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Ethical Decision Making. Based on Rushworth Kidder’s How Good People Make Tough Choices. Key Terms. Values That which has intrinsic worth, or a principle, standard or quality that is worthwhile. Morals Having to do with right and wrong conduct. Ethics
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Ethical Decision Making Based on Rushworth Kidder’s How Good People Make Tough Choices
Key Terms • Values • That which has intrinsic worth, or a principle, standard or quality that is worthwhile. • Morals • Having to do with right and wrong conduct. • Ethics • The study of standards of right and wrong behaviour.
Universal Values (Common Throughout the World, Regardless of Gender, Culture, or Religion) • Respect • Responsibility • Compassion • Honesty • Fairness
Canadian Core Values • Respect • Responsibility • Compassion • Honesty • Fairness • Inclusion • Equity • Tolerance • Civility • Loyalty
Two Types of Decisions • Right versus Wrong • Right versus Right
Testing for Right-versus-Right Issues: • The legal test • The professional-standards test • The gut-feeling test • The front-page test • The role-model test
Testing for Right-versus-Right Issues: • The legal test (is breaking the law involved? • The professional-standards test • The gut-feeling test - Does this course of action have about it an indefinable odor of corruption that makes you recoil? This is a “gut test” and a “gut level” determination. Always listen to your gut because it tests your internal code of morality at the psychological level
The front-page test – 3- How would you feel if what you are about to do showed up tomorrow morning on the front pages of the nation’s newspaper? What would your response if a decision made in private suddenly became public?
4. The Role Model Test: If I were my Mother, what would I do?” or “If Mom knew about this what would she think?” This is about the moral exemplar who cares deeply about you and means a great deal to you. Put yourself in another’s shoes and think about what you are on the verge of doing. It might well be wrong.
Right-versus-Right:The Dilemma Paradigms • Truth vs. Loyalty • Individual vs. Community • Short Term vs. Long Term • Justice vs. Mercy
Resolution Principles – 3 Ways • Ends-Based: Utilitarianism • The greatest good for the greatest number • Rule-Based: Categorical Imperative • Universal Law: Immanuel Kant • “I ought never to act except in such a way that I can also will that my maxim should become a universal law.” • Care-Based: Golden Rule • The principle of reversibility • “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.”
The Speluncian Explorers • Four men went spelunking and were trapped by a cave-in. One suggested cannibalism and that they choose the victim by a game of chance. • The one who suggested cannibalism changed his mind. Nevertheless, he was chosen and sacrificed. • The three remaining men survived. They were charged and convicted of murder. They appealed to a panel of five judges.
Decision on Appeal • Judge One: • Applies the established law literally & convict. (positivist) • Judge Two: • interprets the principles that ought to be behind the written law to acquit. (natural law, judicial activist) • Judge Three: • Upholds the conviction, but appeals for clemency. (restrained, uphold parliamentary supremacy) • Judge Four: • Hears clemency route won’t work; considers the natural law approach because it leads to a just result. ( realism) • Judge Five • Withdraws because he cannot support either decision.
Regina v. Dudley and Stephens • Four men survive a shipwreck and are marooned on a lifeboat, 700 miles from land with two cans of turnips and no water • After 13 days without water, the cabin boy (Richard Parker – 17) slipped into unconsciousness • For three days the other sailors debate whether they should kill and eat him
The following day, with no prospect of rescue in sight, Dudley and Stephens silently signal to each other that Parker should be killed (killing Parker before his natural death would better preserve his blood to drink) • Dudley says a prayer and, with Stephens standing by to hold the youth's legs if he struggles, pushes his penknife into Parker's jugular vein, killing him.
Dudley later described the scene, "I can assure you I shall never forget the sight of my two unfortunate companions over that ghastly meal we all was like mad wolfs who should get the most and for men fathers of children to commit such a deed we could not have our right reason.” • The crew even finally managed to catch some rainwater. • Five or six days later (22 days after the shipwreck), the remaining three men were rescued
Competing Arguments • Necessity (Survival) • Morality (Killing is wrong) • Public Opinion • Historical Maritime Practice • Insanity
The Question • What do you decide and why?
