Ethics involves a complex interplay of principles that guide human behavior, transcending the boundaries of law, religion, feelings, social norms, and scientific understanding. Various philosophical approaches attempt to articulate what constitutes ethical behavior, each with its own focus and sometimes conflicting outcomes.
Virtue Approach:
* Deals with Honesty, courage,
love,...
* It's really about doing what is
"virtuous".
* Full development of Humanity.
* Concerned with values to reach
someone's highest potential.
Common Good Approach:
* It targets the best for the
"common good", in other words
small sacrifice can be made to
the best of the whole population.
* Attention to the common
conditions that supports and is
important to most/all people.
* Somewhat similar to the Ulitarian
Approach.
Justice Approach:
* All human beings should
be treated equally, or at least
fairly based.
Rights Approach:
* More concerned with
the best that protects
and res[ects the moral rights.
Utilarian Approach:
* Balances between good
and harm.
* Produces the greatest good
and the least harm.
* It deals with the consequences.
* The End justifies the means.
Example: Wars can be ethical
if they stop terrorism.
Ethics is NOT based
on: Law, Religion,
Feelings, Accepted
social practice, or
Science.
So, what is Ethical?
* The 5 approaches did not
make "Ethics" clear, in fact, contradictions
occured.
Example: The Utilarian approach can
accept the harm of a small sample of
people for the greater good, which contradicts
with the Justice approach.
* Not all humans agree on what's good
and what's harm.
Taking the Decision
Reflect on the Outcome:
Gains and Consequences.
Decide and test.
Evalutate Alternative Actions:
Evaluate each approach, it's
procedures and consequences.
Getting the Facts:
Gather all relevant facts
of the case.
Recognize an ethical issue:
It's an issue where a group
of people is subjected to harm.
Definition:
*Standards that humans
act and behave upon.
* These "standards"
are not define (they can
be seen in different ways
by different people).