Transcript Ethics of Administration

Ethics of Administration
Chapter 1
Imposing your values?

Values are more than personal preferences

Human beings are moral agents

Duty to make choices in responsible way
Moral Claims
 Not
value judgments that belong
to a personal or group preference
Ethical Reasoning




Possible and important
Ethical decisions are not just a matter of
preference
Ethical decisions can be based on reasons that
others can understand
Ethical decisions are often made under complex
and ambiguous circumstances
Moral Principles


Moral reasoning has a moral point
Moral dilemma – What is the right thing to
do?

Right, ought, just, fair

Duties or obligations
Facts


Relevant to deciding an ethical issue
Not sufficient – can not tell what is right
or fair by themselves
Moral Conflict

How do you decide between conflicting
ethical principles

Identify the Principles
Fairness and Parents Rights
 Hierarchy


Why should the principle be considered?

What purpose does it serve?
Learn Moral Reasoning




Identify concepts
Use intuitive moral reactions about what is
right or wrong
Describe principles that underlie your
feelings
Test “gut” feelings by supporting with
moral principles
Ethics of Administration
Chapter 2
Consequential

Principle of Maximum Benefit



Judges what is right or wrong by known
consequences
Whatever gains the greatest good for the
most number of people
Ex. utilitarianism
Non-consequential

Principle of equal respect



People are moral agents that have equal
worth
Follow the Golden Rule
Respect individual freedom of choice even if
we don’t agree
Need both Frameworks

Consequential Problems



Requires information you don’t always know
Utilitarianism can produce morally abhorrent
consequences
Non-Consequential Problems


How can one decide a moral law?
How do we express the moral principal that
underlies it?
John Stuart Mill
The Marketplace of Ideas


Ideas are tested to discover truth.
Truth is best sought by process of
criticism and debate. Debate helps us
remember why we hold ideas.
CON---------------NONCON




Informing the public
is a service
How can voters make
a decision without
information
Contributes to welfare
of society
Contributes to
personal happiness




Promotes personal
growth through
debate
Individuals have the
responsibiblity to
make decisions for
themselves
Duty to make wise
choices
Right to evaluate and
choose
Intellectual Liberty
 Is
the teacher free to express her
opinions in the newspaper or
does the state of negotiations of
the district have precedence?
Freedom of Expression

Inquiry to discover the truth

Ideas are tested in debate to refine ideas

Debate promotes personal growth
Questions



Does free press include the right to be
wrong?
Rights are general, not absolute. Conflict
can occur between rights and interests of
different parties.
How is balance found?
(Both Con and Noncon theories are needed, neither is
sufficient to make a decision alone.)
Realization of Free Moral Agency

Free moral agents of equal worth

Have the ability to make moral decisions

Have responsibility to make decisions

Duty to make choices wisely
Resolve the Conflict

Presuppose the principle of equal respect
of persons.

Why? People are of equal intrinsic worth.
Con – Be concerned with the benefit of people so that
they will be as well off as possible. Everyone’s
happiness is of equal value.
Noncon –Value the welfare of others equally to my own.
Respect people even if it results in less happiness.