Transcript Lecture 1/15: II. Introduction to Applied Ethics

What is Ethics
What is Ethics? 1
The sociologist Raymond Baumhart asked business
people, "What does ethics mean to you?" Among
their replies were the following:
"Ethics has to do with what my feelings tell me is right
or wrong."
"Ethics has to do with my religious beliefs.“
"Being ethical is doing what the law requires."
"Ethics consists of the standards of behavior our
society accepts."
"I don't know what the word means."
dilemma
•a problem involving a choice one does not
want to make
•often an undesirable or unpleasant choice
“Here am I brought to a very pretty
dilemma; I must commit murder or
commit matrimony.”
— George Farquhar
•or an ethical dilemma
“The dilemma of “liberty versus order”
— J. M. Burns
What is Ethics? 2
• The nature of ethical dilemmas
• Ethics is the systematic human endeavor
to understand moral concepts and to
justify moral principles
• Purpose of ethics is to guide practice
• Central role of justification
Comparison of Ethics, Religion, Law, & Etiquette
Subject
Norm
Defined By
Sanction
Religion
Right
Wrong (Sin)
Permissable
Religious
Authority
Revelation
Conscience;
Eternal Reward
And Punishment
Law
Legal
Illegal
Legislature
Judiciary
Punishment
determined by
legislative body
Etiquette
Proper
Improper
Culture
Social Approval
or Disapproval
Ethics
Right
Wrong
Permissable
Good
Bad
Conscience or
Reason
Rational
Reflection
Conscience;
Praise and
Blame;
Reputation
Consequentialism vs.
Deontology
• Consequentialism:
– the view that an act is right if and only if it will maximize (or is likely to
maximize) good consequences.
• Deontological theories:
– The view that there are some features of acts beyond their consequences
that make them right or wrong. Ergo certain acts must be done (or not
done) regardless of the consequences. (Sometimes it is called
“absolutism”):
• Judeo-Christian Ethics
• Moral Theory of Immanuel Kant
• Rawls: Two major moral theories in US
– Utilitarianism (Consequentialism)
– Rights/Duties (Deontological)
Consequentialism vs.
Deontology
• Consequentialism:
– the view that an act is right if and only if it will maximize (or is likely to
maximize) good consequences.
• Deontological theories:
– The view that there are some features of acts beyond their consequences
that make them right or wrong. Ergo certain acts must be done (or not
done) regardless of the consequences. (Sometimes it is called
“absolutism”):
• Judeo-Christian Ethics
• Moral Theory of Immanuel Kant
• Rawls: Two major moral theories in US
– Utilitarianism (Consequentialism)
– Rights/Duties (Deontological)