PACE week 2

Ethical Theories and Applied Ethics at Macquarie University

• Macquarie University emphasizes the importance of ethical thinking in various fields such as cybersecurity, data privacy, gender equity, environment, and humanitarian crisis.
• The university material is provided for individual research and study purposes only, and sharing it publicly online without permission may lead to legal and/or disciplinary actions.
• Normative Ethics focuses on theorizing ethical actions and investigating moral beliefs, while Applied Ethics studies the application of ethical theories to specific domains like bioethics and environmental ethics.
• Normative Ethics encompasses three core theories: Consequentialism, Deontological Ethics, and Virtue Ethics.
• Consequentialism, exemplified by Utilitarianism, focuses on the consequences of actions, intending to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
• Consequentialism is critiqued for its potential unintended consequences and for neglecting individuals not included in the calculation of the greatest good.
• An example challenges the consequentialist approach through the dilemma of choosing between volunteering to help a larger group or spending time with one's lonely mother.
• Deontological Ethics, as advocated by Kant, emphasizes duty aligned with rationality, universalizable actions, and humanist principles such as dignity and integrity.
• Deontological Ethics is critiqued for removing the personal factor, ignoring emotions, and potentially leading to conflicting duties.
• Macquarie University prohibits public online sharing of its materials without permission, as it holds the copyright or has a license to the intellectual property.
• Ethical thinking is increasingly crucial in addressing contemporary societal issues, and Macquarie University emphasizes the study and application of ethical theories in various domains.
• The university provides in-depth study materials on ethical theories and their practical application, encouraging students to engage critically with ethical principles and considerations.

University Copyright Guidelines and Ethical Principles for Students

• Macquarie University owns the copyright of the material and sharing it publicly online without permission may lead to legal and disciplinary actions.
• Students are provided with the material for individual research and study purposes only, and sharing it without permission is prohibited.
• The material discusses engaging with global injustices through PACE activities and prompts students to consider small, impactful actions.
• The Ethics Centre provides questions to guide ethical decision-making, emphasizing values, principles, and the impact of actions.
• Ethical principles in PACE include reciprocity, mutual benefit, understanding the value and ethics of the organization, and the community it serves.
• The material introduces applied ethics in research and presents case scenarios related to participating in research studies.
• Considerations for participating in research studies include concerns about privacy, information storage, training of researchers, and the purpose and use of the information.
• The material addresses human research and outlines what constitutes human research, including surveys, interviews, testing, observation, and access to personal documents or materials.
• The types of information collected in human research include identifiable, re-identifiable, and non-identifiable information from existing sources or databases.
• The material is dated with an expiration date of 15/08/2023, indicating relevance until that time.
• The University emphasizes the importance of obtaining permission before sharing the material publicly online.
• The material highlights the University's commitment to ethical principles, values, and integrity in research and study activities.