Definition of Ethics

Definition of Ethics  Ethics: Greek "Ethos" ("Character") and Latin "Mores" ("Customs").  In legal context: Branch of philosophy focusing on actions and behavior.  Based on well-founded standards of what is morally good/bad and right/wrong for society. 4 Branches of Ethics Branch Meaning Example Descriptive Ethics Study of moral beliefs and Psychology, Anthropology behavior Normative Ethics Study of what is morally right or wrong Applied Ethics Applying ethics to real-life Medical Ethics, Business Ethics, issues Code of Ethics Meta-Ethics Study of ethics itself Philosophy, Theology All examples Code of Ethics  A set of rules and principles encouraging ethical behavior among professionals.  Also called "ethical code" (includes business, professional, employee conduct codes). Example:  Code of Professional Practice  Employee Code of Conduct Ethical Behavior  Follows society’s idea of what is correct.  Shows honesty, fairness, equity, and respect for dignity.  Moral behavior is more about personal goodness. What is Morality?  Morality: Set of standards, principles, or habits based on ideals of right and wrong.  Focus on whether actions align with adopted societal values. Two Standards of Morality Moral Standard Non-Moral Standard Behaviors that seriously affect human welfare Rules unrelated to morals Example: Killing, stealing, lying, abuse Example: Fashion rules, game rules, house rules Ethics vs Morality Ethics Morality Guiding principles of conduct Judgment of right/wrong Influenced by profession, field, etc. Influenced by society, culture, religion Related to professional work Not related to professional work What is Moral Reasoning?  Moral reasoning applies critical analysis to determine what is right or wrong in specific events.  It guides what people ought to do in a given situation. Scott Rae’s Seven Moral Reasoning Model Who is Scott Bothic Rae?  American Old Testament scholar, professor of Christian Ethics. Seven Steps of Moral Reasoning: 1. Gather the facts and information o Know all the facts before making any decision. 2. Determine the ethical issues o Identify and clearly state the ethical dilemma. 3. Determine what virtues/principles apply o Identify and explain the relevant moral values or virtues. 4. List the alternatives with principles o Create multiple alternative courses of action. 5. Compare the alternatives with the virtues/principles o Evaluate and eliminate alternatives based on moral principles. 6. Consider the consequences o Weigh the positive and negative outcomes. 7. Make a final decision o Decide and justify the choice, accepting that solutions may have painful consequences. Five Common Fallacies in Moral Reasoning Fallacy Explanation Appeal to the People Believing something is right because the majority believes it. Appeal to the Man Attacking a person's character instead of addressing their argument. Circular Reasoning Repeating the same point without answering the original question. Slippery Slope Claiming one small step will lead to extreme negative consequences. Naturalistic Assuming something is correct just because it is considered Fallacy Explanation Fallacy normal socially or morally. What is Moral Development? Moral development focuses on the emergence, change, and understanding of morality from infancy through adulthood. The theory states that morality develops across a life span in a variety of ways and is influenced by an individual's experiences and behavior when faced with moral issues through different periods of physical and cognitive development. The 3 Levels & 6 Stages of Moral Development By: Lawrence Kohlberg Level 1: Pre-conventional Level Pre-conventional Level is the first level of moral development, lasting until approximately age 8. During this level, children accept the authority (and moral code) of others. Pre-conventional Level is when people follow rules because they don’t want to get in trouble, or they want to get a reward. This level of morality is mostly based on what authority figures like parents or teachers tell you to do rather than what you think is right or wrong.  Stage 1: Obedience / Punishment Behavior is determined by consequences. The individual will obey in order to avoid punishment. Example: A child doesn’t take a cookie before dinner because they fear being scolded.  Stage 2: Self-Interest The individual focuses on receiving rewards or satisfying personal needs. Example: A child helps clean up toys because they’ll get extra playtime. Level 2: Conventional Level Conformity to social rules remains important to the individual. However, the emphasis shifts from self-interest to relationships with other people and social systems. (8 years old to early adolescence) The individual strives to support rules that are set forth by others such as parents, peers, and the government in order to win their approval or to maintain social order.  Stage 3: Good Interpersonal Relationship Also known as the "Good Boy/Girl Orientation." The behavior is determined by social approval. The individual wants to maintain or win the affection and approval of others by being a "Good Person." Example: A student volunteers to help a classmate to be seen as kind and helpful.  Stage 4: Law and Order Morality The child/individual becomes aware of the wider rules of society, so judgments concern obeying the rules to uphold the law and avoid guilt. Moral decision-making becomes more than consideration of close ties to others. The individual believes that rules and laws maintain social order that is worth preserving. Example: A person does not cheat on their taxes because they respect the law and value societal order. Level 3: Post-Conventional Level Characterized by an individual’s understanding of universal ethical principles. At this level, people think about what is fair, what is just, and what values are important. (Maturity and Adulthood) Postconventional morality is when people decide based on what they think is right rather than just following the rules. This means that people at this level of morality have their own ethical principles and values and don’t just do what society tells them to do.  Stage 5: Social Contract & Individual Rights The individual views laws and rules as flexible tools for improving human purposes. The child/individual becomes aware that while rules/laws might exist for the good of the greatest number, there are times when they will work against the interest of particular individuals. Example: A citizen supports changing a law they believe is unfair, like advocating for equal rights reforms.  Stage 6: Universal Principle People at this stage have developed their own set of moral guidelines, which may or may not fit the law. Examples are human rights, justice, and equality. The person will be prepared to act to defend these principles even if it means going against the rest of society in the process and having to pay the consequences of disapproval and/or imprisonment. Example: A person hides refugees during wartime, even if it’s illegal, because they believe saving lives is the highest moral duty. What is Psychoanalysis Theory? Sigmund Freud developed a topographical model of the mind, describing the features of the mind’s structure and function. Freud used the analogy of an iceberg to describe the three levels of the mind. Sigmund Freud described that our mind consists of all the mental processes of which we are aware, and this is seen as an iceberg in the ocean. Psychoanalysis Theory: Three Levels of Mind Conscious Mind Pre-conscious Mind Unconscious Mind These are Thoughts, Feelings, and Perceptions. An idea or opinion produced by thinking, occurring suddenly in the mind. The ability to see, hear, These are memories stored to become a knowledge. Everything we can recall or retrieve These are things we are unaware of and cannot become aware of. Any Behavior that the person is not fully Conscious Mind Pre-conscious Mind or become aware of something from our memory. through the senses. Examples: Communicating, answering a normal question, the way we eat and taste, familiarization. (Short-term memory)  Examples: Memorizing, creativity, imaginations, logical thinking, values, emotions, and feelings. (Long-term memory) Unconscious Mind aware and lack of selfcontrol. Examples: Violent motives, saying bad words, thinking of sexual activities, immoral desires, lying and selfishness. (Act of Immorality) Mannerisms Examples: Shaking legs while sitting, biting fingers, playing with a pen while listening to the teacher. Structure of Personality Based on Psychoanalysis Freud’s personality theory (1923) saw the psyche structured into three parts: the id, ego, and superego, all developing at different stages in our lives. These are systems, not parts of the brain, or in any way physical, but rather hypothetical conceptualizations of important mental functions.  According to Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic theory: o The ID is the primitive and instinctual part of the mind that contains sexual and aggressive drives and hidden memories. o The SUPER EGO operates as a moral conscience. o The EGO is the realistic part that mediates between the desires of the id and the superego. Egoism VS Altruism What is Egoism? The term “egoism” derives from “ego” the Latin term for “I” in English. This means a person acts respectfully or kindly for their own advantages. Egoism is a theory of ethics that sets as its goal the benefit, pleasure, or greatest good of oneself alone. The 3 Types of Egoism: Psychological Egoism Ethical Egoism It suggests that every attitude or behavior or decision of every person is intrinsically motivated by self-interest. It argues that any action should be done solely to achieve individual benefits; top moral responsibility is yourself—especially conforms to society/org. Example: To show good Example: To show good behavior and attitude actions for our own for our own advantages. advantages. Rational Egoism It claims that it is necessary and sufficient for an action and behavior to be rational to maximize one's self-interest. Example: Good behavior and action importantly needed. Altruism and Its Four Types What is Altruism? Altruism is the unselfish concern for other people, doing things simply out of a desire to help, not because you feel obligated to out of duty, loyalty, or religious reasons. It involves acting out of concern for the well-being of other people. Examples: Doing something to help another person with no expectation of reward, sharing resources even in the face of scarcity, and showing concern for someone else's well-being. GroupSelected Genetic Reciprocal This type of This type of altruism is This involves Pure Also known as moral GroupSelected Genetic Reciprocal altruism involves engaging in altruistic acts that benefit close family members. based on a mutual give-and-take engaging in relationship. It involves altruistic acts helping another for people person now because based upon they may one day be their group able to return the affiliation. favor. Pure altruism, this form involves helping someone else, even when it is risky, without any reward. It is motivated by internalized values and morals.