Ethics: Key Concepts and Introduction PDF

Introduction : Key Concept in Ethics  ETHICS It is a branch of philosophy that studies morality or the rightness or wrongness of human conduct. MORALITY speaks of a code or system of behavior in regards to standards of right or wrong of behavior. ETHICS stands to queries about what t...

Introduction : Key Concept in Ethics  ETHICS It is a branch of philosophy that studies morality or the rightness or wrongness of human conduct. MORALITY speaks of a code or system of behavior in regards to standards of right or wrong of behavior. ETHICS stands to queries about what there is reason to do. It is also concern with character. It is derived in the Greek word ethos, which means ‘character’ or in plural ‘manners’.  Some questions that ethical in nature 1. What is good? 2. Who is a moral person? 3. What are the virtues of human being? 4. What makes an act right? 5. What duties do we have to each other? Ethics also called ‘moral philosophy’ because it evaluates moral concepts, values, principles, and standards. Ethics and morality necessarily carry the concept of moral standards or rules with regards to behavior. THE IMPORTANCE OF RULES TO SOCIAL BEINGS RULES It refers to explicit or understood regulations or principles governing conduct within a specify activity or sphere. It tells us what is or what is not allowed in particular context or situation. Without rules, society would likely fall into anarchy.  RULES BENEFIT SOCIAL BEINGS IN VARIOUS MANNERS : Rules protect social beings by regulating behavior Rules build boundaries that place limits Rules protect social beings by regulating behavior on behavior. Rules are usually coupled with means to impose consequences on those who violate them. Rules helps to guarantee each person certain rights and freedom Guarantees certain rights in the forms of laws and governing principles.  Rules produce a sense of justice among social beings Becomes a necessity in order to prevent the strong from dominating the weak, thus preventing exploitation. Rules are essential for a healthy economic system Creates a healthy competitive environment by regulating businesses and deterring monopolies. Rules are needed to ensure product safety, employee safety, and product quality. In summary, society is able to function soundly thanks to rules and regulations that protect the greater good.  MORAL vs. NON-MORAL STANDARDS Not all rules are moral rules. Not all standards are moral standards Morality may refer to the standards that a person or a group has about what is right and wrong, or good and evil. Moral standards are those concerned with or relating to human behavior especially the distinction between good and bad (or right and wrong) behavior. It involves the rules people have about the kinds of action they believe are morally right or wrong. Some ethicists equate moral standards with moral values and moral principles. Non-moral standards refers to rules that are unrelated to moral or ethical considerations. Basic example of non-moral standards include rules of etiquette, fashion standards, rules in games and various house rules. Technically, religious rules, some traditions, and legal statues (laws and ordinances) are non-moral principle though they can be ethically relevant depending on some factors and context.  CHARACTERISTICS OF MORAL STANDARDS Moral standards involve serious wrongs or significant benefit Moral standards deal with matters which can seriously impact, that, is injure or benefit human beings. Moral standards ought to be preferred to other values Moral standards have overriding character or hegemonic authority. If a moral standard states that a person has the moral obligation to do something, then he/she is supposed to do that even if it conflicts with other non-moral standards, and even with self- interest.  CHARACTERISTICS OF MORAL STANDARDS Moral standards are not established by authority figures Moral standards are not invented, formed, or generated by authoritative bodies or persons such as nation’s legislative bodies. In principle therefore, moral standards cannot be changed nor nullified by the decisions of particular authoritative body. Its validity lies on the soundness or adequacy of the reasons that are considered to support and justify them. Moral standards have the trait of universalizability Everyone should live up to moral standards. To be more accurate, however, it entails that moral principles must apply to all who are in the relevantly situation. Moral Standards are based on impartial considerations Moral standards does not evaluate standards on basis of the interest of a certain person or group, but one does not goes beyond personal interest to a universal standpoint in which each person’s interest are impartially counted as equal. Moral standards are associated with special emotions and vocabulary Prescriptivity indicates the practical or action-guding nature of moral standards. These moral standards are generally put forth as injunction or imperatives (such as, ‘Do not kill,’ ‘Do no unnecessary harm,’ and Love your neighbor’). These principles are proposed for use, to advise, and to influence to action.  DILEMMA AND MORAL DILLEMA The term ‘dilemma’ refers to a situation in which a tough choice has to be made between two or more options, especially more or less equally undesirable ones. Not all dillemas are moral dillemas. Also called ‘ethical dillemas,’ moral dillemas are situations in which a difficult choice has to be made between two courses of action, either of which entails transgressing a moral principle. At the very least, a moral dilemma involves conflict between moral requirements. The online Standford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, in discussing moral dilemmas, gives this example from the book I of Plato’s Republic ; “... Cephalus defines ‘justice’ as speaking the truth and paying one’s debts. Socrates quickly refutes this account by suggesting that it would be wrong to repay certain debts-for example, to return a borrowed weapon to a friend who is not in his right mind. Socrates’ point is not that repaying debts is without moral import; rather, he wants to show that it is not always right to repay one’s debt, at least not exactly when the one to whom the debt is owned demands repayment. What we have here is a conflict between two moral norms: repaying one’s debts and protecting others from harm. KEY FEATURES OF A MORAL DILEMMA a)The agent is required to do each of two or more actions b)The agent can do each of the actions; but the agent cannot do both (or all) of the actions. In a moral dilemma, the agent thus seems condemned to a failure; no matter what he does, he will do something wrong or fail to do something that he ought to do. THREE LEVELS OF A MORAL DILEMMA a) Personal Dilemmas. Personal dilemmas are those experienced and resolved on the personal level. Since many ethical decisions are personally made, many, if not most of, moral dilemmas fall under, or boil down to this level b) Organizational Dilemma It refers to ethical cases encountered and resolved by social organization. This category includes moral dilemma in business, medical field, and public sector. THREE LEVELS OF A MORAL DILEMMA c) Structural Dilemma Structural moral dilemmas refer to cases involving network of institutions and operative theoretical paradigms. As they usually encompass multi-sectoral institutions and organizations, they may be larger in scope and extent than organizational dilemma ‘Only human beings can be ethical’ a) Only human beings are rational, autonomous, and self-conscious The qualities of rationality, autonomy, and self- consciousness are believed to confer a full and equal moral status to those that possess them as these beings are the only one capable of achieving certain values and goods. b) Only human beings can act morally or immorally Only beings that can act morally can be required to sacrifice their interest for the sake of others c) Only human beings are part of the moral community The so-called moral community is not defined in terms of the intrinsic properties that beings have, but rather in terms of the essential social relations that exist between or among beings. Distinctively, only human beings can possess or practice values such as love, honor, social relationships, forgiveness, compassion, and altruism. FREEDOM AS FOUNDATION OF MORALITY Morality is a question of choice. Morality, practically is choosing ethical codes, values or standards to guide us in our daily lives. Philosophically, choosing is impossible without freedom. Morality requires and allows choice, which means the right to choose even differently from our fellows. Everyone who wishes to function morally and rationally in society has to make choices virtually every minute of the day.  Minimum requirement for Morality: Reason and Impartiality Reason as a requirement for morality entails that human feelings may be important in ethical decisions, but they ought to be guided by reason. Sound reasoning helps us to evaluate whether our feelings and intuitions about moral cases are correct and defensible.  Minimum requirement for Morality: Reason and Impartiality Impartiality on the other hand involves the idea that each individual’s interest and point of view are equally important. Also called as evenhandedness r fair-mindedness, impartiality is a principle of justice holding that decisions ought to be based on objective criteria rather than n the basis of bias, prejudice or preferring the benefit to one person over another for improper reasons. 1. When do you say something is moral experience? 2. Explain why only human beings can be ethical? 3. Explain : Freedom is a foundation of ethics.