Final answer:
Professional codes of ethics are necessary to guide professionals in their unique fields with specialized guidelines, reflecting philosophical perspectives on human decision-making and reality as a construct. They are tailored to specific contexts to ensure logical, consistent guidance and uphold norms that benefit society and align with fundamental values.
Step-by-step explanation:
It was felt necessary for professions to develop and adopt their own code of ethics and moral frameworks to provide a foundation for professional conduct and decision-making. Professions such as nursing, teaching, and software engineering have their specific ethical codes because they operate within unique contexts that require specialized guidelines. The IEEE-CS, for instance, adopted the Software Engineering Code of Ethics and Professional Practice to ensure that software engineers adhere to ethical obligations such as ensuring safety, privacy, and environmental preservation.
This evolution of professional ethics reflects broader philosophical movements. The Existentialists emphasized human decision-making in moral realms, while Pragmatists viewed reality, including ethical standards, as a human construct. These perspectives reinforced the belief that ethical norms should be context-specific and constructed by the members of each professional community. Additionally, the influence of different ethical frameworks based on nature, society, politics, self, or reason suggests that there is no one-size-fits-all approach to morality. Therefore, professionals need to be guided by principles that resonate with their specific roles and the societal expectations of their practice.
Ultimately, a profession's moral theory should offer logical, consistent guidance on what is morally right, reflecting on practices like medicine, engineering, and business. Moral reasoning is the backbone of ethical decision-making, ensuring that professionals uphold the norms that benefit human society and align with their fundamental values.