Transcript Law For Business And Personal Use

Law For Business
And Personal Use
Chapter 2 – Ethics In Our Law
Ethics Defined
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Three elements of ethics decision
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About a right or wrong action
Reasoned
Impartial
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Applying same standard to everyone
Business ethics
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Principles used in making business
decisions without regard to profit
maximization
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Ethical Reasoning
Based On Consequences
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Consequence-based reasoning based
on outcome of decision
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Act that produces bad consequences is
bad
Act that produces good consequences is
good
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Ethical Reasoning
Based On Consequences
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Process
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Describe alternative actions
Forecast consequences
Evaluate consequences
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Standard for judging (“The Good”)
Number of people affected
Action chosen results in greatest good for
greatest number of people
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Ethical Reasoning
Based On Rules
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Fundamental ethical rules

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Determine whether act, in itself, is right or
wrong
Cannot justify action by showing
produces good consequences
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Ethical Reasoning
Based On Rules
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Standard for judging decisions based
on
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Authority
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Law, religion
Reasoning
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Apply universalizing
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Visualize everyone doing action
Moral rights
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Rightful claims on people that flow from status as
human being
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Ethics Expressed In Law
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Majority rule demonstrates consequencebased ethics
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Majority rule—elected representatives vote for
laws acceptable to majority of people
Majority rule can be unjust
Civil rights demonstrates rule-based ethics
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Civil rights—personal, human rights recognized
and guaranteed by constitution
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Ethical Goals Reflected In
Laws
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Consistent rules assure order and
predict ability
To be just, arbitrary rules or laws must
be
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Communicated in advance
Applied consistently
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Obligated To Obey Law
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Demanded by ethical reasoning
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Have agreed to obey and show integrity
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Consequences-based and rule-based
Capacity to do what right even in face of
pressure to do otherwise
Avoids punishment
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Civil disobedience—open, peaceful violation of
law to protest injustice
Scofflaws—persons who do not respect and
frequently violate valid laws
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