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This summary explores different approaches to ethical reasoning, including pleasure principle, conformity to social norms and intuition. It also discusses normative ethical theories and presents ethical dilemmas to provoke critical thinking. The text language is English.
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Alternative Approaches to Ethical Reasoning Summary • Pleasure Principle (Hedonism) What will give me the greatest pleasure? • Conformity to Social Norms & Intuition How does society expect me to act? Hoe does my heart tell me to behave? -------------------Normative Ethical Theories--------------------------- IIIa. Consequentialist Ethics What behavior will lead to the best results or consequences? IIIb. Duty Ethics What actions do the laws or teachings command me to do? IIIc. Virtue Ethics How would I best be a virtuous character in this situation?
What’s morally appropriate?Duty Ethics—Consequentialism—Virtue Ethics “You are an eyewitness to a crime: A man has robbed a bank, but instead of keeping the money for himself, he donates it to a poor orphanage that can now afford to feed, clothe, and care for its children. You know who committed the crime. If you go to the authorities with the information, there’s a good chance the money will be returned to the bank, leaving a lot of kids in need. What do you do?”
What’s morally appropriate?Duty Ethics—Consequentialism—Virtue Ethics Juanita has the responsibility of filling a position in her company. Her friend Camila has applied and is qualified, but someone else seems even more qualified. Juanita wants to give the job to Camila, but she feels guilty, believing that she ought to be impartial and treat all applicants equally. That’s the essence of morality, she initially tells herself. This belief is, however, rejected, as Juanita resolves that friendship has a moral importance that permits, and perhaps even requires, partiality in some circumstances. So she gives the job to Camila. Was she right?
Ethical Dilemma 1 Your friend has just given you a lovely ivory necklace that she purchased on a trip to Africa. You are aware that African elephants are being slaughtered for their ivory tusks and are now an endangered species. Would you? • accept the necklace and wear it often • accept the necklace but keep it in a drawer • explain to the friend why you do not wish to accept her gift • other (specify)
Ethical Dilemma 2 Alan works in the claims department of a major hospital. Paperwork on a recent admission shows that a traumatic incident caused the patient to require an adjustment in the medication she is prescribed to control her anxiety and anger bursts. Alan is struck by the patient’s unusual last name and upon checking her employment information realizes she is one of his daughter’s grade school teachers. Alan’s daughter seems very happy in her school and he cannot violate patient confidentiality by informing the school of a teacher’s mental illness, but he is not comfortable with a potentially unstable person in a position of influence and supervision over his eight year old daughter. Can Alan reconcile these issues in an ethical manner?
Ethical Dilemma 3 You are the buyer for a retail-clothing store. Your store has a policy of not accepting gifts from clothing companies. However, over the years, clothing companies have offered, and other employees have accepted, free lunches and theater and baseball tickets. You arrive home from the office and find a new TV and DVD player on your doorstep with a note that says: “A personal gift for our long standing friendship. Enjoy it with your family in good health. The Jones Clothing Company.” What do you do?
Ethical Dilemma 4 An office supervisor at a state university discovered in a routine audit that her dedicated and trustworthy assistant had inflated the hours on her time sheets over the past several months to the tune of about $800. When she asked the assistant about it, the assistant was genuinely ashamed and heart-broken about the deception. She explained that her husband’s unemployment and mounting family bills had made her frightened and desperate. What should the office supervisor do about this situation?
“A Theory/Doctrine of Just War”Because war is so horrific, humans have struggled for centuries in their efforts to justify such an action. Below are criteria that are commonly included in “Just War” theories. These criteria can frame how we think about and decide if the wars in Iraq or Afganistan are ethical or just wars. • Is there a legitimate cause for fighting the war? • Is going to war truly a last resort? • Is there legitimate authority to wage war? • Is there a probability of success? • Is it clear that the war will not trigger an even greater evil than the one the war intends to eliminate? • Would the war spare innocent civilians and children?
Choosing to do the right thing . . .An important meta-ethical issue Ethics assumes that humans are free to make choices about their actions. But, do we really have free will?
The case against ‘free will’ Free Will vs. Determinism The Delusion of Free Will Our Brains Decide Before We Know It www.hcom301.com
