal and reputational risk to ENGCO
effect: Ethical-Legal Problem Recognition
necessary factors: Internal awareness by at least one ENGCO stakeholder that the title assignment practice may violate professional ethics standards or state licensing law
necessary factors: Leadership willingness to engage with the concern rather than suppress it
necessary factors: Organizational capacity to escalate the concern to leadership
responsibility type: direct
responsible agent: ENGCO Leadership and Internal Compliance or Ethics Personnel
sufficient factors: Internal recognition of potential violation + escalation to leadership + leadership acknowledgment = ethical-legal problem formally recognized
within agent control: true
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239520
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Business-Card-Licensure-Representation-Standard-Instance
type: BusinessCardLicensureRepresentationStandard
type: NamedIndividual
concept category: Resource
confidence: 0.8
createdby: Professional engineering societies and licensing boards
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: facts
documenttitle: Business Card Licensure Representation Standard
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:12:22.757512+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:12:22.757512+00:00
importance: medium
resourceclass: Business Card Licensure Representation Standard
sourcetext: ENGCO, an engineering firm, distributes a brochure that, along with the usual information, contains a listing of key personnel
textreferences: ENGCO, an engineering firm, distributes a brochure that, along with the usual information, contains a listing of key personnel
textreferences: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not
usedby: ENGCO in evaluating the ethical propriety of its brochure's personnel listings
usedincontext: Provides analogous norms for accurate representation of licensure status in professional identification materials; applicable by extension to firm brochures that list personnel with engineering titles
version: Current
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.223461
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Case 77 Timeline
type: NamedIndividual
type: TemporalEntity
action count: 4
event count: 4
total elements: 8
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239777
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

CausalLink_Brochure Engineering Title Ass
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366080
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

CausalLink_Brochure Misrepresentation Sel
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366110
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

CausalLink_Credential Verification Before
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366141
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

CausalLink_Federal Agency Title Adoption
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366049
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_1
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
answers question1: 1
conclusion number: 1
conclusion text: It is not ethical for ENGCO to refer to it's non-degreed/non-registered personnel as "engineers".
conclusion type: board_explicit
extraction reasoning: Parsed from imported case text (no LLM)
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.367341
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_101
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
cites provision: II 5
cites provision: II 5 a
cites provision: I 5
answers question1: 101
cited provision1: I.5.
cited provision2: II.5.
cited provision3: II.5.a.
conclusion number: 101
conclusion text: Beyond the Board's finding that it is unethical to title non-degreed, non-registered personnel as 'engineers,' ENGCO's own self-recognized concern that its brochure 'may be conveying a misrepresentation' creates a heightened and independent ethical obligation to act immediately. Self-awareness of a potential violation without corrective action is not ethically neutral: it transforms what might otherwise be an inadvertent misrepresentation into a deliberate one. A firm that identifies a credibility problem in its own marketing materials and continues to distribute those materials without correction is no longer merely negligent—it is knowingly facilitating deception. This self-triggered audit obligation means ENGCO must not only cease the offending title usage going forward but must also affirmatively correct or withdraw existing brochures already in circulation.
conclusion type: analytical_extension
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.367450
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_102
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
cites provision: II 3
cites provision: II 5 a
cites provision: I 3
answers question1: 103
cited provision1: II.5.a.
cited provision2: I.3.
cited provision3: II.3.
conclusion number: 102
conclusion text: The Board's conclusion appropriately condemns the blanket use of engineering titles for non-degreed personnel, but it does not address a meaningful internal distinction that ENGCO must navigate: non-degreed personnel who have nonetheless passed state licensing examinations and hold a valid professional engineer license occupy a categorically different ethical position from high school graduates with no licensure whatsoever. State licensing acts are the primary legal mechanism by which society confers the right to use the title 'engineer,' and a person who has satisfied those statutory requirements—regardless of the academic path taken—has a legitimate, legally grounded entitlement to that title. ENGCO's brochure should therefore distinguish between these two groups: licensed non-degreed staff may ethically be listed with engineering titles, provided the brochure does not imply that licensure was obtained through a conventional degree pathway. Unlicensed high school graduates, by contrast, have no defensible claim to any engineering title in a public-facing professional document, and their continued listing as such constitutes a gross misrepresentation under the NSPE Code.
conclusion type: analytical_extension
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.367570
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_103
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
cites provision: II 3
cites provision: II 5
cites provision: II 5 a
cites provision: I 3
cites provision: I 5
answers question1: 102
answers question2: 404
cited provision1: I.3.
cited provision2: I.5.
cited provision3: II.3.
cited provision4: II.5.
cited provision5: II.5.a.
conclusion number: 103
conclusion text: The Board's conclusion correctly rejects the federal agency contract practice as an ethical justification for ENGCO's internal title usage, but a deeper analysis reveals that ENGCO's passive adoption of that convention carries an additional ethical dimension: by mirroring federal agency title misassignment in its own brochure without protest, ENGCO becomes an active participant in the profession-wide erosion of engineering title integrity. The ethical obligation here extends beyond merely correcting ENGCO's own materials. A firm of good professional character—one embodying honesty and public welfare as core virtues—should formally communicate to the relevant federal agencies that the designation of non-degreed inspection personnel as 'Engineers' in contract language is inconsistent with professional standards and state licensing law. Such a protest would not only fulfill ENGCO's obligation to uphold the integrity of the licensure system but would also serve the broader public interest by potentially curtailing the normalization of title misuse across the industry. The availability of accurate alternative titles—such as 'Inspection Technician,' 'Engineering Associate,' or 'Design Technologist'—for use in both the brochure and in communications with federal agencies makes the failure to act on either front less defensible, not more.
conclusion type: analytical_extension
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.367749
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_104
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
cites provision: II 5
cites provision: II 5 a
cites provision: I 5
answers question1: 104
answers question2: 403
cited provision1: I.5.
cited provision2: II.5.
cited provision3: II.5.a.
conclusion number: 104
conclusion text: From a consequentialist perspective, the harm flowing from ENGCO's brochure misrepresentation is not limited to abstract reputational damage to the profession. A prospective client or member of the public who reads ENGCO's brochure and reasonably interprets all listed 'engineers' as degree-holding or licensed professionals may make consequential engagement decisions—awarding contracts, relying on technical judgments, or foregoing independent verification of credentials—on the basis of that misrepresentation. If a non-degreed, unlicensed staff member titled 'Engineer' in the brochure subsequently performs work that falls below the standard of care expected of a licensed professional engineer, and harm results, ENGCO's ethical violation is compounded into potential legal liability. The brochure reader's reasonable reliance on engineering titles as indicators of professional qualification is not an unreasonable expectation—it is precisely the expectation that the licensure system is designed to support. This consequentialist analysis reinforces the Board's deontological conclusion: the prohibition on titling non-degreed, non-licensed personnel as engineers is not merely a rule of professional etiquette but a safeguard with concrete public safety implications.
conclusion type: analytical_extension
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.367861
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_201
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
cites provision: II 5
cites provision: II 5 a
cites provision: I 5
answers question1: 101
cited provision1: I.5.
cited provision2: II.5.
cited provision3: II.5.a.
conclusion number: 201
conclusion text: ENGCO's own recognition that its brochure 'may be conveying a misrepresentation' creates a heightened and immediate ethical obligation to correct the titles without delay. Self-awareness of a potential ethical violation is not a neutral state; it transforms what might otherwise be an inadvertent misrepresentation into a knowing one. A firm that identifies a credibility problem in its public materials and continues distributing those materials without correction is no longer merely negligent—it is actively perpetuating a deception it has already acknowledged. This self-aware continuation constitutes an independent ethical breach beyond the original title misuse, because it violates the duty to avoid deceptive acts with full knowledge of the deception's existence. The ethical obligation triggered by self-recognition is therefore not merely to investigate but to act promptly and decisively to correct the brochure.
conclusion type: question_response
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.367945
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_202
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
cites provision: II 3
cites provision: II 5
cites provision: I 3
answers question1: 102
cited provision1: I.3.
cited provision2: II.3.
cited provision3: II.5.
conclusion number: 202
conclusion text: ENGCO bears a limited but real ethical obligation to formally signal disagreement with federal agency contract language that designates non-degreed inspection personnel as 'Engineers.' While ENGCO cannot unilaterally compel federal agencies to change their contracting terminology, it is not ethically sufficient to simply refrain from replicating that language internally. A firm committed to professional title integrity should, at minimum, note in correspondence or contract negotiations that it does not consider the federal designation to reflect engineering licensure or degree status, and should avoid allowing the federal contract language to serve as internal justification for its own brochure titles. However, the ethical core of ENGCO's obligation lies in correcting its own materials; protest of federal agency practices, while commendable, is secondary and does not substitute for internal compliance.
conclusion type: question_response
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.368022
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_203
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
cites provision: II 3
cites provision: II 5 a
cites provision: I 3
answers question1: 103
cited provision1: II.5.a.
cited provision2: I.3.
cited provision3: II.3.
conclusion number: 203
conclusion text: Non-degreed personnel who have satisfied state licensing examination requirements and hold a valid professional engineer license occupy a categorically different ethical position from unlicensed high school graduates with respect to the 'Engineer' title. Licensure represents the state's formal determination that an individual possesses the competence required to practice engineering, regardless of the pathway by which that competence was acquired. Accordingly, ENGCO's brochure may ethically designate such licensed non-degreed personnel as 'Engineers' or 'Professional Engineers,' provided the designation accurately reflects their licensed status. However, the brochure should clearly distinguish between licensed professional engineers—whether degreed or not—and non-degreed, unlicensed staff who hold engineering-sounding titles solely by virtue of federal contract convention. Failure to draw this distinction creates a misleading impression of uniform credential equivalence that itself constitutes a misrepresentation.
conclusion type: question_response
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.368101
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_204
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
cites provision: II 3
cites provision: II 5
cites provision: II 5 a
cites provision: I 3
cites provision: I 5
answers question1: 104
cited provision1: I.5.
cited provision2: II.5.
cited provision3: II.5.a.
cited provision4: I.3.
cited provision5: II.3.
conclusion number: 204
conclusion text: ENGCO bears a direct and substantial ethical responsibility toward readers of its brochure—including prospective clients and members of the general public—who reasonably rely on engineering titles as proxies for professional qualification when deciding whether to engage the firm. The brochure is a public-facing representation of the firm's capabilities, and readers have no independent means of verifying the credentials of listed personnel. When a brochure lists individuals as 'Design Engineers' or 'Engineers,' a reasonable reader is entitled to infer that those individuals hold at minimum the educational and, where required, licensure credentials that the engineering profession associates with those titles. ENGCO's failure to ensure that its brochure accurately reflects actual qualifications therefore directly undermines the informed decision-making of those the profession is obligated to serve and protect.
conclusion type: question_response
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.368190
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_205
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
cites provision: II 5
cites provision: II 5 a
cites provision: I 5
answers question1: 301
cited provision1: I.5.
cited provision2: II.5.
cited provision3: II.5.a.
conclusion number: 205
conclusion text: From a deontological standpoint, ENGCO's duty to avoid misrepresenting the qualifications of its personnel is categorical and is not diminished or excused by the fact that federal agency contracts have normalized the use of 'Engineer' as a title for inspection personnel. A categorical duty to honest representation does not contain an exception for industry convention or governmental terminological practice. The fact that a federal agency calls an inspector an 'Engineer' in a contract document does not alter the objective meaning that the title carries in a professional brochure directed at clients and the public. ENGCO's adoption of that convention into its own marketing materials is therefore an independent ethical act for which it bears full responsibility, regardless of the external origin of the practice. The duty to avoid deception is owed to the public and the profession unconditionally.
conclusion type: question_response
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.368267
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_206
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
cites provision: II 5
cites provision: I 5
answers question1: 302
cited provision1: I.5.
cited provision2: II.5.
conclusion number: 206
conclusion text: From a consequentialist perspective, the aggregate harm to public trust in the engineering profession from widespread adoption of the practice of titling non-degreed personnel as 'engineers' in firm brochures substantially outweighs any operational or contractual convenience ENGCO gains by mirroring federal agency title conventions. Each firm that adopts this practice contributes incrementally to the erosion of the title's signal value, making it progressively harder for the public to distinguish qualified engineers from unqualified personnel. This erosion compounds across the industry, ultimately undermining the licensure system's core purpose of protecting the public from unqualified practitioners. The marginal benefit to ENGCO of terminological consistency with federal contracts—primarily administrative convenience and possibly some marketing advantage—is trivial compared to this systemic harm. A consequentialist analysis therefore strongly supports the Board's conclusion and suggests that ENGCO has an affirmative interest, beyond mere compliance, in resisting the proliferation of this practice.
conclusion type: question_response
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.368339
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_207
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
cites provision: II 5
cites provision: II 5 a
cites provision: I 5
answers question1: 303
cited provision1: I.5.
cited provision2: II.5.
cited provision3: II.5.a.
conclusion number: 207
conclusion text: From a virtue ethics standpoint, ENGCO's self-aware recognition that its brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation—combined with its continued use of engineering titles for non-degreed, unlicensed staff—reflects a failure of the character virtues of honesty and professional integrity that a firm of good professional character would be expected to embody. Virtue ethics does not evaluate conduct solely by outcomes or rule compliance; it asks whether the agent is acting as a person or institution of good character would act. A firm of genuine professional integrity, upon recognizing that its public materials may mislead clients and the public about the qualifications of its personnel, would act immediately to correct those materials rather than continuing to distribute them while deliberating. The gap between ENGCO's self-awareness and its inaction is precisely the kind of moral inconsistency that virtue ethics identifies as a failure of character, independent of whether any specific rule has been technically violated.
conclusion type: question_response
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.368415
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_208
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
cites provision: II 5
cites provision: II 5 a
cites provision: I 5
answers question1: 401
answers question2: 404
cited provision1: II.5.a.
cited provision2: I.5.
cited provision3: II.5.
conclusion number: 208
conclusion text: Had ENGCO proactively differentiated personnel credentials in its brochure from the outset—clearly distinguishing licensed professional engineers from non-degreed inspection staff through accurate alternative titles such as 'Inspection Technician,' 'Engineering Associate,' or 'Design Technologist'—it would have avoided the ethical problem entirely without any operational disruption to its federal contract work. The availability of accurate, professionally appropriate alternative titles is directly relevant to the ethical analysis: it demonstrates that ENGCO's use of 'Engineer' for non-degreed personnel was not compelled by necessity but was a choice, and that the choice was made despite the existence of readily available, non-misleading alternatives. The existence of these alternatives makes the original misrepresentation less defensible, not more, because it forecloses any argument that accurate titling was impractical or impossible. Federal agency contracts designate personnel for contractual purposes; they do not require firms to replicate those designations in their own marketing materials, and ENGCO could have maintained internal contractual compliance while presenting accurate titles externally.
conclusion type: question_response
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.368525
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_209
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
cites provision: II 3
cites provision: II 5
cites provision: II 5 a
cites provision: I 3
cites provision: I 5
answers question1: 403
cited provision1: I.5.
cited provision2: II.5.
cited provision3: II.5.a.
cited provision4: I.3.
cited provision5: II.3.
conclusion number: 209
conclusion text: If a client or member of the public relied on ENGCO's brochure and engaged the firm specifically because they believed all listed 'engineers' held engineering degrees or licenses, and subsequently suffered harm attributable to the technical limitations of non-degreed personnel, ENGCO's ethical violation would be compounded into a potential legal liability for fraudulent or negligent misrepresentation. This counterfactual outcome is not merely hypothetical—it represents the precise harm that engineering title integrity rules are designed to prevent. The possibility of such harm reinforces the Board's conclusion by demonstrating that the ethical violation is not merely formal or reputational but carries concrete risk of injury to real persons. It also underscores that the ethical obligation to correct the brochure is not separable from the firm's broader duty of care to those who rely on its public representations when making consequential decisions.
conclusion type: question_response
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.368611
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_301
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
cites provision: II 5 a
answers question1: 201
answers question2: 103
answers question3: 304
cited provision1: II.5.a.
conclusion number: 301
conclusion text: The tension between the principle that licensure alone can legitimize the 'Engineer' title independent of academic credentials and the principle of qualification transparency was resolved in favor of a nuanced, tiered approach rather than a blanket prohibition. The Board's conclusion that it is unethical to title non-degreed, non-registered personnel as 'engineers' implicitly carves out a legitimate exception for non-degreed personnel who have nonetheless passed state licensing examinations and hold a professional engineer license. In that narrow circumstance, licensure functions as a credential-independent title legitimation mechanism, because the state's rigorous examination process substitutes for the degree as a public assurance of competence. However, qualification transparency is not fully satisfied merely by permitting the title for licensed non-degreed staff; it further demands that the brochure distinguish between licensed professional engineers—whether degreed or not—and unlicensed high school graduates who hold no credential whatsoever. The resolution therefore is not a simple victory for either principle but a structured hierarchy: licensure supersedes the degree requirement for title eligibility, but transparency obligations persist and require the brochure to make credential distinctions visible to readers who reasonably rely on engineering titles as proxies for professional qualification.
conclusion type: principle_synthesis
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.368690
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_302
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
cites provision: II 5
cites provision: II 5 a
cites provision: I 5
answers question1: 202
answers question2: 301
cited provision1: I.5.
cited provision2: II.5.
cited provision3: II.5.a.
conclusion number: 302
conclusion text: The principle that external conventions cannot excuse internal title misuse decisively overrode any legitimate business interest ENGCO might have had in maintaining terminological consistency with federal agency contract language. This resolution teaches a critical lesson about principle prioritization: industry normalization and contractual convenience occupy a categorically lower tier than the duty of honesty in professional representations and the paramount obligation to protect public welfare through reliable engineering titles. The federal agency's practice of designating inspection personnel as 'Engineers' in contract language may have created an operational context in which ENGCO's internal title usage felt natural or even obligatory, but the Board's reasoning makes clear that the origin of a misleading practice in an external authority does not launder that practice into ethical acceptability when it migrates into the firm's own public-facing marketing materials. The brochure is ENGCO's own statement to the world, not a reproduction of a federal contract, and ENGCO retains full authorial responsibility for every title it assigns therein. The tension between operational consistency and professional honesty was resolved by treating the brochure as an independent ethical act subject to independent ethical scrutiny, entirely severable from the contractual context that spawned the problematic title usage.
conclusion type: principle_synthesis
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.368781
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Conclusion_303
type: EthicalConclusion
type: NamedIndividual
cites provision: II 3
cites provision: II 5
cites provision: II 5 a
cites provision: I 3
cites provision: I 5
answers question1: 203
answers question2: 204
answers question3: 101
cited provision1: I.3.
cited provision2: I.5.
cited provision3: II.3.
cited provision4: II.5.
cited provision5: II.5.a.
conclusion number: 303
conclusion text: The interaction among the principles of public welfare paramount, professional title integrity, and honesty in professional representations reveals that ENGCO's self-aware recognition of the potential misrepresentation in its brochure did not merely create a future obligation to correct—it created an immediate, independent ethical breach by allowing the misrepresentation to persist after the moment of recognition. This synthesis teaches that the firm-level title audit obligation triggered by ENGCO's own self-awareness is not simply a procedural remedy but a substantive ethical duty that activates the moment a firm identifies a credibility gap between its representations and the underlying facts. The principle of honesty in professional representations is not satisfied by passive awareness; it demands active correction. Furthermore, the principle of public welfare paramount reinforces this conclusion by emphasizing that the harm from misleading engineering titles is not hypothetical—readers of the brochure, including prospective clients, make consequential decisions based on the reasonable assumption that personnel titled 'Engineer' hold the qualifications that title implies. The convergence of these three principles produces a conclusion that goes beyond the Board's explicit finding: ENGCO's ethical obligation extends not only to correcting existing titles but to affirmatively ensuring that the brochure, as a whole, does not create a misleading aggregate impression of the firm's engineering credential density, even through technically accurate but selectively presented information.
conclusion type: principle_synthesis
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.368882
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Credential Verification Before Title Retention
type: Action
type: NamedIndividual
concept category: Action
event role context: implied future decision-makers
foreseen unintended effects: Corrected brochure may disadvantage ENGCO competitively in the short term
foreseen unintended effects: May affect morale of non-degreed personnel who have been operating under engineering titles
foreseen unintended effects: Most non-degreed personnel will likely lose engineering titles, reducing apparent staff size
fulfills obligation text: Obligation to accurately represent personnel qualifications in firm marketing materials
fulfills obligation text: Obligation to comply with state engineering licensing acts
fulfills obligation text: Obligation to protect the public from misleading representations of firm competence
fulfills obligation text: Obligation to uphold the integrity of the engineering profession
guided by principle text: Compliance with professional licensing law
guided by principle text: Ethical self-regulation
guided by principle text: Honesty and full disclosure
guided by principle text: Protection of public trust
has agent: ENGCO Management/HR Leadership
has mental state: deliberate and obligatory
intended outcome: Ensure that only personnel who meet state licensing requirements are assigned engineering titles, correcting the brochure to reflect accurate and defensible credentials
requires capability text: HR capability to audit and reclassify personnel credentials
requires capability text: Knowledge of state licensing requirements for engineering title use
requires capability text: Organizational authority to revise brochure content and internal job titles
temporal marker: Implied future decision point, following current ethical review
temporal sequence: 8
within competence: true
comment: ENGCO must decide whether to audit non-degreed personnel against state licensing requirements to determine if any have legitimately met the criteria for using the title 'Engineer,' which would be the only ethically and legally defensible basis for retaining the title for those individuals.
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239166
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

DP1
type: DecisionPoint
type: NamedIndividual
decision point id: DP1
decision question: How should ENGCO respond upon recognizing that its brochure assigns engineering titles to non-degreed, non-licensed personnel?
focus: ENGCO's Obligation to Audit and Correct Engineering Titles for Non-Degreed, Non-Licensed Personnel in Its Public Brochure
option1: Immediately suspend distribution of the current brochure, conduct a full audit of all personnel title assignments, revise titles for non-degreed non-licensed staff to accurate alternatives such as 'Inspection Technician' or 'Engineering Associate,' and reissue corrected materials before any further distribution
option2: Continue distributing the existing brochure while conducting an internal review, adding a supplemental credential disclosure sheet to accompany the brochure for new distributions until a revised version is finalized
option3: Revise personnel titles only in the next scheduled brochure update cycle, treating the title correction as a routine editorial matter rather than an urgent compliance obligation, on the basis that the current brochure has not yet caused documented client harm
role label: Engineer
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.368962
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

DP2
type: DecisionPoint
type: NamedIndividual
decision point id: DP2
decision question: Should ENGCO apply a blanket prohibition on engineering titles for all non-degreed personnel, or recognize a legitimate exception for non-degreed personnel who hold a valid state professional engineer license?
focus: Distinguishing Licensed Non-Degreed Personnel from Unlicensed High School Graduates in ENGCO's Brochure Title Assignments
option1: Verify the licensure status of each non-degreed staff member, retain the 'Engineer' or 'Professional Engineer' title only for those holding a valid PE license, assign accurate non-engineering titles to all unlicensed non-degreed personnel, and add a credential key to the brochure distinguishing licensed PEs from other technical staff
option2: Apply a blanket prohibition on engineering titles for all non-degreed personnel regardless of licensure status, on the basis that the brochure audience cannot readily distinguish between degree-based and licensure-based pathways and that uniform removal of the title for all non-degreed staff is the clearest way to prevent any misleading impression
option3: Retain engineering titles for all current non-degreed personnel while adding a general brochure disclaimer stating that 'engineer' titles reflect functional roles and may not in all cases indicate PE licensure or a formal engineering degree, leaving credential verification to prospective clients
role label: Engineer
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369039
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

DP3
type: DecisionPoint
type: NamedIndividual
decision point id: DP3
decision question: When federal agency contracts designate ENGCO's non-degreed inspection personnel as 'Engineers,' what action should ENGCO take with respect to both its own brochure and its relationship with the federal agency?
focus: ENGCO's Response to Federal Agency Contract Language That Designates Non-Degreed Inspection Personnel as 'Engineers'
option1: Remove engineering titles from non-degreed non-licensed personnel in the brochure immediately, and separately communicate in writing to the relevant federal agency that ENGCO does not consider the federal contract designation to reflect engineering licensure or degree status and requests that future contracts use accurate alternative titles
option2: Remove engineering titles from non-degreed non-licensed personnel in the brochure without formally protesting the federal agency's contract language, on the basis that correcting internal materials fully satisfies ENGCO's ethical obligations and that challenging federal contracting conventions is beyond the firm's reasonable scope of duty
option3: Retain the federal contract title designations in the brochure for personnel actively working under those federal contracts while using accurate alternative titles for the same personnel in non-federal-contract contexts, maintaining terminological consistency with the contractual instruments that define those roles
role label: Engineer
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369110
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

DP4
type: DecisionPoint
type: NamedIndividual
decision point id: DP4
decision question: What affirmative steps must ENGCO take to fulfill its ethical responsibility toward prospective clients and the public who rely on engineering titles in the brochure as indicators of professional qualification?
focus: ENGCO's Ethical Responsibility Toward Brochure Readers Who Reasonably Rely on Engineering Titles as Proxies for Professional Qualification
option1: Revise the brochure to assign accurate, non-engineering titles to all non-degreed non-licensed personnel, add a credential differentiation key distinguishing licensed PEs from technical support staff, and affirmatively disclose the qualifications of all listed personnel so that readers can accurately assess the firm's engineering credential composition
option2: Revise engineering titles for non-degreed non-licensed personnel without adding a credential differentiation key or affirmative qualification disclosures, on the basis that accurate title assignment alone satisfies the non-deception obligation and that further disclosure goes beyond what the brochure format reasonably requires
option3: Supplement the existing brochure with a separate credential summary document available upon request, retaining current titles in the brochure itself but directing interested clients to the supplemental document for detailed qualification information, treating credential transparency as a due-diligence resource rather than a primary brochure obligation
role label: Engineer
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369185
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

DP5
type: DecisionPoint
type: NamedIndividual
decision point id: DP5
decision question: Does ENGCO's own recognition that its brochure 'may be conveying a misrepresentation' create a heightened ethical obligation to act immediately, and does continued distribution without correction constitute an independent ethical breach beyond the original title misuse?
focus: Whether ENGCO's Self-Aware Recognition of Potential Brochure Misrepresentation Creates a Heightened and Independent Ethical Obligation to Act Immediately
option1: Immediately suspend all distribution of the current brochure upon self-recognizing the potential misrepresentation, conduct a prompt audit, and reissue corrected materials before any further distribution, treating the moment of self-recognition as the trigger for an immediate compliance obligation
option2: Continue distributing the existing brochure while conducting a deliberate internal review and legal consultation to confirm the scope of the misrepresentation before taking corrective action, on the basis that premature revision without full analysis could itself introduce new inaccuracies or create legal admissions
option3: Treat the self-recognized concern as a flag for the next scheduled brochure revision rather than an emergency requiring immediate suspension, on the basis that the misrepresentation arose inadvertently from federal contract conventions and that a measured, planned correction is more operationally responsible than an abrupt withdrawal
role label: Engineer
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369276
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

DP6
type: DecisionPoint
type: NamedIndividual
decision point id: DP6
decision question: Given that accurate alternative titles such as 'Inspection Technician,' 'Engineering Associate,' or 'Design Technologist' are available and would satisfy both federal contract operational requirements and brochure accuracy obligations, does ENGCO's use of engineering titles for non-degreed personnel constitute an indefensible voluntary choice rather than a compelled one?
focus: Whether the Availability of Accurate Alternative Titles Forecloses Any Necessity-Based Defense of ENGCO's Engineering Title Assignments for Non-Degreed Personnel
option1: Adopt accurate alternative titles such as 'Inspection Technician' or 'Engineering Associate' for non-degreed non-licensed personnel in the brochure while maintaining the federal contract title designations solely in contractual and operational documents, thereby satisfying both brochure accuracy obligations and federal contract requirements without operational disruption
option2: Retain engineering titles in the brochure for personnel whose roles are defined as 'Engineer' in active federal contracts, on the basis that using different titles in the brochure and in federal contracts for the same personnel creates confusion for federal agency clients who use the brochure to verify that listed personnel match contract-designated roles
option3: Use accurate alternative titles in the brochure but append a parenthetical cross-reference to the federal contract title for each affected personnel listing—e.g., 'Inspection Technician (designated as Engineer under Contract No. X)'—so that federal agency clients can reconcile brochure listings with contract documents while the public receives accurate credential information
role label: Engineer
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.370474
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Agency Title Misassignment Protest Constraint Instance
type: AgencyTitleMisassignmentProtestConstraint
type: NamedIndividual
casecontext: The federal agency practice of designating inspection personnel as 'Engineers' regardless of qualifications is the upstream source of ENGCO's brochure misrepresentation; licensed PEs at ENGCO are constrained from treating this as an acceptable industry norm.
concept category: Constraint
confidence: 0.82
constrainedentity: ENGCO's licensed professional engineers
constraintclass: Agency Title Misassignment Protest Constraint
constraintstatement: ENGCO's licensed PEs who are aware that federal agency contracts systematically assign engineering-implying titles to non-licensed, non-degreed inspection personnel are constrained from passively acquiescing in this systemic practice and must raise the concern with appropriate agency leadership or the relevant licensure authority.
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:04.622718+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:04.622718+00:00
importance: medium
severity: medium
source: Agency Title Misassignment Protest Constraint; NSPE Code of Ethics
sourcetext: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
temporalscope: Applies upon recognition of the systemic agency practice
textreferences: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.231245
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Artfully Misleading Brochure Non-Explicit Misrepresentation Recognition
type: ArtfulMisrepresentationinNegotiationRecognitionCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Artful Misrepresentation in Negotiation Recognition Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs must possess the capability to recognize that the brochure, while not explicitly claiming all listed personnel are licensed engineers, is artfully constructed to create that false impression through the use of engineering titles for non-degreed staff — and that such artful misrepresentation is ethically impermissible regardless of its technical non-explicitness.
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure creates a misleading impression through title usage without making an explicit false claim about licensure
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.82
demonstratedthrough: The obligation analysis identifying that ENGCO must refrain from distributing a brochure that 'while not explicitly claiming all listed personnel are licensed engineers, implicitly conveys that impression through uniform use of engineering titles'
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
proficiencylevel: advanced
sourcetext: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.232195
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Brochure Credential Misrepresentation Correction Escalation Constraint Instance
type: CredentialMisrepresentationCorrectionEscalationConstraint
type: NamedIndividual
casecontext: The case involves ENGCO's licensed engineers who are aware that the brochure may be misrepresenting the qualifications of non-degreed personnel listed with engineering titles
concept category: Constraint
confidence: 0.85
constrainedentity: ENGCO's licensed professional engineers
constraintclass: Credential Misrepresentation Correction Escalation Constraint
constraintstatement: ENGCO's licensed professional engineers, having recognized that the firm's brochure 'may be conveying a misrepresentation,' are constrained to report this to responsible parties within the firm and, if not corrected within a reasonable time, to escalate the matter to appropriate authority — passive indefinite acceptance of the known misrepresentation is prohibited.
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:23:01.865614+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:23:01.865614+00:00
importance: high
severity: high
source: Credential Misrepresentation Correction Escalation Constraint; NSPE Code of Ethics
sourcetext: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
temporalscope: From the point at which the misrepresentation was recognized as potentially problematic
textreferences: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.238800
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Brochure Credential Misrepresentation Non-Deception Constraint Instance
type: EngineeringTitleNon-EntitlementUseProhibitionConstraint
type: NamedIndividual
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure listed high school graduates with engineering-implying titles, constituting use of titles to which those individuals were not entitled under professional and statutory standards
concept category: Constraint
confidence: 0.91
constrainedentity: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
constraintclass: Engineering Title Non-Entitlement Use Prohibition Constraint
constraintstatement: ENGCO is constrained from assigning the title 'engineer' or 'design engineer' to personnel who do not hold an engineering degree or professional engineering license, as such usage constitutes use of a title to which those individuals are not entitled — a prohibition that applies regardless of federal agency contract conventions or industry custom.
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:23:01.865614+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:23:01.865614+00:00
importance: high
severity: high
source: NSPE Code of Ethics; Engineering Title Non-Entitlement Use Prohibition Constraint
sourcetext: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
temporalscope: Ongoing; applies to all brochure versions and personnel listings
textreferences: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.238639
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Brochure Engineering Title Non-Entitlement Use Prohibition
type: EngineeringTitleNon-EntitlementUseProhibitionConstraint
type: NamedIndividual
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure lists non-degreed personnel, including high school graduates, with titles such as 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer,' a practice traceable to federal agency contract terminology.
concept category: Constraint
confidence: 0.95
constrainedentity: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
constraintclass: Engineering Title Non-Entitlement Use Prohibition Constraint
constraintstatement: ENGCO is prohibited from assigning or permitting the use of titles such as 'Engineer' or 'Design Engineer' in its brochure for personnel who do not hold the engineering degree or licensure that such titles presuppose, regardless of whether the practice originated in federal agency contract language.
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:04.622718+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:04.622718+00:00
importance: high
severity: high
source: NSPE Code of Ethics; State engineering licensing act title-use provisions; BER Case 95-10
sourcetext: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
temporalscope: Ongoing — applies to all current and future brochure distributions
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.230108
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Brochure Personnel Title Accuracy Constraint Instance
type: FirmBrochurePersonnelTitleAccuracyConstraint
type: NamedIndividual
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure lists both licensed PEs and non-degreed personnel under engineering titles, creating a misleading impression of the firm's engineering staff composition to prospective clients.
concept category: Constraint
confidence: 0.92
constrainedentity: ENGCO as an engineering firm
constraintclass: Firm Brochure Personnel Title Accuracy Constraint
constraintstatement: ENGCO's brochure must accurately represent the credential and licensure status of all listed personnel; non-degreed and unlicensed personnel may not be listed under engineering-implying titles regardless of their contractual role designations.
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:04.622718+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:04.622718+00:00
importance: high
severity: high
source: NSPE Code of Ethics II.2, II.5; Qualification Representation Standard; State licensing act title-use provisions
sourcetext: ENGCO, an engineering firm, distributes a brochure that, along with the usual information, contains a listing of key personnel.
temporalscope: Applies to all current and future brochure distributions and revisions
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
textreferences: ENGCO, an engineering firm, distributes a brochure that, along with the usual information, contains a listing of key personnel.
textreferences: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.230272
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Brochure Reader Reasonable Expectation Modeling Instance
type: BrochureReaderReasonableExpectationModelingCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Brochure Reader Reasonable Expectation Modeling Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs must model the reasonable expectations of brochure readers — who assume 'engineer' means an educated or registered professional — and use that standard to evaluate whether the current brochure personnel listings are misleading.
casecontext: The discussion grounds the misrepresentation finding in what brochure readers would reasonably assume about personnel titled 'Engineer'
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.85
demonstratedthrough: Application of the reader-expectation standard to identify that listing high school graduates as 'Engineers' creates a false impression of the firm's qualifications
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
proficiencylevel: intermediate
sourcetext: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
textreferences: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
textreferences: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.236971
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Brochure Reasonable Reader Non-Deception Constraint Instance
type: BrochureReaderReasonableExpectationNon-DeceptionConstraint
type: NamedIndividual
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure listed non-degreed (high school graduate) personnel under engineering-implying titles, creating a false impression for clients and public relying on the brochure as a qualification statement
concept category: Constraint
confidence: 0.92
constrainedentity: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
constraintclass: Brochure Reader Reasonable Expectation Non-Deception Constraint
constraintstatement: ENGCO is constrained from distributing a brochure that lists high school graduates with the title 'engineer' or 'design engineer,' because a reasonable reader of such a brochure would assume those titles denote persons educated or registered as engineers — making such usage a gross misrepresentation and effective falsification of the firm's qualifications.
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:23:01.865614+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:23:01.865614+00:00
importance: high
severity: high
source: NSPE Code of Ethics — prohibition on misrepresentation of qualifications; Non-Deception principle
sourcetext: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
temporalscope: Applies to all brochure versions distributed or currently in circulation
textreferences: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
textreferences: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.238088
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Creative Engineering Title Misuse Recognition Federal Contract Origin
type: CreativeEngineeringTitleMisuseRecognitionCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Creative Engineering Title Misuse Recognition Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs must possess the capability to recognize that the use of 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' titles for non-degreed inspection personnel — even when that usage originated in federal agency contract language — constitutes misrepresentation of qualifications when migrated into the firm's public brochure.
casecontext: Federal agency contracts designated inspection personnel as 'Engineers'; ENGCO adopted this terminology in its firm brochure for non-degreed staff
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.93
demonstratedthrough: The case's identification that the title practice 'has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as Engineers,' requiring recognition that this origin does not legitimize the brochure usage
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
proficiencylevel: advanced
sourcetext: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
textreferences: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.231738
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Engineering Title Conveyance Accuracy Brochure
type: EngineeringTitleConveyanceAccuracyConstraint
type: NamedIndividual
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure uses 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' for high school graduates, creating a misleading public impression about the qualifications of its personnel.
concept category: Constraint
confidence: 0.93
constrainedentity: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
constraintclass: Engineering Title Conveyance Accuracy Constraint
constraintstatement: The use of titles such as 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' in ENGCO's brochure conveys to the public substantial education, examination, and experience; ENGCO is constrained from applying these titles to personnel who have not met applicable degree or licensure requirements, as the public impression created is particularly likely to cause confusion about licensure status.
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:04.622718+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:04.622718+00:00
importance: high
severity: high
source: Engineering Title Conveyance Accuracy Constraint; State licensing act; NSPE Code
sourcetext: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
temporalscope: Ongoing — applies to all brochure distributions
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.230480
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Engineering Title Misrepresentation Recognition Instance
type: EngineeringTitleMisrepresentationRecognitionCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Engineering Title Misrepresentation Recognition Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs must recognize that listing non-degreed, non-licensed personnel with titles such as 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' in the firm brochure constitutes misrepresentation of professional qualifications.
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure uses 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' for personnel who are neither degreed nor licensed engineers
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.93
demonstratedthrough: Identification that the brochure's use of engineering titles for high school graduates misrepresents the firm's qualifications to brochure readers
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
proficiencylevel: intermediate
sourcetext: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.236484
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Engineering Title Misrepresentation Recognition in Brochure
type: EngineeringTitleMisrepresentationRecognitionCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Engineering Title Misrepresentation Recognition Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs possess — and are obligated to exercise — the capability to recognize that listing non-degreed, non-licensed personnel under titles such as 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' in the firm brochure constitutes a misrepresentation of their qualifications to the public and prospective clients.
casecontext: ENGCO distributes a brochure listing key personnel, some licensed PEs and some non-degreed high school graduates, all under engineering titles derived from federal contract language
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.95
demonstratedthrough: ENGCO's self-identification that 'the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation'
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
proficiencylevel: intermediate
sourcetext: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.231557
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Engineering Title Regulatory Knowledge Brochure Compliance
type: EngineeringTitleRegulatoryKnowledgeCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Engineering Title Regulatory Knowledge Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs must possess knowledge of state statutory and regulatory provisions governing permissible use of engineering titles to correctly assess whether listing non-degreed high school graduates as 'Engineer' or 'Design Engineer' in the firm brochure violates applicable licensing act provisions.
casecontext: ENGCO must assess whether its brochure title practice for non-degreed staff violates state engineering licensure statutes
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.91
demonstratedthrough: The ethical analysis requiring ENGCO to evaluate whether its brochure title usage complies with state licensing requirements for engineering title use
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
proficiencylevel: intermediate
sourcetext: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.231952
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Engineering Title Regulatory Knowledge Instance
type: EngineeringTitleRegulatoryKnowledgeCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Engineering Title Regulatory Knowledge Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs are required to know and apply state licensing act provisions governing permissible use of the title 'Engineer,' including degree and licensure requirements.
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure lists non-degreed personnel with engineering titles, triggering the obligation to know and apply state title-use law
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.92
demonstratedthrough: Recognition that most states codify in their licensing acts when and how 'engineer' may be used, requiring a college degree and/or licensure
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
proficiencylevel: intermediate
sourcetext: Most states even have it in their law (licensing act) how and when 'engineer' can be used, usually requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensing requirements.
textreferences: Most states even have it in their law (licensing act) how and when 'engineer' can be used, usually requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensing requirements.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.236319
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO External Convention Non-Excuse Federal Contract Title Migration Constraint
type: ExternalConventionNon-ExcuseforTitleMisrepresentationConstraint
type: NamedIndividual
casecontext: ENGCO's practice of assigning engineering titles to non-degreed personnel arose from federal agency contracts, but ENGCO's own recognition that 'the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation' triggers an independent obligation to correct the practice regardless of its external origin.
concept category: Constraint
confidence: 0.88
constrainedentity: ENGCO as an engineering firm
constraintclass: External Convention Non-Excuse for Title Misrepresentation Constraint
constraintstatement: ENGCO cannot invoke the origin of the 'Engineer' title in federal agency contract language as a justification for perpetuating the same title misassignment in its own public-facing brochure; the external source of the practice does not excuse ENGCO's independent obligation to ensure its marketing materials are non-deceptive.
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:04.622718+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:04.622718+00:00
importance: high
severity: high
source: NSPE Code of Ethics II.2, II.5; External Convention Non-Excuse for Title Misrepresentation Constraint
sourcetext: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
temporalscope: Applies at the point ENGCO recognized the potential misrepresentation and going forward
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
textreferences: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.231084
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Firm Brochure Engineering Title Audit Self-Triggered
type: FirmBrochureEngineeringTitleAuditCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Firm Brochure Engineering Title Audit Capability
capabilitystatement: Having recognized that its brochure 'may be conveying a misrepresentation,' ENGCO must possess the capability to systematically audit all personnel listings in the brochure, identify every instance where a non-degreed or unlicensed individual is assigned an engineering title, and initiate prompt corrections to bring the brochure into compliance with professional ethics requirements.
casecontext: ENGCO has self-identified a potential misrepresentation in its brochure and must now audit and correct the personnel title listings
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.89
demonstratedthrough: ENGCO's self-triggered concern about the brochure's potential misrepresentation, which activates the audit and correction obligation
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
proficiencylevel: intermediate
sourcetext: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.232971
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Firm Brochure Title Audit Execution Instance
type: FirmBrochureEngineeringTitleAuditCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Firm Brochure Engineering Title Audit Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs must systematically audit the firm's brochure personnel listings to identify all instances where non-degreed or non-licensed individuals are assigned engineering titles, and initiate corrections.
casecontext: ENGCO has recognized that its brochure 'may be conveying a misrepresentation,' triggering the audit and correction obligation addressed in the discussion
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.9
demonstratedthrough: Systematic review of brochure personnel listings against licensure and degree status to identify and correct misrepresented titles
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
proficiencylevel: intermediate
sourcetext: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
textreferences: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.237589
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Gross Misrepresentation Severity Calibration Instance
type: GrossMisrepresentationSeverityCalibrationCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Gross Misrepresentation Severity Calibration Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs must assess the severity of the brochure's title misrepresentation and correctly classify the use of 'Engineer' for high school graduates as a gross misrepresentation amounting to falsification of the firm's qualifications.
casecontext: The discussion characterizes the use of 'Engineer' for high school graduates as a 'gross misrepresentation' and 'essentially falsifying' qualifications, indicating a severity threshold that demands immediate correction
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.84
demonstratedthrough: Classification of the high-school-graduate-titled-as-engineer scenario as the most severe form of engineering title misrepresentation, triggering the strongest corrective obligations
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
proficiencylevel: advanced
sourcetext: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.237251
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Industry Convention Non-Adoption Title Accuracy Constraint Instance
type: IndustryIndiscriminateTitleUseNon-AdoptionConstraint
type: NamedIndividual
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure listed non-degreed inspection personnel with engineering-implying titles, a practice originating in federal agency contract terminology that ENGCO adopted into its own marketing materials
concept category: Constraint
confidence: 0.88
constrainedentity: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
constraintclass: Industry Indiscriminate Title Use Non-Adoption Constraint
constraintstatement: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers are constrained from invoking the indiscriminate use of the title 'engineer' by industry actors or governmental agencies as justification for assigning that title to non-degreed, non-licensed personnel in firm brochures — the profession's own standards impose a higher duty than prevailing industry or agency custom.
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:23:01.865614+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:23:01.865614+00:00
importance: high
severity: high
source: NSPE Code of Ethics; professional obligation of engineering firms to maintain title accuracy independent of industry norms
sourcetext: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
temporalscope: Ongoing; applies to all current and future brochure distributions
textreferences: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.237913
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Industry Normalization Non-Adoption Reasoning Instance
type: ExternalConventionNon-ExcuseforTitleMisrepresentationRecognitionCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: External Convention Non-Excuse for Title Misrepresentation Recognition Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs must recognize that indiscriminate use of 'engineer' by industry and governmental agencies does not excuse or justify the firm's own use of that title for non-degreed, non-licensed personnel in its marketing brochure.
casecontext: The discussion opens by distinguishing the profession's obligation from industry/governmental indiscriminate use, directly addressing the normalization-as-excuse argument
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.91
demonstratedthrough: Rejection of the industry-normalization rationale as a justification for brochure title misrepresentation, affirming the profession's independent obligation to maintain title integrity
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
proficiencylevel: intermediate
sourcetext: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
textreferences: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.237403
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Licensure Public Trust Preservation Brochure Constraint Instance
type: LicensureRequirementPublicInterestJustificationConstraint
type: NamedIndividual
casecontext: The case discussion emphasizes that the public relies on engineering titles in brochures as indicators of education or registration, underscoring the public-interest rationale for accurate title usage
concept category: Constraint
confidence: 0.87
constrainedentity: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
constraintclass: Licensure Requirement Public Interest Justification Constraint
constraintstatement: ENGCO is constrained by the foundational public-interest rationale of engineering licensure requirements — which exist to protect the public by ensuring demonstrated competence — from treating the statutory title-use restrictions as mere administrative formalities, and is required to actively honor those restrictions in firm brochures to preserve the public's ability to rely on engineering credentials as meaningful indicators of qualification.
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:23:01.865614+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:23:01.865614+00:00
importance: high
severity: high
source: Licensure Requirement Public Interest Justification Constraint; state licensing acts
sourcetext: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
temporalscope: Ongoing
textreferences: Most states even have it in their law (licensing act) how and when 'engineer' can be used, usually requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensing requirements.
textreferences: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.238993
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Licensure Public Trust Preservation Brochure Titles
type: LicensurePublicTrustPreservationConstraint
type: NamedIndividual
casecontext: The brochure's use of engineering titles for high school graduates erodes the public's reasonable expectation that individuals holding engineering titles have demonstrated minimum competence through education, examination, and experience.
concept category: Constraint
confidence: 0.91
constrainedentity: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
constraintclass: Licensure Public Trust Preservation Constraint
constraintstatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs are constrained from permitting the firm's brochure to undermine the public trust that underlies the engineering licensure system by implying that non-degreed, unlicensed personnel hold engineering qualifications they do not possess.
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:04.622718+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:04.622718+00:00
importance: high
severity: high
source: NSPE Code of Ethics; Licensure Public Trust Preservation Constraint
sourcetext: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
temporalscope: Ongoing
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.230690
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Licensure Rationale Articulation Brochure Title Ethics
type: LicensureRationaleandPublicInterestArticulationCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Licensure Rationale and Public Interest Articulation Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs must possess the capability to understand and articulate why the engineering licensure system requires accurate title usage — including that the public relies on engineering titles as signals of competence and qualification — and to apply this understanding in evaluating the ethical significance of the brochure's title misrepresentation.
casecontext: ENGCO must understand the public interest basis for accurate engineering title usage to appreciate the seriousness of its brochure's misrepresentation
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.88
demonstratedthrough: The ethical analysis grounding the correction obligation in the public interest rationale of licensure: that titles signal qualifications and the public must be able to rely on them
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
importance: medium
possessedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
proficiencylevel: intermediate
sourcetext: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.232529
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Licensure Rationale Public Interest Articulation Instance
type: LicensureRationaleandPublicInterestArticulationCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Licensure Rationale and Public Interest Articulation Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs must understand and articulate the public interest rationale for engineering title restrictions — namely, that the public relies on engineering titles as signals of education and registration — and apply this understanding to justify brochure correction.
casecontext: The discussion explains that the public relies on engineering titles in brochures as indicators of qualification, grounding the obligation to correct misrepresentation
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.88
demonstratedthrough: Recognition that brochure readers reasonably assume 'engineer' means an educated or registered professional, and that undermining this assumption harms the public interest
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
proficiencylevel: intermediate
sourcetext: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
textreferences: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.236662
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Marketing Material Personnel Credential Differentiation Brochure
type: MarketingMaterialPersonnelCredentialDifferentiationCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Marketing Material Personnel Credential Differentiation Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO must possess the capability to clearly differentiate in its brochure between licensed professional engineers and non-degreed technical staff by assigning distinct, non-misleading titles to each category, ensuring that the brochure's personnel listing accurately reflects the qualifications of each individual listed.
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure lists both licensed PEs and non-degreed high school graduates under engineering titles without differentiation
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.9
demonstratedthrough: The obligation to revise the brochure to clearly differentiate between licensed professional engineers and non-degreed technical staff by assigning accurate, non-misleading titles
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
proficiencylevel: intermediate
sourcetext: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not.
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation
textreferences: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not.
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.232694
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Marketing Material Personnel Credential Differentiation Instance
type: MarketingMaterialPersonnelCredentialDifferentiationCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Marketing Material Personnel Credential Differentiation Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs must clearly differentiate in the brochure between licensed/degreed engineers and non-degreed, non-licensed technical staff, assigning distinct and non-misleading titles to each category.
casecontext: The discussion identifies the need to accurately describe academic qualifications and differentiate personnel categories in the firm's sales brochure
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.91
demonstratedthrough: Revision of brochure to assign non-engineering titles to non-degreed, non-licensed personnel while retaining engineering titles only for those entitled to use them
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
proficiencylevel: intermediate
sourcetext: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
textreferences: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.237761
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Non-Degreed Engineer-Titled Staff
type: UnlicensedTitle-HoldingEngineeringStaff
type: NamedIndividual
attributes: {'licensure': 'None (not licensed professional engineers)', 'education': 'No engineering degree; some are high school graduates only', 'titles_used': ['Engineer', 'Design Engineer'], 'title_source': 'Federal agency contract terminology'}
caseinvolvement: Key personnel at ENGCO who do not hold engineering degrees—some being high school graduates only—are listed in the firm's brochure with titles such as 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer', creating a public misrepresentation of their qualifications.
concept category: Role
confidence: 0.96
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:12:30.690642+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:12:30.690642+00:00
importance: high
relationships: {'type': 'employed_by', 'target': 'ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm'}
relationships: {'type': 'misrepresented_to', 'target': 'Public / Brochure Recipients'}
rolecategory: public_responsibility
roleclass: Unlicensed Title-Holding Engineering Staff
sourcetext: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
textreferences: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not.
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.225010
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Non-Degreed Licensed Personnel Title Exception Application Instance
type: Non-DegreedLicensedPersonnelTitleEntitlementExceptionApplicationCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Non-Degreed Licensed Personnel Title Entitlement Exception Application Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs must correctly identify and apply the exception whereby non-degreed personnel who have passed state licensure requirements may use the title 'Engineer,' distinguishing them from non-degreed, non-licensed personnel who may not.
casecontext: The discussion clarifies that non-degreed personnel who have passed state licensure requirements are entitled to use engineering titles, creating a nuanced exception that must be correctly applied in brochure audits
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.88
demonstratedthrough: Recognition that the prohibition on engineering titles for non-degreed staff does not apply to those who have satisfied state licensure requirements, enabling accurate brochure differentiation
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
proficiencylevel: intermediate
sourcetext: If the non-degreed personnel have passed the state requirements for licensed, they may use the term regardless of their formal education.
textreferences: If the non-degreed personnel have passed the state requirements for licensed, they may use the term regardless of their formal education.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.237108
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Non-Degreed Licensed Personnel Title Exception Constraint Instance
type: Non-DegreedLicensure-QualifiedPersonnelTitleEligibilityExceptionConstraint
type: NamedIndividual
casecontext: The ethics discussion clarifies that non-degreed personnel who have passed state licensing requirements may legitimately use the title 'engineer,' establishing the boundary of the exception and constraining ENGCO to apply it correctly
concept category: Constraint
confidence: 0.89
constrainedentity: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
constraintclass: Non-Degreed Licensure-Qualified Personnel Title Eligibility Exception Constraint
constraintstatement: ENGCO is constrained to recognize that the sole legitimate basis for assigning the title 'engineer' to non-degreed personnel is that those individuals have passed state licensing requirements — and is correspondingly constrained from extending engineering titles to non-degreed personnel who have not satisfied state licensure, while being required to permit the title for those who have.
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:23:01.865614+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:23:01.865614+00:00
importance: medium
severity: medium
source: State engineering licensing acts; NSPE Code of Ethics
sourcetext: If the non-degreed personnel have passed the state requirements for licensed, they may use the term regardless of their formal education.
temporalscope: Applies to all current and future personnel title assignments in firm materials
textreferences: If the non-degreed personnel have passed the state requirements for licensed, they may use the term regardless of their formal education.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.238464
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Non-Degreed Staff Engineering Title Non-Facilitation
type: EngineeringTitleMisrepresentationRecognitionCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Engineering Title Misrepresentation Recognition Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO's licensed professional engineers must individually possess the capability to recognize that permitting or acquiescing in the firm's assignment of engineering titles to non-degreed colleagues in the brochure constitutes facilitation of title misrepresentation, triggering their personal professional obligation to object and seek correction.
casecontext: Licensed PEs at ENGCO have an individual professional responsibility not to acquiesce in the firm's misrepresentation of non-degreed staff as engineers
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.91
demonstratedthrough: The individual obligation on ENGCO's licensed PEs to refrain from permitting the firm's brochure to list non-degreed personnel with engineering titles
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO Licensed PE Staff
proficiencylevel: intermediate
sourcetext: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not.
textreferences: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not.
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.233552
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Profession Honor Preservation Brochure Title Integrity
type: ProfessionHonorPreservationThroughLicensureIntegrityConstraint
type: NamedIndividual
casecontext: The systemic use of engineering titles for non-degreed personnel, normalized by federal agency contracting practice and propagated into firm brochures, represents exactly the kind of institutional erosion of licensure integrity that this constraint addresses.
concept category: Constraint
confidence: 0.9
constrainedentity: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
constraintclass: Profession Honor Preservation Through Licensure Integrity Constraint
constraintstatement: ENGCO's licensed professional engineers are constrained from passively acquiescing in the firm's practice of assigning engineering titles to unqualified personnel, as such acquiescence diminishes the profession and undermines the accountability structures that licensure imposes.
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:04.622718+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:04.622718+00:00
importance: high
severity: high
source: NSPE Code of Ethics; Profession Honor Preservation Through Licensure Integrity Constraint
sourcetext: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
temporalscope: Ongoing — applies as long as the brochure misrepresentation persists
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation
textreferences: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.230858
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Professional Title Usage Restriction Brochure Non-Degreed Personnel
type: ProfessionalTitleUsageRestrictionConstraint
type: NamedIndividual
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure assigns engineering titles to personnel who may be high school graduates only, directly violating the prohibition on non-degreed, unlicensed individuals using engineering-implying titles.
concept category: Constraint
confidence: 0.95
constrainedentity: ENGCO and non-degreed personnel listed in the brochure
constraintclass: Professional Title Usage Restriction Constraint
constraintstatement: Non-degreed personnel at ENGCO, including high school graduates, are prohibited from using the titles 'Engineer' or 'Design Engineer' in professional contexts including firm brochures, as these titles convey licensure, competence, and ethical accountability that unlicensed, non-degreed individuals do not possess.
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:04.622718+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:04.622718+00:00
importance: high
severity: high
source: State licensing statutes; Professional Title Usage Restriction Constraint; NSPE Code
sourcetext: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
temporalscope: Ongoing
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.231400
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Public Confidence Licensure Integrity Brochure Title
type: PublicConfidenceinProfessionProtectionCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Public Confidence in Profession Protection Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs must possess the capability to recognize that permitting non-degreed staff to be listed with engineering titles in the firm brochure undermines public confidence in the engineering profession and the intent of licensure, and to act to protect that confidence by correcting the brochure.
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure title practice, if uncorrected, erodes the public's ability to distinguish licensed engineers from non-degreed technical staff
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.92
demonstratedthrough: The licensure system integrity preservation obligation requiring ENGCO to actively preserve the integrity of the engineering licensure system by refusing to allow non-degreed personnel to be presented as engineers
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:18:22.147024+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
proficiencylevel: intermediate
sourcetext: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.232350
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Public Confidence in Profession Protection Instance
type: PublicConfidenceinProfessionProtectionCapability
type: NamedIndividual
capabilityclass: Public Confidence in Profession Protection Capability
capabilitystatement: ENGCO and its licensed PEs must recognize that permitting engineering title misrepresentation in the firm brochure undermines public confidence in the engineering profession and the intent of licensure, and must act to protect that confidence by correcting the brochure.
casecontext: The discussion explicitly distinguishes the profession's obligation from industry/governmental indiscriminate use, grounding the duty in professional integrity
concept category: Capability
confidence: 0.9
demonstratedthrough: Recognition that the profession must not follow indiscriminate industry or governmental use of 'engineer,' and must maintain title integrity to protect public trust
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:22:51.959370+00:00
importance: high
possessedby: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
proficiencylevel: intermediate
sourcetext: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
textreferences: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.236825
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO State Licensing Act Title Use Statutory Compliance Constraint Instance
type: StateLicensingActEngineeringTitleUseStatutoryComplianceConstraint
type: NamedIndividual
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure assigned engineering titles to non-degreed, non-licensed personnel, potentially violating state licensing act title-use provisions in the jurisdictions where the firm operates
concept category: Constraint
confidence: 0.93
constrainedentity: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers
constraintclass: State Licensing Act Engineering Title Use Statutory Compliance Constraint
constraintstatement: ENGCO is legally constrained by state licensing act provisions — which typically require a college degree and/or satisfaction of licensing requirements for lawful use of the title 'engineer' — from assigning that title to personnel who meet neither criterion in firm brochures or other public-facing materials.
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:23:01.865614+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:23:01.865614+00:00
importance: high
severity: high
source: State engineering licensing acts (applicable jurisdiction); statutory title-use provisions
sourcetext: Most states even have it in their law (licensing act) how and when 'engineer' can be used, usually requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensing requirements.
temporalscope: Ongoing; applies in all states where ENGCO operates or distributes marketing materials
textreferences: Most states even have it in their law (licensing act) how and when 'engineer' can be used, usually requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensing requirements.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.238256
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO adoption of loose 'Engineer' titles in company brochure before ENGCO recognition of potential misrepresentation concern
type: TemporalRelation
type: NamedIndividual
allen relation: before
evidence: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
from entity text: ENGCO adoption of loose 'Engineer' titles in company brochure
owl time property: time:intervalBefore
to entity text: ENGCO recognition of potential misrepresentation concern
comment: Entity1 is before Entity2
interval before: ENGCO recognition of potential misrepresentation c
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239620
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO brochure misrepresentation practice before ethics evaluation and discussion of the practice
type: TemporalRelation
type: NamedIndividual
allen relation: before
evidence: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation... The Discussion section then evaluates this situation against professional ethics standards and state licensing laws.
from entity text: ENGCO brochure misrepresentation practice
owl time property: time:intervalBefore
to entity text: ethics evaluation and discussion of the practice
comment: Entity1 is before Entity2
interval before: ethics evaluation and discussion of the practice
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239687
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Engineering-Licensure-Law-Instance
type: EngineeringLicensureLaw
type: NamedIndividual
concept category: Resource
confidence: 0.88
createdby: State legislatures and licensing boards
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: facts
documenttitle: State Engineering Licensure Statutes
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:12:22.757512+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:12:22.757512+00:00
importance: high
resourceclass: Engineering Licensure Law
sourcetext: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
textreferences: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
usedby: ENGCO in determining the legal permissibility of its personnel title practices
usedincontext: State statutory provisions defining who may lawfully use the title 'Engineer'; constrains ENGCO's ability to assign engineering titles to unlicensed, non-degreed personnel in its brochure
version: Current
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.223633
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Engineering-Title-Usage-Standard-Instance
type: EngineeringTitleUsageStandard
type: NamedIndividual
concept category: Resource
confidence: 0.95
createdby: State licensing boards and professional engineering societies
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: facts
documenttitle: Engineering Title Usage Standard
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:12:22.757512+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:12:22.757512+00:00
importance: high
resourceclass: Engineering Title Usage Standard
sourcetext: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
usedby: ENGCO in assessing the propriety of assigning engineering titles to non-licensed, non-degreed personnel
usedincontext: Establishes professional and statutory norms prohibiting use of the title 'Engineer' by unlicensed or non-degreed personnel in contexts implying engineering competence; directly at issue when ENGCO labels non-engineers as 'Engineer' or 'Design Engineer' in its brochure
version: Current
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.223087
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Engineering Firm Brochure Qualification Representation Standard
type: QualificationRepresentationStandard
type: NamedIndividual
concept category: Resource
confidence: 0.88
createdby: Professional engineering ethics community (NSPE Code of Ethics)
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: discussion
documenttitle: Standard for Accurate Representation of Qualifications in Engineering Firm Marketing Materials
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:12:56.966307+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:12:56.966307+00:00
importance: high
resourceclass: Qualification Representation Standard
sourcetext: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
textreferences: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
textreferences: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
usedby: Engineering firms preparing marketing brochures and sales materials
usedincontext: Professional norm requiring that engineering firm brochures accurately describe the academic and licensure qualifications of employees, so that clients relying on such materials are not misled about the firm's capabilities
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.225768
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Engineering Title Usage Standard - Professional Norms
type: EngineeringTitleUsageStandard
type: NamedIndividual
concept category: Resource
confidence: 0.93
createdby: Professional engineering community and state licensing boards
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: discussion
documenttitle: Professional Norms Governing Use of the Title 'Engineer'
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:12:56.966307+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:12:56.966307+00:00
importance: high
resourceclass: Engineering Title Usage Standard
sourcetext: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
textreferences: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
usedby: Engineering firms and professionals when designating staff titles in brochures and marketing materials
usedincontext: Professional norms establishing that the title 'engineer' must accurately reflect academic qualifications or licensure status, and that use of the title for non-degreed, unlicensed personnel constitutes gross misrepresentation
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.225592
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Ethical-Legal Problem Recognition
type: Event
type: NamedIndividual
activates constraint: Good_Faith_Remediation_Constraint
activates constraint: Known_Violation_Correction_Obligation
activates constraint: Non_Misrepresentation_Constraint
activates constraint: State_Licensing_Law_Compliance
causes state change: ENGCO's moral and legal status shifted from potentially unwitting violator to knowing violator; the window for good-faith remediation opened, but so did heightened culpability for any continued inaction; the firm's decision-making context became one of informed ethical choice rather than inadvertent practice
concept category: Event
creates obligation: Obligation_To_Cease_Ongoing_Distribution_Of_Inaccurate_Brochure
creates obligation: Obligation_To_Consult_Legal_And_Ethics_Counsel
creates obligation: Obligation_To_Develop_Corrective_Action_Plan
creates obligation: Obligation_To_Immediately_Investigate_Scope_Of_Misrepresentation
emergency status: high
event type: outcome
temporal marker: At an unspecified point after brochure distribution; prior to any corrective action being taken
temporal sequence: 5
urgency level: high
comment: At some point, ENGCO's leadership became aware that the brochure's titling practice was potentially both ethically problematic and legally non-compliant with state licensing laws. This recognition transformed the situation from one of possible ignorance to one of known ongoing violation, materially altering the firm's moral and legal culpability.
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239301
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Ethical-Legal Problem Recognition → Misrepresentation Conclusion Reached
type: CausalChain
type: NamedIndividual
causal language: The evaluation of ENGCO's titling practice against professional ethics standards and state licensing requirements, initiated by the ethical-legal problem recognition, produced the formal conclusion that a misrepresentation had occurred
cause: Ethical-Legal Problem Recognition
counterfactual: Without the ethical-legal problem recognition triggering a formal evaluation, the misrepresentation conclusion may never have been reached internally, leaving ENGCO exposed to ongoing liability and public harm
effect: Misrepresentation Conclusion Reached
necessary factors: Application of professional ethics standards (e.g., NSPE Code of Ethics) and state licensing statutes to ENGCO's titling practice
necessary factors: Evaluative process reaching a definitive conclusion rather than remaining inconclusive
necessary factors: Formal recognition of the ethical-legal problem as a prerequisite to structured evaluation
responsibility type: shared
responsible agent: ENGCO Leadership, with shared responsibility attributable to Federal Agency Decision-Makers for initiating the causal chain
sufficient factors: Ethical-legal problem recognition + structured evaluation against applicable standards + documented conclusion = misrepresentation formally established
within agent control: true
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239552
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Federal-Agency-Engineering-Contract-Title-Practice
type: ReferenceMaterial
type: NamedIndividual
concept category: Resource
confidence: 0.82
createdby: Federal agencies
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: facts
documenttitle: Federal Agency Engineering Contracts (Inspection Personnel Title Usage)
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:12:22.757512+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:12:22.757512+00:00
importance: medium
resourceclass: Reference Material
sourcetext: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
textreferences: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
usedby: ENGCO as justification for its brochure title usage
usedincontext: Federal agency contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers' — cited as the origin of ENGCO's practice of assigning engineering titles to non-licensed personnel; serves as contextual reference explaining how the problematic practice arose
version: Current
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.223781
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Federal Agency Inspection Contract Authority
type: FederalContractInspectionPersonnel
type: NamedIndividual
attributes: {'entity_type': 'Federal government agency', 'title_practice': "Refers to inspection personnel as 'Engineers' in contract documents"}
caseinvolvement: A federal agency whose engineering contracts designate inspection personnel as 'Engineers' regardless of licensure or degree status, originating the title-usage convention that ENGCO adopted in its internal brochure.
concept category: Role
confidence: 0.82
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:12:30.690642+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:12:30.690642+00:00
importance: medium
relationships: {'type': 'contracts_with', 'target': 'ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm'}
relationships: {'type': 'originates_title_usage_for', 'target': 'ENGCO Non-Degreed Engineer-Titled Staff'}
rolecategory: public_responsibility
roleclass: Federal Contract Inspection Personnel
sourcetext: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
textreferences: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.225305
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Federal Agency Title Adoption
type: Action
type: NamedIndividual
concept category: Action
event role context: Contracting Officials
foreseen unintended effects: Downstream adoption of loose terminology by contracting firms
foreseen unintended effects: Normalization of imprecise use of protected professional title across the industry
guided by principle text: Administrative convenience
guided by principle text: Operational standardization
has agent: Federal Agency Decision-Makers
has mental state: deliberate
intended outcome: Standardize contract language for inspection personnel roles without regard to formal engineering credentials
requires capability text: Contract language drafting authority
requires capability text: Knowledge of professional licensing standards
temporal marker: Early/ongoing, prior to and concurrent with ENGCO's brochure practices
temporal sequence: 1
violates obligation text: Accurate representation of professional qualifications in official documents
violates obligation text: Protection of the public's ability to assess personnel qualifications
violates obligation text: Respect for state licensing law restrictions on use of the title 'Engineer'
within competence: true
comment: Federal agencies deliberately adopted the practice of referring to inspection personnel as 'Engineers' in contract language, normalizing a loose and imprecise use of the professional title.
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239044
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Federal Agency Title Adoption → Loose 'Engineer' Term Proliferation
type: CausalChain
type: NamedIndividual
causal language: The federal agency's informal use of the title 'Engineer' for inspection personnel spread into broad industry practice, normalizing the misapplication of the protected title
cause: Federal Agency Title Adoption
counterfactual: Without the federal agency's deliberate adoption of the title, private firms like ENGCO would have lacked a credible institutional precedent to mirror, making the proliferation significantly less likely
effect: Loose 'Engineer' Term Proliferation
necessary factors: Absence of regulatory enforcement correcting the federal agency's terminology
necessary factors: Federal agency's deliberate adoption of 'Engineer' title for non-licensed inspection personnel
necessary factors: Institutional authority and legitimacy of federal agencies to influence industry norms
responsibility type: indirect
responsible agent: Federal Agency Decision-Makers
sufficient factors: Federal authority + repeated contractual use of title + industry deference to federal terminology standards
within agent control: true
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239447
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

I.3.
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.365878
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

I.5.
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.365922
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

II.3.
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.365954
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

II.5.
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.365986
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

II.5.a.
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366017
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Loose 'Engineer' Term Proliferation
type: Event
type: NamedIndividual
activates constraint: Professional_Title_Accuracy_Norm
activates constraint: State_Licensing_Law_Compliance
causes state change: Industry titling norms shifted toward permissive use of 'Engineer'; regulatory ambiguity created a permissive environment that downstream actors (like ENGCO) would later exploit or inadvertently adopt
concept category: Event
creates obligation: Firms_Obligation_Not_To_Replicate_Inaccurate_Titling
creates obligation: Industry_Actors_Obligation_To_Verify_Title_Accuracy
emergency status: low
event type: exogenous
temporal marker: Prior to ENGCO brochure adoption; indeterminate early period of federal contracting practice
temporal sequence: 2
urgency level: low
comment: The federal agency's informal use of the title 'Engineer' for inspection personnel spread into broader contracting language and industry practice, normalizing the loose application of the term beyond its licensed, credentialed meaning. This occurred gradually and without deliberate correction, becoming an ambient industry norm.
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239204
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Misrepresentation Conclusion Reached
type: Event
type: NamedIndividual
activates constraint: Mandatory_Corrective_Action_Constraint
activates constraint: Non_Misrepresentation_Constraint
activates constraint: Professional_Ethics_Code_Compliance
activates constraint: State_Licensing_Law_Compliance
causes state change: The practice is no longer in an ethically ambiguous state; it has been authoritatively classified as misrepresentation; ENGCO's obligations to correct are now definitive rather than precautionary; any continued use of the inaccurate brochure after this conclusion is unambiguously wrongful
concept category: Event
creates obligation: Obligation_To_Align_Titles_With_Actual_Credentials
creates obligation: Obligation_To_Cease_Use_Of_Inaccurate_Brochure
creates obligation: Obligation_To_Correct_Brochure_Titles
creates obligation: Obligation_To_Implement_Title_Verification_Processes
creates obligation: Obligation_To_Report_Or_Disclose_If_Required_By_Law
emergency status: high
event type: outcome
temporal marker: Discussion/evaluation phase; after the facts of the case were assembled and analyzed against applicable standards
temporal sequence: 7
urgency level: high
comment: The evaluation of ENGCO's titling practice against professional ethics standards and state licensing laws produced a definitive conclusion that the brochure constitutes misrepresentation. This conclusion, reached through the Discussion section's analysis, is an outcome of the evaluative process and establishes the ethical and legal verdict on the practice.
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239362
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

NSPE-Code-of-Ethics-Misrepresentation
type: ProfessionalCode
type: NamedIndividual
concept category: Resource
confidence: 0.95
createdby: National Society of Professional Engineers
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: facts
documenttitle: NSPE Code of Ethics for Engineers
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:12:22.757512+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:12:22.757512+00:00
importance: high
resourceclass: Professional Code
sourcetext: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation
usedby: ENGCO in evaluating whether its brochure practice is ethically permissible
usedincontext: Governs the obligation of engineers and engineering firms not to misrepresent their qualifications or the qualifications of their personnel; prohibits deceptive use of engineering titles in firm brochures
version: Current
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.222909
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Non-Degreed High School Graduate Titled as Engineer
type: UnlicensedTitle-HoldingEngineeringStaff
type: NamedIndividual
attributes: {'education_level': 'High school graduate (no engineering degree)', 'licensure_status': 'Unlicensed (unless state requirements independently met)', 'exception': 'May use title if state licensing requirements are met regardless of formal education'}
caseinvolvement: A high school graduate employed by an engineering firm and listed in the firm's brochure with the title 'Engineer,' without holding an engineering degree or professional license, thereby misrepresenting qualifications to the public unless state licensing requirements have been independently met.
concept category: Role
confidence: 0.9
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:13:10.791729+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:13:10.791729+00:00
importance: high
relationships: {'type': 'employed_by', 'target': 'Engineering Firm Using Engineer Title for Non-Degreed Staff'}
relationships: {'type': 'misrepresents_qualifications_to', 'target': 'Brochure-Relying Engineering Services Consumer'}
rolecategory: public_responsibility
roleclass: Unlicensed Title-Holding Engineering Staff
sourcetext: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
textreferences: If the non-degreed personnel have passed the state requirements for licensed, they may use the term regardless of their formal education.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.226273
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Qualification-Representation-Standard-Instance
type: QualificationRepresentationStandard
type: NamedIndividual
concept category: Resource
confidence: 0.9
createdby: Professional engineering societies and licensing boards
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: facts
documenttitle: Qualification Representation Standard
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:12:22.757512+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:12:22.757512+00:00
importance: high
resourceclass: Qualification Representation Standard
sourcetext: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation
usedby: ENGCO in evaluating whether its brochure accurately represents the qualifications of its key personnel
usedincontext: Governs honest and accurate representation of a firm's staff qualifications in marketing materials; applies to ENGCO's brochure listing of personnel with inflated or misleading engineering titles
version: Current
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.223249
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_1
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366172
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_10
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369631
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_11
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369662
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_12
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369713
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_13
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369746
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_14
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369776
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_15
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369808
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_16
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369838
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_17
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369873
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_2
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369309
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_3
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369340
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_4
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369369
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_5
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369397
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_6
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369427
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_7
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369518
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_8
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369565
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

QuestionEmergence_9
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369599
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_1
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 1
question text: Is it ethical for ENGCO to refer to its non-degreed personnel as "engineers"?
question type: board_explicit
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366234
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_101
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 101
question text: Does the fact that ENGCO itself recognized the potential misrepresentation in its brochure create a heightened ethical obligation to act immediately, and does self-awareness of a violation without correction constitute an independent ethical breach?
question type: implicit
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366292
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_102
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 102
question text: To what extent does ENGCO bear an ethical obligation to formally protest or challenge federal agency contracts that designate non-degreed inspection personnel as 'Engineers,' rather than simply declining to replicate that terminology in its own materials?
question type: implicit
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366365
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_103
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 103
question text: Are non-degreed personnel who have passed state licensing examinations and hold a professional engineer license ethically entitled to the title 'Engineer' in ENGCO's brochure, and how should the brochure distinguish between licensed non-degreed staff and unlicensed high school graduates?
question type: implicit
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366425
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_104
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 104
question text: What ethical responsibility does ENGCO have toward the readers of its brochure—including prospective clients and the general public—who may reasonably rely on engineering titles as indicators of professional qualification when making decisions about engaging the firm's services?
question type: implicit
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366498
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_201
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 201
question text: Does the principle that licensure alone can legitimize the 'Engineer' title independent of academic credentials conflict with the principle of qualification transparency, which would require the brochure to clearly disclose the absence of an engineering degree for non-degreed licensed personnel?
question type: principle_tension
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366555
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_202
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 202
question text: Does the principle that external conventions such as federal agency contract language cannot excuse internal title misuse conflict with any legitimate business interest ENGCO may have in maintaining terminological consistency with the federal contracts under which its personnel actually operate, and how should that tension be resolved?
question type: principle_tension
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366630
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_203
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 203
question text: Where the principle of public welfare paramount demands reliable engineering titles to protect the public, and the principle of honesty in professional representations demands accurate brochure content, does satisfying both simultaneously require ENGCO to go beyond merely correcting titles and affirmatively disclose the qualifications of all listed personnel, even those not titled 'Engineer'?
question type: principle_tension
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366683
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_204
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 204
question text: Does the firm-level title audit obligation triggered by ENGCO's own self-awareness conflict with the implicit engineering title invocation prohibition, in the sense that conducting an audit and selectively retaining some titles for licensed non-degreed staff might itself create a misleading impression of uniform credential equivalence among all personnel listed with engineering titles?
question type: principle_tension
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366745
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_301
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 301
question text: From a deontological perspective, does ENGCO have an absolute duty to refuse the 'engineer' title for non-degreed personnel regardless of whether federal agency contracts normalize that usage, given that the duty to avoid misrepresentation is categorical and not contingent on industry convention?
question type: theoretical
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366825
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_302
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 302
question text: From a consequentialist perspective, what aggregate harm to public trust in the engineering profession results from widespread adoption of the practice of titling non-degreed personnel as 'engineers' in firm brochures, and does that harm outweigh any operational or contractual convenience ENGCO gains by mirroring federal agency title conventions?
question type: theoretical
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366903
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_303
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 303
question text: From a virtue ethics standpoint, does ENGCO's self-aware recognition that its brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation—yet its continued use of engineering titles for non-degreed staff—reflect a failure of professional integrity and honesty as character virtues that a firm of good professional character would be expected to embody?
question type: theoretical
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.366961
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_304
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 304
question text: From a deontological perspective, does a non-degreed employee who has passed state licensing requirements have a legitimate, duty-grounded entitlement to the 'engineer' title in ENGCO's brochure, and how does this exception interact with the general prohibition against titling non-degreed, non-licensed personnel as engineers?
question type: theoretical
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.367016
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_401
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 401
question text: If ENGCO had proactively differentiated personnel credentials in its brochure from the outset—clearly distinguishing licensed professional engineers from non-degreed inspection staff—would the firm have avoided the ethical problem entirely, and would federal agency contracts have adapted their own title conventions in response?
question type: counterfactual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.367069
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_402
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 402
question text: What if ENGCO had formally protested the federal agency's practice of designating inspection personnel as 'engineers' in contract language rather than adopting that convention into its own brochure—would such a protest have fulfilled ENGCO's ethical obligations and potentially curtailed the broader proliferation of the misuse of the engineering title across the industry?
question type: counterfactual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.367122
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_403
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 403
question text: If a member of the public or a client relied on ENGCO's brochure and engaged the firm specifically because they believed all listed 'engineers' held engineering degrees or licenses, and subsequently suffered harm due to the non-degreed personnel's technical limitations, would ENGCO's ethical violation be compounded into a legal liability, and how does that potential outcome reinforce the Board's conclusion?
question type: counterfactual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.367174
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Question_404
type: EthicalQuestion
type: NamedIndividual
question number: 404
question text: What if ENGCO had used alternative, accurate titles—such as 'Inspection Technician,' 'Design Technologist,' or 'Engineering Associate'—for its non-degreed personnel in the brochure while still satisfying federal agency contract requirements internally; would this approach have resolved the ethical conflict without operational disruption, and does the availability of such alternatives make the original misrepresentation less defensible?
question type: counterfactual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.367256
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_1
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369906
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_10
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.370174
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_11
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.370202
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_12
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.370231
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_13
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.370276
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_14
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.370312
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_15
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.370341
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_16
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.370369
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_17
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.370398
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_2
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369939
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_3
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369969
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_4
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.369997
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_5
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.370026
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_6
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.370057
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_7
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.370085
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_8
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.370114
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ResolutionPattern_9
type: NamedIndividual
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:39:06.370144
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

State Engineering Licensing Act - Title Usage Provisions
type: EngineeringLicensureLaw
type: NamedIndividual
concept category: Resource
confidence: 0.95
createdby: State legislatures
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: discussion
documenttitle: State Engineering Licensing Act (Title Usage Provisions)
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:12:56.966307+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:12:56.966307+00:00
importance: high
resourceclass: Engineering Licensure Law
sourcetext: Most states even have it in their law (licensing act) how and when 'engineer' can be used, usually requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensing requirements.
textreferences: If the non-degreed personnel have passed the state requirements for licensed, they may use the term regardless of their formal education.
textreferences: Most states even have it in their law (licensing act) how and when 'engineer' can be used, usually requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensing requirements.
usedby: Licensing boards, engineering firms, and individual practitioners to determine lawful use of the title 'engineer'
usedincontext: Most states have statutory provisions in their licensing acts specifying how and when the title 'engineer' may be used, typically requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensure requirements
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.225450
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.84
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.036194+00:00
value: Both principles converge on the same conclusion: the titles must be corrected; the implicit invocation prohibition reinforces the general anti-misrepresentation obligation in the specific context of title assignment in marketing materials

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.88
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.033453+00:00
value: The principle resolves the tension by holding that the contractual origin of the title is relevant to understanding how the practice arose but is not a valid ethical defense for its continuation in public-facing materials; correction is required regardless

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.83
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.035538+00:00
value: Honesty in public-facing representations is non-negotiable; commercial interests do not justify misrepresentation of personnel credentials

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.9
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.034224+00:00
value: The principle resolves the tension by holding that the contractual origin of the title is relevant to understanding how the practice arose but is not a valid ethical defense for its continuation in public-facing materials; correction is required regardless

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.82
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.033867+00:00
value: Licensure status is the controlling criterion where it has been obtained; the absence of both degree and licensure is what makes the title use impermissible in this case

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.88
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.035815+00:00
value: Licensure status is the controlling criterion where it has been obtained; the absence of both degree and licensure is what makes the title use impermissible in this case

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.89
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.034994+00:00
value: The federal contract origin of the title convention does not override the firm's obligation to accurately represent personnel qualifications in public-facing materials; the principle requires correction of the brochure

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.89
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.035148+00:00
value: The professional anti-misrepresentation obligation prevails; the fact that federal contract language uses the same title does not authorize the firm to perpetuate the misrepresentation in its own brochure

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.85
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.035945+00:00
value: The professional anti-misrepresentation obligation prevails; the fact that federal contract language uses the same title does not authorize the firm to perpetuate the misrepresentation in its own brochure

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.88
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.036350+00:00
value: The principle resolves the tension by holding that the contractual origin of the title is relevant to understanding how the practice arose but is not a valid ethical defense for its continuation in public-facing materials; correction is required regardless

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.86
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.036755+00:00
value: The corrective obligation is not balanced away by the inconvenience of revising established materials or the loyalty owed to federal clients whose contract language originated the titles; the obligation to the public and prospective clients is paramount

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.85
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.036830+00:00
value: The honesty obligation is not balanced away by loyalty to federal clients whose contract language originated the title convention; the firm must be honest with all audiences, including prospective clients who read its brochure

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.88
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.035348+00:00
value: The principle resolves the tension by holding that the contractual origin of the title is relevant to understanding how the practice arose but is not a valid ethical defense for its continuation in public-facing materials; correction is required regardless

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.86
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.033996+00:00
value: The corrective obligation is not balanced away by the inconvenience of revising established materials or the loyalty owed to federal clients whose contract language originated the titles; the obligation to the public and prospective clients is paramount

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.85
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.036270+00:00
value: The corrective obligation is not balanced away by the inconvenience of revising established materials or the loyalty owed to federal clients whose contract language originated the titles; the obligation to the public and prospective clients is paramount

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.9
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.034661+00:00
value: The corrective obligation is not balanced away by the inconvenience of revising established materials or the loyalty owed to federal clients whose contract language originated the titles; the obligation to the public and prospective clients is paramount

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.87
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.036574+00:00
value: The public protection rationale for licensure title regulation prevails over commercial convenience or industry normalization

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.87
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.036496+00:00
value: The professional standard prevails over industry normalization; the fact that the misuse originated in federal contract language does not excuse the firm's perpetuation of it in its own marketing materials

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.87
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.035445+00:00
value: The professional standard prevails over industry normalization; the fact that the misuse originated in federal contract language does not excuse the firm's perpetuation of it in its own marketing materials

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.86
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.035722+00:00
value: The public protection rationale for licensure title regulation prevails over commercial convenience or industry normalization

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.86
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.036042+00:00
value: The federal agency's use of 'Engineer' as a contract designation for inspection personnel is a contractual convenience that does not alter the public protection rationale for reserving the title for qualified individuals in public-facing materials

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.89
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.034898+00:00
value: The federal agency's use of 'Engineer' as a contract designation for inspection personnel is a contractual convenience that does not alter the public protection rationale for reserving the title for qualified individuals in public-facing materials

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.87
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.033718+00:00
value: The public protection rationale for licensure title regulation prevails over commercial convenience or industry normalization

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.85
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.036118+00:00
value: The public protection rationale for licensure title regulation prevails over commercial convenience or industry normalization

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.9
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.034560+00:00
value: The public protection rationale for licensure title regulation prevails over commercial convenience or industry normalization

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.82
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.036675+00:00
value: Licensure status is the controlling criterion where it has been obtained; the absence of both degree and licensure is what makes the title use impermissible in this case

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.85
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.035251+00:00
value: Licensure status is the controlling criterion where it has been obtained; the absence of both degree and licensure is what makes the title use impermissible in this case

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.87
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.033601+00:00
value: The professional standard prevails over industry normalization; the fact that the misuse originated in federal contract language does not excuse the firm's perpetuation of it in its own marketing materials

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.85
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.035630+00:00
value: Honesty in public-facing representations is non-negotiable; commercial interests do not justify misrepresentation of personnel credentials

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.9
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.034321+00:00
value: The professional standard prevails over industry normalization; the fact that the misuse originated in federal contract language does not excuse the firm's perpetuation of it in its own marketing materials

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.85
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.034111+00:00
value: The honesty obligation is not balanced away by loyalty to federal clients whose contract language originated the title convention; the firm must be honest with all audiences, including prospective clients who read its brochure

Defeasibility edge from tensionresolution
type: Derivation
comment: source_field=tensionresolution; confidence=0.9
generated at time: 2026-05-02T02:25:36.034794+00:00
value: The honesty obligation is not balanced away by loyalty to federal clients whose contract language originated the title convention; the firm must be honest with all audiences, including prospective clients who read its brochure

federal agency loose use of 'Engineer' terminology overlaps ENGCO use of loose 'Engineer' terminology in brochure
type: TemporalRelation
type: NamedIndividual
allen relation: overlaps
evidence: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
from entity text: federal agency loose use of 'Engineer' terminology
owl time property: time:intervalOverlaps
to entity text: ENGCO use of loose 'Engineer' terminology in brochure
comment: Entity1 starts before Entity2 and ends during Entity2
interval overlaps: ENGCO use of loose Engineer terminology in broch
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239653
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

federal agency use of 'Engineer' title for inspection personnel before ENGCO adoption of loose 'Engineer' titles in company brochure
type: TemporalRelation
type: NamedIndividual
allen relation: before
evidence: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
from entity text: federal agency use of 'Engineer' title for inspection personnel
owl time property: time:intervalBefore
to entity text: ENGCO adoption of loose 'Engineer' titles in company brochure
comment: Entity1 is before Entity2
interval before: ENGCO adoption of loose Engineer titles in compa
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239588
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

non-degreed personnel passing state licensing requirements before permissible use of 'Engineer' title by those personnel
type: TemporalRelation
type: NamedIndividual
allen relation: before
evidence: If the non-degreed personnel have passed the state requirements for licensed, they may use the term regardless of their formal education.
from entity text: non-degreed personnel passing state licensing requirements
owl time property: time:intervalBefore
to entity text: permissible use of 'Engineer' title by those personnel
comment: Entity1 is before Entity2
interval before: permissible use of Engineer title by those perso
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.239742
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

R->P->O edge: adheresToPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm

R->P->O edge: adheresToPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm

R->P->O edge: adheresToPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm

R->P->O edge: adheresToPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm

R->P->O edge: adheresToPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm

R->P->O edge: adheresToPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm

R->P->O edge: adheresToPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm

R->P->O edge: adheresToPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm

R->P->O edge: adheresToPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm

R->P->O edge: adheresToPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm

R->P->O edge: adheresToPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm

R->P->O edge: adheresToPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm

R->P->O edge: adheresToPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm

R->P->O edge: adheresToPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm

R->P->O edge: adheresToPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm

R->P->O edge: adheresToPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: invokedby: Engineering Brochure Reader

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO's brochure use of 'Engineer' for non-degreed, non-licensed personnel constitutes a dishonest representation of the firm's qualifications, amounting to falsification of the firm's credential profile in its sales materials

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: Listing non-degreed, non-licensed personnel under titles such as 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' in a firm brochure implicitly invokes the engineering title and its associated professional standing, even without an explicit 'PE' designatio

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO's brochure assigns titles such as 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' to personnel who hold no engineering degree and may be high school graduates only, constituting a misrepresentation of their qualifications that the principle prohibit

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO's use of 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' titles for high school graduates who hold neither engineering degrees nor PE licenses violates the professional obligation to refrain from using engineering titles for individuals who do not h

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO's use of 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' titles for high school graduates who hold neither engineering degrees nor PE licenses violates the professional obligation to refrain from using engineering titles for individuals who do not h

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: The state licensing acts' regulation of when and how 'Engineer' may be used reflects the public protection function of the licensure system; ENGCO's title misuse for non-degreed, non-licensed staff erodes the public's ability to rely on eng

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: The state licensing acts' regulation of when and how 'Engineer' may be used reflects the public protection function of the licensure system; ENGCO's title misuse for non-degreed, non-licensed staff erodes the public's ability to rely on eng

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: By assigning 'Engineer' titles to high school graduates in its public brochure, ENGCO erodes the public's ability to rely on the engineering title as a signal of licensure and competence, undermining the protective function of the licensure

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: By assigning 'Engineer' titles to high school graduates in its public brochure, ENGCO erodes the public's ability to rely on the engineering title as a signal of licensure and competence, undermining the protective function of the licensure

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: The state licensing acts' regulation of when and how 'Engineer' may be used reflects the public protection function of the licensure system; ENGCO's title misuse for non-degreed, non-licensed staff erodes the public's ability to rely on eng

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: Non-degreed ENGCO personnel who have successfully passed state licensure requirements are ethically and legally entitled to use the 'Engineer' title regardless of their lack of a formal engineering degree, because licensure independently ve

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO's brochure use of 'Engineer' for non-degreed, non-licensed personnel constitutes a dishonest representation of the firm's qualifications, amounting to falsification of the firm's credential profile in its sales materials

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO's brochure makes implicit representations about the qualifications of its personnel by assigning engineering titles; the honesty principle requires that these representations be accurate, meaning non-degreed, non-licensed staff should

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO's brochure listing non-degreed, non-licensed personnel with the title 'Engineer' constitutes a gross misrepresentation of firm qualifications because the brochure is a sales tool on which prospective clients rely to assess the credent

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: The ENGCO brochure fails to distinguish between licensed PE staff and non-degreed technical staff, presenting all under engineering titles in a manner that prevents readers from accurately assessing the qualifications of the personnel liste

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO's own recognition that its brochure 'may be conveying a misrepresentation' triggers an affirmative obligation to audit the brochure, revise misleading titles, and ensure clear distinction between licensed PE staff and non-degreed tech

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: The state licensing acts' regulation of when and how 'Engineer' may be used reflects the public protection function of the licensure system; ENGCO's title misuse for non-degreed, non-licensed staff erodes the public's ability to rely on eng

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: The public's welfare depends on being able to rely on engineering titles as accurate indicators of qualification; ENGCO's misuse of 'Engineer' for non-degreed, non-licensed personnel undermines this reliance and exposes the public to the ri

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO's brochure use of 'Engineer' for non-degreed, non-licensed personnel constitutes a dishonest representation of the firm's qualifications, amounting to falsification of the firm's credential profile in its sales materials

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO's brochure makes implicit representations about the qualifications of its personnel by assigning engineering titles; the honesty principle requires that these representations be accurate, meaning non-degreed, non-licensed staff should

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: The ENGCO brochure fails to distinguish between licensed PE staff and non-degreed technical staff, presenting all under engineering titles in a manner that prevents readers from accurately assessing the qualifications of the personnel liste

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO's brochure must distinguish between licensed PE staff and non-licensed, non-degreed staff through accurate title use, so that clients and the public can accurately assess the qualifications and accountability of personnel performing e

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: The ethics analysis explicitly acknowledges that industry and governmental agencies use 'Engineer' indiscriminately, but asserts that the profession must not follow suit — establishing that ENGCO cannot justify its brochure title misuse by

R->P->O edge: derivedFromPrinciple
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO's adoption of the 'Engineer' title for non-degreed inspection personnel — originating in federal agency contract language — into its public marketing brochure is not ethically justified by that contractual origin; the ethical obligati

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO is obligated to refrain from distributing a brochure that, while not explicitly claiming all listed personnel are licensed engineers, implicitly conveys that impression through the use of engineering titles for non-degreed staff

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers are obligated to refrain from assigning, permitting, or facilitating the use of titles such as 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' in the company brochure for personnel who do not hold engineering

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO is obligated to refrain from falsifying or misrepresenting the qualifications of its personnel in firm marketing materials, including by refraining from listing non-degreed, non-licensed high school graduates under the title 'Engineer

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO is obligated to revise its brochure to clearly differentiate between licensed professional engineers and non-degreed technical staff by assigning accurate, non-engineering titles to the latter category

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO is obligated to refrain from using the indiscriminate industry or governmental use of the title 'Engineer' as justification for its own brochure title assignments, and must independently apply professional ethics standards

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO is obligated to recognize that the origin of the 'Engineer' title for non-degreed inspection personnel in federal agency contract language does not excuse or justify the migration of that title into the firm's public brochure

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers are obligated to refrain from assigning, permitting, or facilitating the use of titles such as 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' in the company brochure for personnel who do not hold engineering

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO's licensed professional engineers are obligated to refrain from permitting the firm's brochure to list non-degreed personnel with engineering titles, and to take affirmative corrective action upon discovering this misrepresentation

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers are obligated to actively preserve the integrity of the engineering licensure system by refusing to allow non-degreed, non-licensed individuals to be publicly presented as 'Engineers' or 'Design

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO is obligated to refrain from assigning, permitting, or facilitating the use of engineering titles — including 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' — by personnel who do not meet the educational, examination, and licensure requirements est

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO is obligated to ensure its company brochure accurately describes the academic qualifications of all listed personnel, distinguishing licensed PEs from non-degreed technical staff, and must not assign the title 'Engineer' to high schoo

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO is obligated to refrain from assigning, permitting, or facilitating the use of engineering titles — including 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' — by personnel who do not meet the educational, examination, and licensure requirements est

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO is obligated to comply with state licensing act provisions governing use of the title 'Engineer,' which typically require a college degree and/or licensure, and must therefore refrain from assigning that title to non-degreed, non-lice

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers are obligated to actively preserve the integrity of the engineering licensure system by refusing to allow non-degreed, non-licensed individuals to be publicly presented as 'Engineers' or 'Design

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO is obligated to recognize that any non-degreed personnel who have passed state licensure requirements are entitled to carry the title 'Engineer' in the firm brochure, and must apply this entitlement consistently regardless of the indi

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO's licensed professional engineers are obligated to refrain from permitting the firm's brochure to list non-degreed personnel with engineering titles, and to take affirmative corrective action upon discovering this misrepresentation

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO is obligated to ensure its company brochure accurately describes the academic qualifications of all listed personnel, distinguishing licensed PEs from non-degreed technical staff, and must not assign the title 'Engineer' to high schoo

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: Having recognized that its brochure 'may be conveying a misrepresentation,' ENGCO is obligated to promptly audit the brochure's personnel listings, revise or remove engineering titles assigned to non-degreed personnel, and issue corrected m

R->P->O edge: hasObligation
type: Derivation
value: ENGCO is obligated to actively preserve the integrity of the engineering licensure system by refusing to allow non-licensed, non-degreed individuals to hold themselves out as engineers in firm marketing materials

Engineering Brochure Reader
type: Brochure-RelyingEngineeringServicesConsumer
type: NamedIndividual
adheres to principle: Public Welfare Paramount Invoked for Engineering Title Reliability
attributes: {'reliance_basis': "Reasonable assumption that 'Engineer' title implies degree or licensure", 'harm_type': 'Misrepresentation of firm qualifications'}
caseinvolvement: Members of the public or prospective clients who read the engineering firm's brochure and reasonably assume that personnel titled 'Engineer' hold engineering degrees or professional licenses, and who are misled by the firm's inaccurate use of the title.
concept category: Role
confidence: 0.82
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:13:10.791729+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:13:10.791729+00:00
importance: medium
relationships: {'type': 'relies_on_materials_from', 'target': 'Engineering Firm Using Engineer Title for Non-Degreed Staff'}
rolecategory: public_responsibility
roleclass: Brochure-Relying Engineering Services Consumer
sourcetext: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
textreferences: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.226417
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Engineering Firm Using Engineer Title for Non-Degreed Staff
type: EngineeringTitleMisuseInquiringFirm
type: NamedIndividual
has obligation: ENGCO Brochure Academic Qualification Accuracy Obligation Instance
has obligation: ENGCO Engineering Title Misrepresentation Non-Facilitation Instance
attributes: {'violation_type': 'Title misrepresentation in marketing brochure', 'personnel_affected': 'Non-degreed high school graduates titled as engineers', 'regulatory_context': "State licensing acts governing use of 'engineer' title"}
caseinvolvement: An engineering firm whose brochure uses the title 'Engineer' for high school graduates (non-degreed, non-licensed personnel), constituting gross misrepresentation of qualifications to the public and potential violation of state licensing acts.
concept category: Role
confidence: 0.92
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:13:10.791729+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:13:10.791729+00:00
importance: high
relationships: {'type': 'employs', 'target': 'Non-Degreed Staff Titled as Engineer'}
relationships: {'type': 'markets_to', 'target': 'Brochure-Relying Engineering Services Consumer'}
rolecategory: provider_client
roleclass: Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
sourcetext: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
textreferences: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.226100
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Federal Agency Engineering Title Misassignment
type: MisleadingEngineeringTitleConferredbyAgencyState
type: NamedIndividual
activeperiod: Ongoing — persists as long as federal agency contracts use 'Engineer' as a job title for inspection personnel
affectedparties: ENGCO
affectedparties: Federal agency
affectedparties: Inspection personnel without engineering credentials
affectedparties: Public relying on accurate title representations
concept category: State
confidence: 0.9
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:12:27.526775+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:12:27.526775+00:00
importance: high
sourcetext: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
stateclass: Misleading Engineering Title Conferred by Agency State
subject: Federal agency contracts that designate inspection personnel as 'Engineers' regardless of qualifications
terminatedby: Federal agency revision of contract terminology to remove engineering-implying titles for unqualified personnel
textreferences: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
triggeringevent: Federal agency engineering contracts referring to inspection personnel as 'Engineers', which ENGCO then adopted in its internal brochure
urgencylevel: medium
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.224381
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Industry and Agency Indiscriminate Engineer Title Use
type: Profession-WideTitleIntegrityErosionState
type: NamedIndividual
activeperiod: Ongoing systemic condition predating and surrounding the specific firm brochure incident
affectedparties: Engineering profession broadly
affectedparties: Licensed engineers whose credential is devalued
affectedparties: Public relying on engineer title as quality signal
affectedparties: Regulatory bodies
concept category: State
confidence: 0.9
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:13:24.757263+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:13:24.757263+00:00
importance: high
sourcetext: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
stateclass: Profession-Wide Title Integrity Erosion State
subject: Widespread industry and governmental agency use of 'engineer' title without regard to degree or licensure requirements
terminatedby: Profession-wide enforcement of title-use standards and public education on licensure requirements
textreferences: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
textreferences: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
triggeringevent: Normalization of 'engineer' title use by industry and government agencies for unqualified personnel
urgencylevel: medium
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.226757
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Non-Degreed Licensed Personnel Title Eligibility
type: Non-DegreedLicensedPersonnelTitleEligibilityState
type: NamedIndividual
activeperiod: From date of licensure grant through license expiration, revocation, or employment end
affectedparties: Clients reviewing firm brochure
affectedparties: Engineering firm
affectedparties: Non-degreed but licensed employees
concept category: State
confidence: 0.85
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:13:24.757263+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:13:24.757263+00:00
importance: medium
sourcetext: If the non-degreed personnel have passed the state requirements for licensed, they may use the term regardless of their formal education.
stateclass: Non-Degreed Licensed Personnel Title Eligibility State
subject: Non-degreed firm employees who have passed state licensing requirements
terminatedby: License lapse, revocation, or departure from firm
textreferences: If the non-degreed personnel have passed the state requirements for licensed, they may use the term regardless of their formal education.
triggeringevent: Non-degreed employee passes state licensing examination and receives engineering license
urgencylevel: low
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.227133
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Public Welfare Paramount Invoked for Engineering Title Reliability
type: PublicWelfareParamount
type: NamedIndividual
appliedto: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
appliedto: Non-Degreed High School Graduate Titled as Engineer
balancingwith: External Convention Non-Excuse for Title Misrepresentation
balancingwith: Loyalty
concept category: Principle
concreteexpression: Members of the public and prospective clients rely on the 'Engineer' title to identify qualified practitioners; ENGCO's brochure misrepresentation threatens public welfare by enabling clients to engage a firm under false assumptions about its engineering capacity
confidence: 0.91
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:15:14.155637+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:15:14.155637+00:00
importance: high
interpretation: Public welfare in this context means the public's ability to make informed decisions about engineering services; title misrepresentation in marketing materials directly undermines this capacity and therefore implicates the paramount public welfare principle
invokedby: Engineering Brochure Reader
principleclass: Public Welfare Paramount
sourcetext: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
tensionresolution: Public welfare takes precedence over the firm's interest in maintaining title conventions that align with federal contract language; the brochure must be corrected to protect the public's ability to assess the firm's qualifications accurately
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.228255
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

State Licensing Act Title Use Regulatory Constraint
type: RegulatoryComplianceState
type: NamedIndividual
activeperiod: Continuously operative in all jurisdictions with engineering licensing acts
affectedparties: Engineering firms
affectedparties: Individual engineers and non-engineers using the title
affectedparties: State licensing boards
concept category: State
confidence: 0.92
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:13:24.757263+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:13:24.757263+00:00
importance: high
sourcetext: Most states even have it in their law (licensing act) how and when 'engineer' can be used, usually requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensing requirements.
stateclass: Regulatory Compliance State
subject: State licensing laws governing permissible use of the title 'engineer'
terminatedby: Legislative repeal or amendment of licensing act title-use provisions
textreferences: Most states even have it in their law (licensing act) how and when 'engineer' can be used, usually requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensing requirements.
triggeringevent: Existence of state licensing statutes defining when and how 'engineer' may be used
urgencylevel: medium
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.226949
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Licensed PE Staff
type: ProfessionalRole
type: NamedIndividual
has obligation: ENGCO Engineering Title Misrepresentation Non-Facilitation Brochure
has obligation: ENGCO Licensure System Integrity Preservation Brochure Titles
has obligation: ENGCO Qualifications Non-Misrepresentation Brochure Personnel
attributes: {'licensure': 'Licensed Professional Engineer', 'brochure_listing': 'Accurately represented as licensed PEs'}
caseinvolvement: Licensed professional engineers employed at ENGCO who are legitimately listed in the brochure with engineering titles, forming the contrast class against which the non-degreed staff's misleading titles are evaluated.
concept category: Role
confidence: 0.88
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:12:30.690642+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:12:30.690642+00:00
importance: medium
relationships: {'type': 'contrasted_with', 'target': 'ENGCO Non-Degreed Engineer-Titled Staff'}
relationships: {'type': 'employed_by', 'target': 'ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm'}
rolecategory: public_responsibility
roleclass: Professional Role
sourcetext: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not.
textreferences: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.225155
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Firm Brochure Engineer Title Misrepresentation
type: CredentialMisrepresentationbyFirmState
type: NamedIndividual
activeperiod: From publication of brochure through correction or withdrawal of misrepresenting materials
affectedparties: Clients and public relying on brochure
affectedparties: Engineering firm
affectedparties: Licensed engineers whose professional standing is diluted
affectedparties: Non-degreed employees listed as 'engineer'
concept category: State
confidence: 0.95
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:13:24.757263+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:13:24.757263+00:00
importance: high
sourcetext: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
stateclass: Credential Misrepresentation by Firm State
subject: Engineering firm's marketing brochure listing high school graduates with the title 'engineer'
terminatedby: Correction of brochure to accurately reflect academic and licensure qualifications of personnel
textreferences: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
triggeringevent: Firm assigns the title 'engineer' to non-degreed, non-licensed employees in its sales brochure
urgencylevel: high
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.226590
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Marketing Material Qualification Accuracy Obligation Invoked for ENGCO Brochure
type: MarketingMaterialQualificationAccuracyObligation
type: NamedIndividual
appliedto: ENGCO Non-Degreed Engineer-Titled Staff
appliedto: Engineering Brochure Reader
appliedto: Non-Degreed High School Graduate Titled as Engineer
balancingwith: Client Loyalty
balancingwith: Loyalty
concept category: Principle
concreteexpression: ENGCO's brochure listing non-degreed, non-licensed personnel with the title 'Engineer' constitutes a gross misrepresentation of firm qualifications because the brochure is a sales tool on which prospective clients rely to assess the credentials of personnel who will perform engineering work
confidence: 0.93
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:20:17.937755+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:20:17.937755+00:00
importance: high
interpretation: Because brochures are sales tools designed to convey firm qualifications to prospective clients, the firm bears a heightened duty to ensure that titles used for listed personnel accurately reflect their educational and licensure credentials; use of 'Engineer' for high school graduates without licensure falsifies the firm's qualifications
invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
principleclass: Marketing Material Qualification Accuracy Obligation
sourcetext: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees. People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
tensionresolution: The duty of accuracy to the public and prospective clients overrides any commercial interest in appearing more credentialed; the firm must correct its brochure titles
textreferences: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
textreferences: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.233980
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Profession-Wide Title Integrity Erosion from Agency-Driven Practice
type: Profession-WideLicensureIntegrityErosionbyTitleMisuseState
type: NamedIndividual
activeperiod: Ongoing — persists as long as the federal agency practice and ENGCO's brochure remain uncorrected
affectedparties: ENGCO
affectedparties: Engineering profession broadly
affectedparties: Federal agencies
affectedparties: Licensed professional engineers
affectedparties: Public relying on title accuracy
concept category: State
confidence: 0.87
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:12:27.526775+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:12:27.526775+00:00
importance: medium
sourcetext: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
stateclass: Profession-Wide Licensure Integrity Erosion by Title Misuse State
subject: Systemic use of engineering-implying titles for unqualified personnel, normalized by federal agency contracting practice and propagated into firm brochures
terminatedby: Industry-wide correction of title usage and reform of federal agency contracting terminology
textreferences: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
triggeringevent: Institutionalized federal agency use of 'Engineer' title for non-engineers, adopted by ENGCO and potentially other firms in similar contracting relationships
urgencylevel: medium
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.224601
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Public Welfare Paramount Invoked Through Engineering Title Reliability
type: PublicWelfareParamount
type: NamedIndividual
appliedto: Brochure-Relying Engineering Services Consumer
appliedto: Engineering Brochure Reader
balancingwith: Client Loyalty
balancingwith: Loyalty
concept category: Principle
concreteexpression: The public's welfare depends on being able to rely on engineering titles as accurate indicators of qualification; ENGCO's misuse of 'Engineer' for non-degreed, non-licensed personnel undermines this reliance and exposes the public to the risk of engaging unqualified practitioners
confidence: 0.87
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:20:17.937755+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:20:17.937755+00:00
importance: high
interpretation: The public welfare rationale for title accuracy is that members of the public who rely on engineering firm brochures to assess qualifications may engage unqualified personnel for safety-critical work if titles are misrepresented
invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
principleclass: Public Welfare Paramount
sourcetext: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
tensionresolution: Public welfare in the form of reliable title signaling overrides any firm commercial interest in using titles that make the firm appear more credentialed
textreferences: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.234901
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Qualification Transparency Obligation Invoked for ENGCO Brochure Personnel Listings
type: QualificationTransparencyinProfessionalTitleUse
type: NamedIndividual
appliedto: Brochure-Relying Engineering Services Consumer
appliedto: ENGCO Licensed PE Staff
appliedto: ENGCO Non-Degreed Engineer-Titled Staff
appliedto: Engineering Brochure Reader
balancingwith: Loyalty
concept category: Principle
concreteexpression: ENGCO's brochure must distinguish between licensed PE staff and non-licensed, non-degreed staff through accurate title use, so that clients and the public can accurately assess the qualifications and accountability of personnel performing engineering-related work
confidence: 0.91
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:20:17.937755+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:20:17.937755+00:00
importance: high
interpretation: Transparency requires that the distinction between licensed PEs and other technical staff be legible to readers of the brochure; using the same title 'Engineer' for both groups obscures this distinction
invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
principleclass: Qualification Transparency in Professional Title Use
sourcetext: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
tensionresolution: Transparency to clients and the public overrides any firm interest in presenting a uniformly credentialed workforce
textreferences: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
textreferences: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.234334
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Artfully Misleading Brochure Title Prohibition
type: ArtfullyMisleadingStatementProhibitionObligation
type: NamedIndividual
defeasible under: ENGCO Brochure Credential Misrepresentation
casecontext: The brochure does not explicitly state that all personnel are licensed PEs, but the use of 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' titles for non-degreed staff creates a false impression that is misleading even if no single statement is technically false.
compliancestatus: unmet
concept category: Obligation
confidence: 0.82
derived from principle: Honesty in Professional Representations Invoked Against ENGCO Brochure Falsification
derived from principle: Implicit Engineering Title Invocation Prohibition Applied to Non-Degreed Staff Listing
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:16:46.982609+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:16:46.982609+00:00
importance: medium
obligatedparty: ENGCO as a firm and its licensed PE staff
obligationclass: Artfully Misleading Statement Prohibition Obligation
obligationstatement: ENGCO is obligated to refrain from distributing a brochure that, while not explicitly claiming all listed personnel are licensed engineers, implicitly conveys that impression through the use of engineering titles for non-degreed staff, recognizing that such implicit misrepresentation through technically-assignable titles constitutes an artfully misleading communication.
sourcetext: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
temporalscope: Ongoing; applicable to all current and future brochure distributions
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.229917
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Licensing Act Title Compliance Obligation Instance
type: LicensingActEngineeringTitleUseComplianceObligation
type: NamedIndividual
defeasible under: State Licensing Act Title Use Regulatory Constraint
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure assigns titles such as 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' to personnel who are high school graduates without engineering degrees or PE licenses, in a state where licensing acts regulate engineering title use.
compliancestatus: unmet
concept category: Obligation
confidence: 0.9
derived from principle: Licensure Integrity and Public Protection Invoked Against Title Dilution
derived from principle: Licensure Integrity and Public Protection Invoked in ENGCO Title Misuse Context
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:21:33.335656+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:21:33.335656+00:00
importance: high
obligatedparty: ENGCO (Engineering Firm)
obligationclass: Licensing Act Engineering Title Use Compliance Obligation
obligationstatement: ENGCO is obligated to comply with state licensing act provisions governing use of the title 'Engineer,' which typically require a college degree and/or licensure, and must therefore refrain from assigning that title to non-degreed, non-licensed personnel in any firm document or brochure.
sourcetext: Most states even have it in their law (licensing act) how and when 'engineer' can be used, usually requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensing requirements.
temporalscope: Ongoing; applies to all current and future firm marketing materials and personnel title assignments
textreferences: Most states even have it in their law (licensing act) how and when 'engineer' can be used, usually requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensing requirements.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.235219
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Implicit Engineering Title Invocation Prohibition Applied to Non-Degreed Staff Listing
type: ImplicitEngineeringTitleInvocationProhibition
type: NamedIndividual
appliedto: Engineering Brochure Reader
appliedto: Non-Degreed High School Graduate Titled as Engineer
balancingwith: Professional Title Integrity and Anti-Misrepresentation Obligation
concept category: Principle
concreteexpression: Listing non-degreed, non-licensed personnel under titles such as 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' in a firm brochure implicitly invokes the engineering title and its associated professional standing, even without an explicit 'PE' designation, triggering the prohibition against misleading title use
confidence: 0.83
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:15:14.155637+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:15:14.155637+00:00
importance: medium
interpretation: The prohibition applies not only to individual engineers misrepresenting their own licensure status across jurisdictions, but also to firms that assign engineering titles to personnel in ways that imply professional engineering qualifications the personnel do not possess
invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
principleclass: Implicit Engineering Title Invocation Prohibition
sourcetext: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
tensionresolution: Both principles converge on the same conclusion: the titles must be corrected; the implicit invocation prohibition reinforces the general anti-misrepresentation obligation in the specific context of title assignment in marketing materials
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.228789
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Professional Title Integrity Invoked Against ENGCO Brochure
type: ProfessionalTitleIntegrityandAnti-MisrepresentationObligation
type: NamedIndividual
appliedto: ENGCO Non-Degreed Engineer-Titled Staff
appliedto: Engineering Brochure Reader
balancingwith: External Convention Non-Excuse for Title Misrepresentation
concept category: Principle
concreteexpression: ENGCO's brochure assigns titles such as 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' to personnel who hold no engineering degree and may be high school graduates only, constituting a misrepresentation of their qualifications that the principle prohibits
confidence: 0.97
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:15:14.155637+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:15:14.155637+00:00
importance: high
interpretation: The principle applies to firm-level marketing materials, not only to individual self-representation; assigning the title 'Engineer' to non-degreed personnel in a public brochure violates the prohibition regardless of whether the firm intended to deceive
invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
principleclass: Professional Title Integrity and Anti-Misrepresentation Obligation
sourcetext: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
tensionresolution: The federal contract origin of the title convention does not override the firm's obligation to accurately represent personnel qualifications in public-facing materials; the principle requires correction of the brochure
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.227325
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Brochure Credential Misrepresentation
type: CredentialMisrepresentationbyFirmState
type: NamedIndividual
activeperiod: From the time the brochure was distributed, persisting until titles are corrected or brochure is revised
affectedparties: Clients and public receiving the brochure
affectedparties: ENGCO
affectedparties: Licensed professional engineers at ENGCO
affectedparties: Non-licensed personnel listed in brochure
concept category: State
confidence: 0.95
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:12:27.526775+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:12:27.526775+00:00
importance: high
sourcetext: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
stateclass: Credential Misrepresentation by Firm State
subject: ENGCO's company brochure listing non-engineers with engineering-implying titles
terminatedby: Correction of brochure titles to accurately reflect qualifications of listed personnel
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
triggeringevent: Publication and distribution of ENGCO brochure assigning titles such as 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' to personnel without engineering degrees or professional licenses
urgencylevel: medium
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.224098
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Qualification Transparency Invoked for Brochure Personnel Listing
type: QualificationTransparencyinProfessionalTitleUse
type: NamedIndividual
appliedto: ENGCO Non-Degreed Engineer-Titled Staff
appliedto: Engineering Brochure Reader
balancingwith: Loyalty
concept category: Principle
concreteexpression: The ENGCO brochure fails to distinguish between licensed PE staff and non-degreed technical staff, presenting all under engineering titles in a manner that prevents readers from accurately assessing the qualifications of the personnel listed
confidence: 0.95
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:15:14.155637+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:15:14.155637+00:00
importance: high
interpretation: Qualification transparency requires not merely that licensed engineers be accurately listed, but that the brochure as a whole not create a false impression of the firm's engineering credential density; mixing PE-licensed and non-degreed staff under the same 'Engineer' title violates this principle
invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
principleclass: Qualification Transparency in Professional Title Use
sourcetext: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not.
tensionresolution: Loyalty to federal agency clients who use 'Engineer' in contract language does not override the transparency obligation owed to prospective clients and the public who read the brochure
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
textreferences: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not.
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.227547
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Engineering Title Misrepresentation Non-Facilitation Brochure
type: EngineeringTitleMisrepresentationNon-FacilitationObligation
type: NamedIndividual
prevails over: ENGCO External Convention Non-Excuse Federal Contract Title Migration
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure lists key personnel including non-degreed, non-licensed individuals (some high school graduates) under engineering titles, creating a false impression of the firm's licensed engineering staff composition.
compliancestatus: unmet
concept category: Obligation
confidence: 0.95
derived from principle: Professional Title Integrity Invoked Against ENGCO Brochure
derived from principle: Professional Title Integrity Obligation Invoked Against ENGCO Non-Degreed Staff Titling
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:16:46.982609+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:16:46.982609+00:00
importance: high
obligatedparty: ENGCO (engineering firm) and its licensed PE staff
obligationclass: Engineering Title Misrepresentation Non-Facilitation Obligation
obligationstatement: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers are obligated to refrain from assigning, permitting, or facilitating the use of titles such as 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' in the company brochure for personnel who do not hold engineering degrees or professional engineering licensure, and to correct the existing misrepresentation upon recognition.
sourcetext: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
temporalscope: Immediately upon recognition that the brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation; ongoing obligation for all future brochure editions
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.228937
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Engineering Title Misrepresentation Non-Facilitation Instance
type: EngineeringTitleMisrepresentationNon-FacilitationObligation
type: NamedIndividual
defeasible under: Firm Brochure Engineer Title Misrepresentation
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure assigns 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' titles to non-degreed, non-licensed personnel, including high school graduates, in violation of state licensing act requirements and professional ethics standards.
compliancestatus: unmet
concept category: Obligation
confidence: 0.92
derived from principle: Licensure Integrity and Public Protection Invoked in ENGCO Title Misuse Context
derived from principle: Professional Title Integrity Obligation Invoked Against ENGCO Non-Degreed Staff Titling
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:21:33.335656+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:21:33.335656+00:00
importance: high
obligatedparty: ENGCO (Engineering Firm)
obligationclass: Engineering Title Misrepresentation Non-Facilitation Obligation
obligationstatement: ENGCO is obligated to refrain from assigning, permitting, or facilitating the use of engineering titles — including 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' — by personnel who do not meet the educational, examination, and licensure requirements established by applicable state law, and to correct the misrepresentation in its brochure upon recognition.
sourcetext: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
temporalscope: Immediate corrective obligation upon recognition; ongoing prevention obligation for all future materials
textreferences: Most states even have it in their law (licensing act) how and when 'engineer' can be used, usually requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensing requirements.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.235955
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Non-Degreed Licensed Staff Title Entitlement Recognition Instance
type: Licensure-BasedEngineeringTitleEntitlementRecognitionObligation
type: NamedIndividual
competes with: ENGCO Brochure Personnel Credential Differentiation Licensed vs Non-Degreed
prevails over: ENGCO Brochure Personnel Credential Differentiation Licensed vs Non-Degreed
casecontext: The ethics analysis carves out an exception for non-degreed ENGCO personnel who have passed state licensure requirements, affirming their right to use the engineering title despite lacking a formal engineering degree.
compliancestatus: unclear
concept category: Obligation
confidence: 0.86
derived from principle: Licensure as Credential-Independent Title Legitimation Applied to ENGCO Non-Degreed Staff
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:21:33.335656+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:21:33.335656+00:00
importance: medium
obligatedparty: ENGCO (Engineering Firm)
obligationclass: Licensure-Based Engineering Title Entitlement Recognition Obligation
obligationstatement: ENGCO is obligated to recognize that any non-degreed personnel who have passed state licensure requirements are entitled to carry the title 'Engineer' in the firm brochure, and must apply this entitlement consistently regardless of the individual's formal educational background.
sourcetext: If the non-degreed personnel have passed the state requirements for licensed, they may use the term regardless of their formal education.
temporalscope: Applies at the time of brochure preparation and any subsequent revision; ongoing for personnel title assignments
textreferences: If the non-degreed personnel have passed the state requirements for licensed, they may use the term regardless of their formal education.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.235510
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Firm Brochure Title Audit and Correction Self-Triggered
type: FirmBrochureEngineeringTitleAuditandCorrectionObligation
type: NamedIndividual
competes with: ENGCO External Convention Non-Excuse Federal Contract Title Migration
defeasible under: ENGCO Brochure Credential Misrepresentation
prevails over: ENGCO External Convention Non-Excuse Federal Contract Title Migration
casecontext: ENGCO's own self-assessment that the brochure may be misleading triggers an affirmative obligation to audit and correct the materials; the firm cannot simply note the concern without acting on it.
compliancestatus: unmet
concept category: Obligation
confidence: 0.93
derived from principle: Firm-Level Title Audit Obligation Triggered by ENGCO Self-Awareness
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:16:46.982609+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:16:46.982609+00:00
importance: high
obligatedparty: ENGCO as a firm and its licensed PE management
obligationclass: Firm Brochure Engineering Title Audit and Correction Obligation
obligationstatement: Having recognized that its brochure 'may be conveying a misrepresentation,' ENGCO is obligated to promptly audit the brochure's personnel listings, revise or remove engineering titles assigned to non-degreed personnel, and issue corrected materials so that prospective clients and the public receive accurate information about the firm's staff qualifications.
sourcetext: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
temporalscope: Immediately upon ENGCO's recognition of the potential misrepresentation; before the next distribution of the brochure
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.229593
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Licensure System Integrity Preservation Brochure Titles
type: LicensureSystemIntegrityPreservationObligation
type: NamedIndividual
defeasible under: Profession-Wide Title Integrity Erosion from Agency-Driven Practice
prevails over: ENGCO External Convention Non-Excuse Federal Contract Title Migration
casecontext: By assigning engineering titles to high school graduates in its brochure, ENGCO erodes the public's ability to rely on the 'Engineer' title as a marker of qualified, licensed practitioners.
compliancestatus: unmet
concept category: Obligation
confidence: 0.92
derived from principle: Licensure Integrity and Public Protection Invoked Against Title Dilution
derived from principle: Licensure Integrity and Public Protection Invoked in ENGCO Title Misuse Context
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:16:46.982609+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:16:46.982609+00:00
importance: high
obligatedparty: ENGCO as a firm and its licensed PE staff
obligationclass: Licensure System Integrity Preservation Obligation
obligationstatement: ENGCO and its licensed professional engineers are obligated to actively preserve the integrity of the engineering licensure system by refusing to allow non-degreed, non-licensed individuals to be publicly presented as 'Engineers' or 'Design Engineers' in firm marketing materials, recognizing that such misrepresentation diminishes the profession and undermines public confidence in the engineering title.
sourcetext: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
temporalscope: Ongoing; triggered immediately upon recognition of the misrepresentation
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.229241
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

External Convention Non-Excuse Invoked Against Federal Contract Title Migration
type: ExternalConventionNon-ExcuseforTitleMisrepresentation
type: NamedIndividual
appliedto: ENGCO Non-Degreed Engineer-Titled Staff
appliedto: Engineering Brochure Reader
balancingwith: Client Direction Does Not Authorize Ethical Violation
balancingwith: Loyalty
concept category: Principle
concreteexpression: ENGCO's adoption of the 'Engineer' title for non-degreed inspection personnel — originating in federal agency contract language — into its public marketing brochure is not ethically justified by that contractual origin; the ethical obligation to accurately represent qualifications to the public is independent of the federal contract convention
confidence: 0.88
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:15:14.155637+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:15:14.155637+00:00
importance: high
interpretation: The federal agency's designation of inspection personnel as 'Engineers' in contracts is a functional label for contract administration purposes; its migration into public-facing firm marketing materials without qualification creates a misrepresentation that the contractual origin does not excuse
invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
invokedby: Federal Agency Inspection Contract Authority
principleclass: External Convention Non-Excuse for Title Misrepresentation
sourcetext: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
tensionresolution: The principle resolves the tension by holding that the contractual origin of the title is relevant to understanding how the practice arose but is not a valid ethical defense for its continuation in public-facing materials; correction is required regardless
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
textreferences: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.228457
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Firm-Level Title Audit Obligation Triggered by ENGCO Self-Awareness
type: Firm-LevelTitleAuditandCorrectiveDisclosureObligation
type: NamedIndividual
appliedto: ENGCO Non-Degreed Engineer-Titled Staff
appliedto: Engineering Brochure Reader
balancingwith: Loyalty
concept category: Principle
concreteexpression: ENGCO's own recognition that its brochure 'may be conveying a misrepresentation' triggers an affirmative obligation to audit the brochure, revise misleading titles, and ensure clear distinction between licensed PE staff and non-degreed technical personnel in all public-facing materials
confidence: 0.85
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:15:14.155637+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:15:14.155637+00:00
importance: high
interpretation: Once a firm becomes aware of a potential misrepresentation in its own materials, continued inaction is itself an ethical violation; the self-awareness expressed in ENGCO's concern activates the corrective obligation immediately
invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
invokedby: ENGCO Licensed PE Staff
principleclass: Firm-Level Title Audit and Corrective Disclosure Obligation
sourcetext: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
tensionresolution: The corrective obligation is not balanced away by the inconvenience of revising established materials or the loyalty owed to federal clients whose contract language originated the titles; the obligation to the public and prospective clients is paramount
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
textreferences: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.228624
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Industry Normalization Non-Excuse Invoked in ENGCO Title Misuse Case
type: IndustryNormalizationNon-ExcuseforProfessionalTitleMisrepresentation
type: NamedIndividual
appliedto: ENGCO Non-Degreed Engineer-Titled Staff
appliedto: Federal Agency Inspection Contract Authority
balancingwith: External Convention Non-Excuse for Title Misrepresentation
concept category: Principle
concreteexpression: The ethics analysis explicitly acknowledges that industry and governmental agencies use 'Engineer' indiscriminately, but asserts that the profession must not follow suit — establishing that ENGCO cannot justify its brochure title misuse by pointing to external normalization of the practice
confidence: 0.92
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:20:17.937755+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:20:17.937755+00:00
importance: high
interpretation: The profession's self-regulatory obligation to accurate title use is not diminished by the fact that governmental agencies (such as the federal agency whose contracts label inspection personnel as 'Engineers') have normalized the misuse; ENGCO must hold itself to the professional standard regardless
invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
principleclass: Industry Normalization Non-Excuse for Professional Title Misrepresentation
sourcetext: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
tensionresolution: The professional standard prevails over industry normalization; the fact that the misuse originated in federal contract language does not excuse the firm's perpetuation of it in its own marketing materials
textreferences: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.233799
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Licensure Integrity and Public Protection Invoked Against Title Dilution
type: LicensureIntegrityandPublicProtectionPrinciple
type: NamedIndividual
appliedto: Engineering Brochure Reader
appliedto: Non-Degreed High School Graduate Titled as Engineer
balancingwith: External Convention Non-Excuse for Title Misrepresentation
concept category: Principle
concreteexpression: By assigning 'Engineer' titles to high school graduates in its public brochure, ENGCO erodes the public's ability to rely on the engineering title as a signal of licensure and competence, undermining the protective function of the licensure system
confidence: 0.93
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:15:14.155637+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:15:14.155637+00:00
importance: high
interpretation: The licensure system's public protection function depends on the 'Engineer' title carrying reliable meaning; each instance of title misuse — even if originating in federal contract conventions — degrades that signal and harms the public's ability to make informed decisions about engineering services
invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
principleclass: Licensure Integrity and Public Protection Principle
sourcetext: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
tensionresolution: The federal agency's use of 'Engineer' as a contract designation for inspection personnel is a contractual convenience that does not alter the public protection rationale for reserving the title for qualified individuals in public-facing materials
textreferences: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.227747
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Licensure as Credential-Independent Title Legitimation Applied to ENGCO Non-Degreed Staff
type: LicensureasCredential-IndependentTitleLegitimationPrinciple
type: NamedIndividual
appliedto: ENGCO Non-Degreed Engineer-Titled Staff
appliedto: Non-Degreed High School Graduate Titled as Engineer
balancingwith: Qualification Transparency in Professional Title Use
concept category: Principle
concreteexpression: Non-degreed ENGCO personnel who have successfully passed state licensure requirements are ethically and legally entitled to use the 'Engineer' title regardless of their lack of a formal engineering degree, because licensure independently verifies competency sufficient to justify the title
confidence: 0.88
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:20:17.937755+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:20:17.937755+00:00
importance: medium
interpretation: The ethical problem with ENGCO's title usage is not that the personnel lack degrees per se, but that they lack both degrees and licensure; if they had obtained licensure through the non-degree pathway, the title use would be legitimate
invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
principleclass: Licensure as Credential-Independent Title Legitimation Principle
sourcetext: If the non-degreed personnel have passed the state requirements for licensed, they may use the term regardless of their formal education.
tensionresolution: Licensure status is the controlling criterion where it has been obtained; the absence of both degree and licensure is what makes the title use impermissible in this case
textreferences: If the non-degreed personnel have passed the state requirements for licensed, they may use the term regardless of their formal education.
textreferences: Most states even have it in their law (licensing act) how and when 'engineer' can be used, usually requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensing requirements.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.234515
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Professional Title Integrity Obligation Invoked Against ENGCO Non-Degreed Staff Titling
type: ProfessionalTitleIntegrityandAnti-MisrepresentationObligation
type: NamedIndividual
appliedto: ENGCO Non-Degreed Engineer-Titled Staff
appliedto: Non-Degreed High School Graduate Titled as Engineer
balancingwith: External Convention Non-Excuse for Title Misrepresentation
concept category: Principle
concreteexpression: ENGCO's use of 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' titles for high school graduates who hold neither engineering degrees nor PE licenses violates the professional obligation to refrain from using engineering titles for individuals who do not hold the qualifications those titles imply
confidence: 0.95
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:20:17.937755+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:20:17.937755+00:00
importance: high
interpretation: The title 'Engineer' implies educational and/or licensure qualifications; using it for non-degreed, non-licensed personnel misrepresents their qualifications to the public and to prospective clients
invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
invokedby: Engineering Firm Using Engineer Title for Non-Degreed Staff
principleclass: Professional Title Integrity and Anti-Misrepresentation Obligation
sourcetext: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
tensionresolution: The professional anti-misrepresentation obligation prevails; the fact that federal contract language uses the same title does not authorize the firm to perpetuate the misrepresentation in its own brochure
textreferences: Most states even have it in their law (licensing act) how and when 'engineer' can be used, usually requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensing requirements.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.234168
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Licensure System Integrity Preservation Instance
type: LicensureSystemIntegrityPreservationObligation
type: NamedIndividual
competes with: ENGCO Industry Normalization Non-Adoption Obligation Instance
defeasible under: Profession-Wide Title Integrity Erosion from Agency-Driven Practice
prevails over: ENGCO Industry Normalization Non-Adoption Obligation Instance
casecontext: By assigning 'Engineer' titles to high school graduates in its brochure, ENGCO erodes the public's ability to rely on the engineering title as an indicator of qualified, licensed practitioners, thereby undermining the licensure system's public protection function.
compliancestatus: unmet
concept category: Obligation
confidence: 0.88
derived from principle: Licensure Integrity and Public Protection Invoked in ENGCO Title Misuse Context
derived from principle: Public Welfare Paramount Invoked Through Engineering Title Reliability
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:21:33.335656+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:21:33.335656+00:00
importance: high
obligatedparty: ENGCO (Engineering Firm)
obligationclass: Licensure System Integrity Preservation Obligation
obligationstatement: ENGCO is obligated to actively preserve the integrity of the engineering licensure system by refusing to allow non-licensed, non-degreed individuals to hold themselves out as engineers in firm marketing materials, recognizing that such misrepresentation diminishes the profession and undermines public confidence in the engineering title.
sourcetext: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
temporalscope: Ongoing; applies to all firm personnel title decisions and marketing material preparation
textreferences: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
textreferences: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.236138
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Qualifications Non-Falsification Brochure Instance
type: QualificationsNon-FalsificationandNon-MisrepresentationObligation
type: NamedIndividual
competes with: ENGCO Industry Normalization Non-Adoption Obligation Instance
defeasible under: Firm Brochure Engineer Title Misrepresentation
prevails over: ENGCO Industry Normalization Non-Adoption Obligation Instance
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure assigns engineering titles to high school graduates, which the ethics analysis characterizes as 'a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.'
compliancestatus: unmet
concept category: Obligation
confidence: 0.91
derived from principle: Honesty in Professional Representations Invoked Against ENGCO Brochure Falsification
derived from principle: Honesty in Professional Representations Invoked for Brochure Accuracy
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:21:33.335656+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:21:33.335656+00:00
importance: high
obligatedparty: ENGCO (Engineering Firm)
obligationclass: Qualifications Non-Falsification and Non-Misrepresentation Obligation
obligationstatement: ENGCO is obligated to refrain from falsifying or misrepresenting the qualifications of its personnel in firm marketing materials, including by refraining from listing non-degreed, non-licensed high school graduates under the title 'Engineer' or 'Design Engineer' in its company brochure.
sourcetext: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
temporalscope: Immediate and ongoing; applies to all current and future firm marketing and qualification materials
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.235814
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Honesty in Professional Representations Invoked for Brochure Accuracy
type: HonestyinProfessionalRepresentations
type: NamedIndividual
appliedto: ENGCO Non-Degreed Engineer-Titled Staff
appliedto: Engineering Brochure Reader
balancingwith: Loyalty
concept category: Principle
concreteexpression: ENGCO's brochure makes implicit representations about the qualifications of its personnel by assigning engineering titles; the honesty principle requires that these representations be accurate, meaning non-degreed, non-licensed staff should not be titled 'Engineer' or 'Design Engineer'
confidence: 0.95
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:15:14.155637+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:15:14.155637+00:00
importance: high
interpretation: Honesty in professional representations extends beyond explicit false statements to implicit misrepresentations created by title assignment; a prospective client reading the brochure would reasonably infer that all 'Engineers' listed hold engineering qualifications
invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
principleclass: Honesty in Professional Representations
sourcetext: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
tensionresolution: The honesty obligation is not balanced away by loyalty to federal clients whose contract language originated the title convention; the firm must be honest with all audiences, including prospective clients who read its brochure
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.228075
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Qualifications Non-Misrepresentation Brochure Personnel
type: QualificationsNon-FalsificationandNon-MisrepresentationObligation
type: NamedIndividual
competes with: ENGCO External Convention Non-Excuse Federal Contract Title Migration
prevails over: ENGCO External Convention Non-Excuse Federal Contract Title Migration
casecontext: The firm's brochure misrepresents the qualifications of non-degreed staff by assigning them engineering titles, and the licensed PEs at the firm have an obligation not to permit this misrepresentation to continue once recognized.
compliancestatus: unmet
concept category: Obligation
confidence: 0.95
derived from principle: Honesty in Professional Representations Invoked Against ENGCO Brochure Falsification
derived from principle: Honesty in Professional Representations Invoked for Brochure Accuracy
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:16:46.982609+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:16:46.982609+00:00
importance: high
obligatedparty: ENGCO licensed PE staff and firm management
obligationclass: Qualifications Non-Falsification and Non-Misrepresentation Obligation
obligationstatement: ENGCO's licensed professional engineers are obligated to refrain from permitting the firm's brochure to list non-degreed personnel with engineering titles, and to take affirmative corrective action upon discovering this misrepresentation, even though the practice arose inadvertently from federal contract terminology.
sourcetext: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not.
temporalscope: Upon ENGCO's recognition that the brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation
textreferences: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not.
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.229094
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Honesty in Professional Representations Invoked Against ENGCO Brochure Falsification
type: HonestyinProfessionalRepresentations
type: NamedIndividual
appliedto: ENGCO Non-Degreed Engineer-Titled Staff
appliedto: Engineering Brochure Reader
balancingwith: Loyalty
concept category: Principle
concreteexpression: ENGCO's brochure use of 'Engineer' for non-degreed, non-licensed personnel constitutes a dishonest representation of the firm's qualifications, amounting to falsification of the firm's credential profile in its sales materials
confidence: 0.92
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:20:17.937755+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:20:17.937755+00:00
importance: high
interpretation: Honesty requires that the firm's self-presentation in marketing materials accurately reflect the actual qualifications of its personnel; using titles that imply qualifications the personnel do not hold is a form of dishonesty that falsifies the firm's qualifications
invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
principleclass: Honesty in Professional Representations
sourcetext: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
tensionresolution: Honesty in public-facing representations is non-negotiable; commercial interests do not justify misrepresentation of personnel credentials
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.235071
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Brochure Academic Qualification Accuracy Obligation Instance
type: EngineeringBrochureAccurateAcademicQualificationDescriptionObligation
type: NamedIndividual
competes with: ENGCO External Convention Non-Excuse Federal Contract Title Migration
defeasible under: ENGCO Brochure Credential Misrepresentation
prevails over: ENGCO External Convention Non-Excuse Federal Contract Title Migration
casecontext: ENGCO's brochure lists key personnel including high school graduates under the titles 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer,' constituting a gross misrepresentation of firm qualifications to prospective clients who rely on the brochure.
compliancestatus: unmet
concept category: Obligation
confidence: 0.93
derived from principle: Marketing Material Qualification Accuracy Obligation Invoked for ENGCO Brochure
derived from principle: Qualification Transparency Invoked for Brochure Personnel Listing
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:21:33.335656+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:21:33.335656+00:00
importance: high
obligatedparty: ENGCO (Engineering Firm)
obligationclass: Engineering Brochure Accurate Academic Qualification Description Obligation
obligationstatement: ENGCO is obligated to ensure its company brochure accurately describes the academic qualifications of all listed personnel, distinguishing licensed PEs from non-degreed technical staff, and must not assign the title 'Engineer' to high school graduates who hold neither an engineering degree nor a PE license.
sourcetext: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
temporalscope: Immediate obligation upon recognition that the brochure misrepresents qualifications; ongoing for all future brochure editions
textreferences: An engineering firms brochure is a sales tool and should describe accurately the academic qualifications of it's employees.
textreferences: People reading and relying on the information in an engineering brochure would assume the title 'engineer' means one educated or registered as such.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.235366
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Brochure Personnel Credential Differentiation Licensed vs Non-Degreed
type: BrochurePersonnelCredentialDifferentiationObligation
type: NamedIndividual
competes with: ENGCO Non-Degreed Licensed Staff Title Entitlement Recognition Instance
defeasible under: Non-Degreed Licensed Personnel Title Eligibility
prevails over: ENGCO External Convention Non-Excuse Federal Contract Title Migration
casecontext: The brochure currently presents both licensed PEs and non-degreed high school graduates under engineering titles without distinction, creating a false impression of the firm's licensed engineering composition.
compliancestatus: unmet
concept category: Obligation
confidence: 0.9
derived from principle: Qualification Transparency Invoked for Brochure Personnel Listing
derived from principle: Qualification Transparency Obligation Invoked for ENGCO Brochure Personnel Listings
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:16:46.982609+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:16:46.982609+00:00
importance: high
obligatedparty: ENGCO as a firm
obligationclass: Brochure Personnel Credential Differentiation Obligation
obligationstatement: ENGCO is obligated to revise its brochure to clearly differentiate between licensed professional engineers and non-degreed technical staff by assigning accurate, non-engineering titles to the latter category, ensuring that readers can accurately assess the proportion and qualifications of licensed engineers on the firm's staff.
sourcetext: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not.
temporalscope: In the next revision of the company brochure and all subsequent editions
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
textreferences: Some are licensed professional engineers; others are not.
textreferences: key personnel who do not hold an engineering degree and may in fact be high school graduates only, are given such titles in the brochure as 'Engineer', 'Design Engineer', etc.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.229746
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Industry Normalization Non-Adoption Obligation Instance
type: ProfessionalTitleIndustryNormalizationNon-AdoptionObligation
type: NamedIndividual
competes with: ENGCO Licensure System Integrity Preservation Instance
competes with: ENGCO Qualifications Non-Falsification Brochure Instance
defeasible under: Industry and Agency Indiscriminate Engineer Title Use
casecontext: ENGCO's adoption of the 'Engineer' title for non-degreed inspection personnel originated in federal agency contract language; the ethics analysis explicitly rejects this external convention as a justification for the firm's own title misuse.
compliancestatus: unmet
concept category: Obligation
confidence: 0.9
derived from principle: Industry Normalization Non-Excuse Invoked in ENGCO Title Misuse Case
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:21:33.335656+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:21:33.335656+00:00
importance: high
obligatedparty: ENGCO (Engineering Firm)
obligationclass: Professional Title Industry Normalization Non-Adoption Obligation
obligationstatement: ENGCO is obligated to refrain from using the indiscriminate industry or governmental use of the title 'Engineer' as justification for its own brochure title assignments, and must independently apply professional ethics standards to ensure title accuracy regardless of how federal agencies or other industry actors use the term.
sourcetext: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
temporalscope: Ongoing; applies whenever the firm considers external usage norms as a basis for internal title assignment decisions
textreferences: Although the industry and governmental agencies sometimes use the term indiscriminently, we in the profession must not.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.235674
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

Licensure Integrity and Public Protection Invoked in ENGCO Title Misuse Context
type: LicensureIntegrityandPublicProtectionPrinciple
type: NamedIndividual
appliedto: ENGCO Non-Degreed Engineer-Titled Staff
appliedto: Engineering Brochure Reader
balancingwith: Industry Normalization Non-Excuse for Professional Title Misrepresentation
concept category: Principle
concreteexpression: The state licensing acts' regulation of when and how 'Engineer' may be used reflects the public protection function of the licensure system; ENGCO's title misuse for non-degreed, non-licensed staff erodes the public's ability to rely on engineering titles as indicators of verified competency
confidence: 0.9
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: discussion
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:20:17.937755+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:20:17.937755+00:00
importance: high
interpretation: The licensure system's public protection function depends on the title 'Engineer' reliably signaling verified qualifications; widespread misuse by firms like ENGCO undermines this signal and exposes the public to unqualified practitioners
invokedby: ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
principleclass: Licensure Integrity and Public Protection Principle
sourcetext: Most states even have it in their law (licensing act) how and when 'engineer' can be used, usually requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensing requirements.
tensionresolution: The public protection rationale for licensure title regulation prevails over commercial convenience or industry normalization
textreferences: Most states even have it in their law (licensing act) how and when 'engineer' can be used, usually requiring a college degree and/or meeting licensing requirements.
textreferences: The use of the term for high school graduates is a gross misrepresentation of the firms qualifications and essentially falsifying them.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.234737
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO External Convention Non-Excuse Federal Contract Title Migration
type: ExternalConventionNon-ExcuseforBrochureTitleMisrepresentationObligation
type: NamedIndividual
competes with: ENGCO Brochure Academic Qualification Accuracy Obligation Instance
competes with: ENGCO Firm Brochure Title Audit and Correction Self-Triggered
competes with: ENGCO Qualifications Non-Misrepresentation Brochure Personnel
defeasible under: Federal Agency Engineering Title Misassignment
casecontext: ENGCO adopted the 'Engineer' title for non-degreed inspection personnel because federal agency contracts used that terminology; however, this external convention does not justify using the same title in the firm's public brochure where it misleads prospective clients.
compliancestatus: unmet
concept category: Obligation
confidence: 0.9
derived from principle: External Convention Non-Excuse Invoked Against Federal Contract Title Migration
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 2
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:16:46.982609+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:16:46.982609+00:00
importance: high
obligatedparty: ENGCO as a firm
obligationclass: External Convention Non-Excuse for Brochure Title Misrepresentation Obligation
obligationstatement: ENGCO is obligated to recognize that the origin of the 'Engineer' title for non-degreed inspection personnel in federal agency contract language does not excuse or justify the migration of that title into the firm's public brochure, and must independently ensure that its marketing materials accurately represent staff qualifications regardless of external labeling conventions.
sourcetext: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
temporalscope: Upon recognition that the federal contract terminology has migrated into public-facing brochure materials
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation
textreferences: This practice has arisen from federal agency engineering contracts that refer to inspection personnel as 'Engineers.'
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.229413
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction

ENGCO Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
type: EngineeringTitleMisuseInquiringFirm
type: NamedIndividual
adheres to principle: External Convention Non-Excuse Invoked Against Federal Contract Title Migration
adheres to principle: Firm-Level Title Audit Obligation Triggered by ENGCO Self-Awareness
adheres to principle: Honesty in Professional Representations Invoked Against ENGCO Brochure Falsification
adheres to principle: Honesty in Professional Representations Invoked for Brochure Accuracy
adheres to principle: Implicit Engineering Title Invocation Prohibition Applied to Non-Degreed Staff Listing
adheres to principle: Industry Normalization Non-Excuse Invoked in ENGCO Title Misuse Case
adheres to principle: Licensure Integrity and Public Protection Invoked Against Title Dilution
adheres to principle: Licensure Integrity and Public Protection Invoked in ENGCO Title Misuse Context
adheres to principle: Licensure as Credential-Independent Title Legitimation Applied to ENGCO Non-Degreed Staff
adheres to principle: Marketing Material Qualification Accuracy Obligation Invoked for ENGCO Brochure
adheres to principle: Professional Title Integrity Invoked Against ENGCO Brochure
adheres to principle: Professional Title Integrity Obligation Invoked Against ENGCO Non-Degreed Staff Titling
adheres to principle: Public Welfare Paramount Invoked Through Engineering Title Reliability
adheres to principle: Qualification Transparency Invoked for Brochure Personnel Listing
adheres to principle: Qualification Transparency Obligation Invoked for ENGCO Brochure Personnel Listings
has obligation: ENGCO Artfully Misleading Brochure Title Prohibition
has obligation: ENGCO Brochure Academic Qualification Accuracy Obligation Instance
has obligation: ENGCO Brochure Personnel Credential Differentiation Licensed vs Non-Degreed
has obligation: ENGCO Engineering Title Misrepresentation Non-Facilitation Brochure
has obligation: ENGCO Engineering Title Misrepresentation Non-Facilitation Instance
has obligation: ENGCO External Convention Non-Excuse Federal Contract Title Migration
has obligation: ENGCO Firm Brochure Title Audit and Correction Self-Triggered
has obligation: ENGCO Industry Normalization Non-Adoption Obligation Instance
has obligation: ENGCO Licensing Act Title Compliance Obligation Instance
has obligation: ENGCO Licensure System Integrity Preservation Brochure Titles
has obligation: ENGCO Licensure System Integrity Preservation Instance
has obligation: ENGCO Non-Degreed Licensed Staff Title Entitlement Recognition Instance
has obligation: ENGCO Qualifications Non-Falsification Brochure Instance
has obligation: ENGCO Qualifications Non-Misrepresentation Brochure Personnel
attributes: {'firm_type': 'Engineering firm (ENGCO)', 'concern': 'Self-identified potential misrepresentation in brochure', 'title_usage_source': 'Federal agency contract terminology adopted internally'}
caseinvolvement: ENGCO distributes a company brochure listing key personnel—some licensed PEs, some not—using titles such as 'Engineer' and 'Design Engineer' for non-degreed staff, and proactively recognizes this may constitute misrepresentation of its engineering workforce to the public.
concept category: Role
confidence: 0.97
discoveredincase: 77
discoveredinpass: 1
discoveredinsection: facts
firstdiscoveredat: 2026-02-27T02:12:30.690642+00:00
firstdiscoveredincase: 77
generatedattime: 2026-02-27T02:12:30.690642+00:00
importance: high
relationships: {'type': 'contracted_by', 'target': 'Federal Agency Inspection Contract Authority'}
relationships: {'type': 'employs', 'target': 'ENGCO Licensed PE Staff'}
relationships: {'type': 'employs', 'target': 'ENGCO Non-Degreed Engineer-Titled Staff'}
rolecategory: provider_client
roleclass: Engineering Title Misuse Inquiring Firm
sourcetext: ENGCO, an engineering firm, distributes a brochure that, along with the usual information, contains a listing of key personnel.
textreferences: ENGCO is concerned that the company brochure may be conveying a misrepresentation, implying that there are more engineers on its staff than is the true situation.
textreferences: ENGCO, an engineering firm, distributes a brochure that, along with the usual information, contains a listing of key personnel.
wasattributedto: Case 77 Extraction
generated at time: 2026-02-27T02:27:44.224803
was generated by: ProEthica Case 77 Extraction