Meta ethics tries to make sense of the terms and concepts used in ethical theories such as Utilitarianism and Natural Law. Some people believe that ethical language is extremely meaningful as they argue it is essential to be able to define terms such as “good” and “bad” before we can even begin to discuss ethical theories. However others disagree with this and argue that moral statements are subjective so are meaningless, as they cannot be described as either true or false. Those who hold cognitive theories about ethical language would argue that ethical statements are not meaningless as they are about facts, and can therefore be proved true or false. Ethical Naturalism is a cognitive theory of meta ethics which holds the belief that
Is Mackie’s argument from relativity compelling? Mackie’s ‘Ethics: Inventing right and wrong’ critically assesses the idea that there are, or even can be, objective moral truths, and exposits Mackie’s ‘moral relativist’ stance. I intend also in this essay to criticise the idea of moral objectivity, and to deal with the objections that could be potentially raised to a relativist stance. The most obvious task, it would seem, to begin with when assessing the idea of moral objectivity, is to come to an understanding about what is literally meant by ‘an objective moral truth’. The word objective immediately brings to mind a state of actual existence, as opposed to simply ideal existence.
Utilitarianism on the other hand determines the moral value of an act by the consequence of that action. Furthermore, Utilitarianism determines the morality of an action by “how much it contributes to the good of the majority.” (Pollock, 2007) Utilitarianism suggests that a person can predict the consequences of his/her actions. Critics of this doctrine are concerned that this form of ethical structure ignores individual rights and determines the moral value by how the action
A person inherently has some sort of primitive worldview and code of personal ethics. Understanding, and in some cases coming to grips with, your worldview is important to understanding who you are and what you stand for in life. By knowing what makes you tick and why you act in certain ways is the first step on the journey to personal enlightenment and to creating a more secure sense of self and personal wellbeing. The following pages will establish the basis for my ethical worldview and discuss the development of my own ethical theory. Overview of Relevant Ethical Theories Virtue Ethics Virtue ethics was founded as it is known today by Plato and Aristotle, though
This demonstrates Kathy’s obligation to do what is ‘right’ and adheres to a deontological approach to ethics. Deontology is a form of ethics that determines goodness or rightness from examining acts, rather than the consequences of the act (Kant, 1964). The intentions of the person doing the act is prioritized over the act’s results (Kant, 1964). For example, the act may be considered the ‘right’ thing to do even if it produces a bad consequence if it adheres to the rule that ‘one should do unto others as they would have done unto them’ (Olson, 1967). Deontology parallels the EAI’s obligation-driven analysis, exemplified by
My decision is virtuous as the individual was creating an unsafe environment, and I was following a moral code. If I were to issue a citation for every circumstance, it would be seen as deontological ethics. Conclusion In conclusion, through the comparison and dissimilarities of the three theories one can gain further understanding of the importance that ethics and social responsibility. The similarities between the three theories represent the good in people, their strive for excellence and justification. The differences in the three theories begin with the ethics and morality.
Relativism is the idea that one’s beliefs and values are understood of one’s society culture or even one’s own individual values (Mosser, 2010). With that being said everyday a person from a culture conducts some kind of moral choice. That moral choice that he or she chooses may be viewed as right or wrong by other cultures. In the article, “Some Moral Minima” by Lenn E. Goodman there are views of four different aspects of morality and relativism and Goodman argues that certain things are just wrong. I will explore the challenges Goodman presents to relativism and provide my own thoughts on such universal moral requirements.
The Process of Ethical Decision Making E. Alyce Zellmer Liberty University Abstract The purpose of this paper is to delve into a good process of decision making pertaining specifically to ethical dilemmas that will inevitably arise during a counselor’s career. Ethical dilemmas are, by their very nature, not easy to resolve. As such, it is important to have a process or outline with which to structure and guide one’s thoughts and decisions about such dilemmas. Having such a process helps the decision maker, in this case, a counselor, put a little emotional distance between himself or herself and the problem at hand. Writing it all out would also be beneficial for two reasons.
Decision Making and Ethical Behavior 1 The purpose of this paper is to look at Decision Making and Ethical Behavior in the work place. This paper will address common characteristics of poor decision making, along with ways of resisting requests to act unethically. The paper will also address what influences impact ethical behavior and how organizations can influence ethical behavior in the work place. To complete this task outside resources, such as books and articles will be utilized. According to decision making confidence, decision making is defined as ,” The process of mapping the likely consequences of decisions, working out the importance of individual factors, and choosing the best course of action to take”.
The dual role of teacher and researcher brings possible conflicts of interest. In this kind of research, it is therefore very important to ensure that it is conducted to high ethical standards. Miller and Brewer (2003, p. 95) define ethics in such social research as being about “creating a mutually respectful, win-win relationship in which participants are pleased to respond candidly, valid results are obtained, and the community considers the conclusions constructive”. Glesne and Peshkin (1992, p. 109) further emphasise the importance of embedding ethical practices in