INTRODUCTION:
KEY CONCEPTS
IN ETHICS
ETHICS is the branch of philosophy that
studies morality or the rightness or
wrongness of human conduct.
MORALITY speaks of a code or system
of behavior regarding standards of right
or wrong behavior.
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As a branch of philosophy, ethics stands
to queries about what there is reason to
do. Dealing with human actions and
reasons for action, ethics is also
concerned with character. In fact, the
word ‘ethics’ is derived from the Greek
‘ethos’, which means ‘character’, or in
plural, ‘manners’.
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What is good?
Who is a moral person?
What are the virtues of a human being?
What makes an act right?
What duties do we have to each other?
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Also called ‘moral philosophy’,
ethics evaluates moral concepts,
values, principles, and standards.
Because it is concerned with norms
of human conduct, ethics is
considered a normative study of
human actions.
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Ethics, and Morality Necessarily
carry the concept of moral
standards or rules regarding
behavior.
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THE IMPORTANCE
OF RULES TO
SOCIAL BEINGS
Rules refer to explicit or
understood regulations or
principles governing conduct
within a specific activity or sphere.
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Rules tell us what is or is not allowed
in a particular context or situation. In
many ways, rules serve as a
foundation for any healthy society.
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A. RULES PROTECT SOCIAL BEINGS
BY REGULATING BEHAVIOR
Rules build boundaries that place limits
on behavior. Rules are usually coupled
with means to impose consequences
on those who violate them. One of the
reasons people follow accepted rules is
to avoid negative consequences.
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B. RULES HELP GUARANTEE EACH
PERSON CERTAIN RIGHTS AND
FREEDOM
Rules form frameworks for society.
Nations are generally nations of laws,
and the governing principle are
outlined in what is called constitution.
One of the advantages of such a
system is that each person is
guaranteed certain rights.
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C. RULES PRODUCE A SENSE OF
JUSTICE AMONG SOCIAL BEINGS
Rules are needed to keep the strong
from dominating the weak, that is, to
prevent exploitation and domination.
Without rules, schemes in which those
in power control the system, would
take over.
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D. RULES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR A
HEALTHY ECONOMIC SYSTEM
Without rules regulating business,
power would centralize around
monopolies and threaten the strength
and competitiveness of the system.
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In short, society could not soundly
function without rules and
regulations. Rules are necessary
to protect the greater good.
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MORAL VS. NON-
MORAL STANDARDS
Not all rules are moral rules.
That is, not all standards are
moral standards.
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KEY DIFFERENCES
Moral Standard involve serious
wrongs or significant
Moral standards ought to be
preferred to other values
Moral standards have the trait of
universalizability
Moral standards are based on
impartial consideration
Moral standards are associated with
special emotions and vocabulary
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DILEMMA AND MORAL
DILEMMA
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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 undesirables ones.
Moral dilemmas, also called ‘ethical
dilemmas’, are situations in which a
difficult choice has to be made between
two courses of action, either of which
entails transgressing a moral principle.
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THREE LEVELS OF MORAL
DILEMMAS
- Personal Dilemmas
- Organizational Dilemmas
- Structural Dilemmas
‘ONLY HUMAN BEINGS CAN BE
ETHICAL’
Only human beings
are rational,
autonomous and
self-conscious
Only human beings Only human beings
can act morally or are part of the moral
immorally community
Freedom as a
Foundation of
Morality
MINIMUM REQUIREMENT FOR MORALITY
Reason
Entails that human feelings
may be important in ethical
decisions, but they ought
to be guided by reason.
IMPARTIALITY
Involves the idea that each
individual’s interest and
point of view are equally
important.
