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Questions and Answers
What does act utilitarianism focus on?
Rule utilitarianism looks at the consequences of actions instead of rules.
False
According to Aristotle, what is the final goal of human action?
eudaimonia
Role it is often linked to the responsibilities one has in a particular situation.
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Match the type of responsibility with its description:
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What are the five basic steps of the Ethical Cycle?
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What is the main characteristic of a moral problem in the Ethical Cycle?
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Normative ethics is involved with describing existing morality.
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Utilitarianism measures the consequences of actions against _______ value.
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Study Notes
Ethical Cycle
- Moral problem-solving involves a systematic approach, which is called the ethical cycle.
- The ethical cycle consists of five basic steps:
- Moral problem statement
- Problem analysis
- Options for actions
- Ethical evaluation
- Reflection-feedback
Problem Analysis
- Analyzing the problem in terms of stakeholders, their interests, values, and facts.
- Three important elements to be distinguished:
- Stakeholders and their interests
- Moral values relevant in the situation
- Relevant facts
Options for Actions
- Identifying and devising options for action using strategies such as:
- Black-and-white strategy
- Cooperation strategy
Ethical Evaluation
- Evaluating the moral acceptability of the various options for action using:
- Formal moral frameworks (codes of conduct, utilitarianism, Kant's theory, virtue ethics)
- Informal moral frameworks
Reflection
- Reflecting on the outcomes of the evaluation phase, resulting in a well-argued choice for one of the options for action.
- Central to the reflection step is argumentation.
Ethics and Morality
- Ethics is a process of searching for the right kind of morality.
- Morality is defined as the totality of opinions, decisions, and actions that express what people think is good or right.
- The study of ethics can be both descriptive and normative.
Normative Ethics
- Normative ethics is not value-free and judges morality.
- It considers the question: do the norms and values used conform to our ideas about how people should behave?
- Normative ethics provides viewpoints from which to critically discuss moral issues.
Values
- Values help determine which goals or states of affairs are worth striving for.
- Moral values are related to a good life and a just society.
- Distinction between intrinsic and instrumental values:
- Intrinsic values are objectives in and of themselves.
- Instrumental values are means to realizing an intrinsic value.
Norms
- Norms are rules that prescribe what concrete actions are required, permitted, or forbidden.
- Values are often translated into rules to achieve certain values.
- Moral norms are indications for responsible action.
Virtues
- Virtues are human characteristics or qualities that express a value that is worth striving for.
- Five features of virtues:
- They are desired characteristics.
- They are expressed in action.
- They are lasting and permanent.
- They are always present but only used when necessary.
- They can be influenced by the individual.
Utilitarianism
- Utilitarianism measures the consequences of actions against one value: human pleasure, happiness, or welfare.
- The utility principle is the only and sufficient ground for any action.
- The freedom principle: everyone is free to strive for their own pleasure, as long as they do not deny or hinder the pleasure of others.
Virtue Ethics
- Virtue ethics focuses on the nature of the acting person.
- It indicates which good or desirable characteristics people should have, or develop, and how people can achieve this.
- Based on a notion of humankind where people's characters can be shaped by proper nurture and education.
Professional Responsibility of Engineers
- Role-responsibility: responsibility is linked to the role that you have in a particular situation.
- Types of responsibilities:
- Social responsibility: considering the needs of society.
- Passive responsibility: involves accountability and blameworthiness.
- Active responsibility: involves taking action to prevent harm.
Rights and Responsibilities of Engineers
- Key professional responsibilities:
- Confidentiality and proprietary information
- Avoiding conflict of interest
- Competitive bidding
- Rights:
- Right to form and express professional judgment
- Right to refuse to participate in unethical activities
- Right to fair recognition and to receive remuneration for professional services
- Right to warn the public about dangers
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Description
This quiz covers the Ethical Cycle module in GEC 217, Engineer-In-Society, which deals with moral judgment and decision-making in engineering professional life.
