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Introduction to Ethics

Introduction to Ethics. Definitions, moral theories and principles Presented by Dr. Paul Voakes at CSMA Winter Thaw 2017. What is Ethics, anyway?. Three serviceable definitions (New Oxford American) “Moral principles that govern a person’s or group’s behavior”

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Introduction to Ethics

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  1. Introduction to Ethics Definitions, moral theories and principles Presented by Dr. Paul Voakes at CSMA Winter Thaw 2017

  2. What is Ethics, anyway? • Three serviceable definitions • (New Oxford American) “Moral principles that govern a person’s or group’s behavior” • (Random House): “study dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness or wrongness of certain actions . . . And the motives and ends of such actions.” • Paul Voakes: The process of making rational choices between what is morally justifiable and unjustifiable

  3. What Ethics Isn’t • It’s not intuitive – it’s deliberate, rational • Good ethical decisions are based on evidence-based reasoning, not gut feelings • We try to ‘do’ ethics, not ‘have’ ethics • A code of ethics is NOT a legal code

  4. What Ethics Isn’t • Ethics is not the same as ‘morals’ • Morality: a set of beliefs one embraces, to provide the basis for right/wrong, good/bad distinctions • Ethics brings morality into real-life dilemmas*, concluding with ‘what ought to be done’ *Why are they dilemmas? Because two or more moral values are in conflict

  5. So, what’s the correct answer? • Usually, multiple justifiable decisions • Let’s teach tools for ethical reasoning, not simply do’s and don’t’s • Each situation is different, to be sure • But our system of thinking about ‘doing the right thing’ should be consistent • And beyond journalism: It doesn’t hurt to be able to apply the tools to ‘teen life’

  6. Let’s not confuse Law and Ethics • Law • Rights, requirements, prohibitions that are enforceable by government • ‘Must,’ ‘must not,’ ‘can,’ ‘cannot . . .’

  7. Let’s not confuse Law and Ethics • Ethics • Seeking morally justifiable behaviors • ‘Ought,’ ‘ought not’ • In an ethical dilemma, don’t stop once you’ve discovered what the law says ‘It’s OK legally, but is it ethical?’

  8. Why moral principles? • Certain principles have withstood decades – centuries – of scrutiny • Principles underlie – and help justify – the ethical decisions we must make • Principles provide continuity • In one person’s job • Throughout one person’s life • Through an organization’s life • Throughout a culture or society

  9. The great moral theories:Deontology • The Categorical Imperative • Immanuel Kant • Embrace any moral rule that should be applied universally • A moral rule NOT subject to conditions or special circumstances (examples?) • And . . . human beings are never treated as a means to an end, but as the “end,” in and of themselves

  10. Deontology, cont’d. • Deontologists have ‘duties’ • Strict duties (prohibitions) • Meritorious duties (positive acts) • Even consequences are irrelevant! • Categorical imperatives for journalism? • Advantages of deontology A code of ethics! But . . . • Disadvantages of deontology

  11. Utilitarianism • A strain of Consequentialis • Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mill • Focuses not on the act itself, but on the likely results of the act • Goal: Result produces the ‘aggregate good’ – the greatest good for the greatest number • And yes, occasionally some must be harmed in order to benefit the many • The important converse: Minimize the harm to those who will probably be harmed

  12. Utilitarianism cont’d. • Hedonism: Is everybody happy? • ‘Pleasure’ now taken to mean high-order ‘goods: Freedom, justice, knowledge, prosperity • Act Utilitarianism: Stop to analyze likely outcomes of each decision • Utilitarianism is fundamentally more democratic

  13. Utilitarianism, cont’d. • So how does it work? (back to lying, Robin Hood) • For Journalism: The sharing of important information is a commonly-invoked ‘greater good’ • Advantages? (Crystal Ball’? Judge the intentions of my greater-good forecasting, not the accuracy!) • Disadvantages? (The Crystal Ball again!)

  14. Hybrids of these two? • Mixed-rule deontology (e.g. Lying to protect? Robin Hood thievery?) • Rule Utilitarianism: Know that certain acts tend to consistently produce desirable outcomes

  15. A third tried-and-true approach • Aristotle’s Golden Mean • Virtue lies in the ‘moderate middle’ between excess and deficiency • Between stinginess and wastefulness? • Between cowardice and foolhardiness? • Between bashfulness and shamelessness?

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