Archimedean Oath at SEFI 2024
History & Goals
In 1990, inspired by the Hippocratic Oath, four physics students from EPFL crafted the Archimedean Oath for engineers to emphasize their commitment to their institution and global responsibility. Historically, the Oath was read and signed at the end of the master studies during the magistrale (masters’ diploma ceremony).
Over the last decade, current societal and environmental realities, however, have imposed updating the Oath, not just in its form but also in its scope. In order to continue to meet its global goal of reminding engineers of their responsibility to society, AGEPoly, an EPFL student association, reformulated the text to better align with contemporary challenges (see text of the Oath).
Archimedes Oath
Taking into account the life of Archimedes of Syracuse, who illustrated in Antiquity the ambivalent potential of technology,
Taking into account the growing responsibility of engineers and scientists in regards to Nature and Human Beings,
Taking into account the importance of ethical problems raised by Technology and its applications,
Today, I swear to the following engagements, and promise to strive to attain the ideal they represent:
- I will practice my profession with the good of all people in mind, respecting human rights* and environmental sanctity.
- I will take responsibility for my actions, having informed myself to the fullest extent, and will in no case discharge such responsibility on others.
- I will strive to perfect my professional abilities.
- In choosing and completing my projects, I will pay attention to their context and their consequences, particularly with respects to technical, economic, social, and ecological aspects, and will strive for the respect of the environment.
- I will be especially careful in regards to any military uses that my work could have.
- I will contribute to preserving the environmental and social integrity of our planet.
- I will contribute to the best of my abilities to the promotion of equity for all human beings, and will help construct a just society for all.
- I will rigorously and honestly transmit any information to carefully chosen persons, if such information represents a necessary knowledge or if holding it back puts anyone in danger. In the latter case, I will ensure that such information leads to concrete actions.
- I will not let my personal or professional interests take precedence over what I deem to be just.
- I will, to the best of my ability, strive to encourage those who surround me, in both my personal and professional life, to follow the ideals of the present oath.
- I will practice my profession in a context of intellectual honesty, with conscience and with dignity.
- I promise solemnly, freely, and on my honour.
* According to the UN Universal Declaration of Human Rights
Serment d’Archimède
Considérant la vie d’Archimède de Syracuse qui illustra dès l’Antiquité le potentiel ambivalent de la technique,
Considérant la responsabilité croissante des ingénieur·e·s et des scientifiques à l’égard de la Nature et des Êtres Humains,
Considérant l’importance des problèmes éthiques que soulèvent la Technique et ses applications,
Aujourd’hui, je prends les engagements suivants et m’efforcerai de tendre vers l’idéal qu’ils représentent :
- Je pratiquerai ma profession pour le bien des personnes, dans le respect des droits humains* et de l’environnement.
- Je reconnaîtrai, m’étant informé·e au mieux, la responsabilité de mes actes et ne m’en déchargerai en aucun cas sur autrui.
- Je m’appliquerai à parfaire mes compétences professionnelles.
- Dans le choix et la réalisation de mes projets, je resterai attentif à leur contexte et leurs conséquences, notamment des points de vue techniques, économiques, sociaux, et écologiques, et œuvrerai dans le respect de l’environnement.
- Particulièrement, je resterai attentif à toutes fins militaires que pourraient avoir mes projets.
- Je contribuerai à sauvegarder l’intégrité environnementale et sociale de notre planète.
- Je contribuerai, dans la mesure de mes moyens, à promouvoir des rapports équitables entre les êtres humains et aiderai à construire une société juste pour tou·te·s.
- Je transmettrai avec rigueur et honnêteté toute information à des interlocuteur·rice·s choisis avec discernement, si elle représente un acquis pour la société ou si sa rétention constitue un danger pour autrui. Dans ce dernier cas, je veillerai à ce que l’information débouche sur des dispositions concrètes.
- Je ne laisserai pas la défense de mes intérêts ou ceux de ma profession prendre le pas sur ce que je considère être juste.
- Je m’efforcerai, dans la mesure de mes moyens, d’amener mon entourage professionnel et personnel à prendre en compte les préoccupations du présent serment.
- Je pratiquerai ma profession en toute honnêteté intellectuelle, avec conscience et dignité.
- Je le promets solennellement, librement et sur mon honneur.
* Selon la déclaration universelle de l’ONU du 10 décembre 1948
Commitment to the Oath
The commonly understood presumption of taking an Oath is that it guides graduates to take ethical decisions and respond respectfully to the challenges set in professional practice. Today, these require an awareness for respecting the environment and its inhabitants.
These circumstances already called for reformulating the previously written Archimedean Oath as well as for widening its field of application. At present, it is imperative to systematically integrate ethics and sustainability in the curriculum. Thus, future graduates will be equipped to responsibly practice engineering and respond to contemporary global challenges.
In order to do that, it is crucial that educators and administrators provide the students with adequate opportunities for the students to learn how to act responsibly.
Call for action
Our call for action is twofold, firstly, we will promote the Archimedean Oath across SEFI 2024 as a reflection tool. Secondly, it is our utmost inspiration to have the Oath as a legacy of SEFI 2024 by having its participants adopt it in their own institutions.
By the end of the conference, you will have the necessary knowledge and support to adopt the Oath in your own contexts.
In order to do so, we are ensuring the presence of the Archimedean Oath in various forms during the conference.
More detailed information coming soon
Working Group Members
- Charlotte Vandenberghe, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC, EPFL)
- Ingrid Le Duc, School of Architecture, Civil and Environmental Engineering (ENAC, EPFL)
- Helena Kovacs, Transversal Skills and Career Center (CCTC, EPFL)
- Jonathan Truslove, Engineers Without Borders UK (EWB-UK)
- Mihai Filimon, Board of European Students of Technology (BEST)
- Valentina Rossi, Teaching Support Center (CAPE, EPFL)
- Philippine Milward, General Student’s Association at EPFL (AGEPoly, EPFL)
