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Virtues such as courage, wisdom, justice, and moderation are habits of ethical action according to Plato.
True
In Buddhist teachings, good men and bad men are said to have similar natures.
False
The Roper Center for Public Opinion Research is affiliated with Harvard University.
False
Ethical values and virtues are always directly associated with ethical behavior.
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Sentiment and reason combine into predispositions to act, according to Cooper.
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The majority of respondents found the moral and ethical standards of the Reagan Administration to be higher than other recent administrations.
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Low evaluations on the ethical dimension of integrity did not sound the alarm as the end of the last century approached.
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Hard data are abundant when it comes to separating the ratings of those in public service from elected officials.
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Public confidence has no association with the public's overall feeling about the state of the nation.
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In a national survey conducted in 1998, less than half of the respondents mentioned that the country's values and morals are in serious decline.
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Large majorities of the public sensed that the country's moral compass was pointing in the right direction.
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The Pew Center for the People and the Press conducted a survey in 1987 about public confidence and ethics.
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Public service officials are not expected to adhere to standards higher than those associated with strictly personal morality.
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According to Appleby, public service officials do not receive extraordinary devotion from elected and appointed officials.
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The Latin word 'virtu' means mediocrity and describes the demands made on those in public service.
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Thomas Jefferson expressed that a man who assumes a public trust should consider himself private property.
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Henry Clay believed that government is a trust created for the benefit of the government officers.
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Public service operates on distinctive standards that reflect universal values applicable to all sectors.
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Jethro advised Moses to select able men who fear God, are men of truth, and love covetousness to be rulers over the tribes of Israel.
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Laura Nash and Michael Rion are cited as sources for contemporary values related to modern business management.
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Stephen Bailey emphasized pessimism, fear, and 'fairness tempered by revenge' as key values in public administration.
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Ethical action is not reflective and is not based on thought and reason according to the text.
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In public service, particular values are not of special concern as they do not distinguish public service from other endeavors.
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The book discusses the idea of selecting a single roster of ethical values as more compelling and appealing.
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The public sector's 'bottom lines' are easier to measure than profit in business.
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According to Dwight Waldo, a public servant is only responsible for three spheres of ethical claims.
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Michael Harmon's 'theory of countervailing responsibility' organizes administrative responsibility into four types.
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Playing multiple roles in the public sector does not lead to any pressures.
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The replacement of government-centered public service with multisectored service has simplified the public sector's new reality.
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All perspectives on public service stress the same concepts and responsibilities.
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Study Notes
Public Opinion on Government and Ethics
- In 1992, 2% of respondents rated the Bush administration as "excellent" in terms of moral and ethical standards.
- In 1988, 17% of respondents believed the Reagan Administration had higher moral and ethical standards than other recent administrations.
Ethical Values in Public Service
- Ethical values are beliefs about right and wrong that draw on feeling and thinking.
- Virtues are habits of ethical action embedded in moral character that translate abstract values into observable behavior.
- Ancient traditions stress personal virtue, with Plato highlighting four virtues: courage, wisdom, justice, and moderation.
Public Confidence and Ethics
- Low evaluations on ethical dimensions such as honesty and integrity sounded alarms at the end of the 20th century.
- In 1998, 75% of respondents believed the country's values and morals were in decline.
- Nearly two-thirds were dissatisfied with the honesty and standards of behavior of people in the country.
Expectations of Public Servants
- Public officials and employees are expected to conform to higher standards than those in the private sector.
- The American political tradition emphasizes the nobility and burden of public service, with Thomas Jefferson and Henry Clay highlighting the importance of trust and integrity.
Values in Public Service
- Different observers have drawn up lists of requisite values and virtues for public service, including honesty, fairness, courage, and optimism.
- The interaction of trust, confidence, and governmental integrity is evident in law and regulation.
Multiple Roles in Public Service
- Public service involves multiple roles and responsibilities, making it harder to measure success than in the private sector.
- The public sector's new reality is more complicated, with different perspectives stressing different concepts and responsibilities.
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