Transcript Making Ethical Decisions

Making Ethical
Decisions
Objectives
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Give the definition of Ethics and discuss the the
importance of ethical decision making
Describe three kinds of decision making
- Right vs Wrong
- Right vs Right
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- Trivial
For each kind of decision explain one approach to
making an ethical choice
Use the checklist for ethical decision
making to test one choice for a
right vs right situation
Ethical Decision Making
The mission statement of the
Boy Scouts of America:
The mission of the Boy Scout of America
is to prepare young people to make
ethical and moral choices over
their lifetimes by instilling in
them the values of the
Scout Oath and Law.
Mission Statement
• A mission statement is the primary goal
of an organization.
• ‘Make ethical and moral choices’ is the
key element of the BSA mission
statement
CHOICES
What does “Choices” mean?
CHOICES
What does “Choices” mean?
That there are several ways of doing
something
• That there are several answers to a
question
• And, we need to select one of the
ways or answers.
ETHICS
• What does “Ethics” mean?
Ethics
• Ethics are:
– An understanding of what is right and
wrong for an individual and for groups
of people
– The standards by which we act, both
when we are around others and when
we are alone
Source of Ethics
• Where do ethics come from?
Source of Ethics
• Where do ethics come from?
– Ethics develop as a result of the values a
person learns from family and society.
“We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal,
that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalienable Rights,
that among these are Life, Liberty,
and the pursuit of Happiness…”
- Declaration of Independence
Codes of Conduct
• Some schools have codes of conduct.
• A code of conduct is an agreement
about a generally accepted standard
of behavior.
• Without generally accepted
standards, it would be difficult to
function as a society.
The BSA and Ethics
• Boy Scouts code of conduct
– Scout Oath
– Scout Law
– Scout Slogan
– Scout Motto
• Venturing code of conduct
– Venture Oath
– Venture Code
– Outdoor Code
Scout Code of Conduct
The ideals of Boy Scouting are spelled out in
the Scout Oath, The Scout Law, the Scout
motto, and the Scout slogan. The Boy
Scout measures himself against these
ideals and continually tries to
improve. The goals are high,
and as he reaches for them,
he has some control over
what and who he becomes.
Making Ethical Decisions
Part One
Travis has a lot of homework, but decides to play
video games. When his mother asks him if he has
any homework to do, he thinks about what he
should say. He wants to keep playing video games
for a while longer.
What kind of decision is this?
A. Trivial
B. Right vs. Wrong
C. Right vs. Right
Mark is raking leaves – he has promised his dad he
will have the front yard clean before guests
arrive in an hour. He sees a 6 year old neighbor
girl crying because her kite is tangled in a tree –
she asks for Mark’s help.
What kind of decision is this?
A. Trivial
B. Right vs. Wrong
C. Right vs. Right
Rashid is getting dressed for school, and he’s
trying to decide whether to wear a long-sleeved
or short-sleeved shirt.
What kind of decision is this?
A. Trivial
B. Right vs. Wrong
C. Right vs. Right
The money Jared earns at his part-time job after
school really helps his mom pay bills each month.
But his younger brother has started getting into
trouble. Jared wonders whether he should work
fewer hours so he can spend more time with his
brother.
What kind of decision is this?
A. Trivial
B. Right vs. Wrong
C. Right vs. Right
Gary has lots of free time one Sunday. He
doesn’t know what to do first: read a mystery
book he just got from the library, or go outside
and ride his skateboard.
What kind of decision is this?
A. Trivial
B. Right vs. Wrong
C. Right vs. Right
Todd is walking to the basketball court with his
friends when an old man with a cane calls out to
them, asking if they can help him find his
granddaughter’s house. The other boys want to
get to the court before someone else does.
What kind of decision is this?
A. Trivial
B. Right vs. Wrong
C. Right vs. Right
Steps to Ethical Decision-Making
• Step one: Get the facts straight.
• Step two: Figure out what kind of choice
it is.
– Trivial
– Right vs. Wrong
– Right vs. Right
Ethical Decisions Checklist
“BE” Checks:
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Does it conform with the Scout Oath and Law?
Is it legal? Am I being obedient?
Am I being brave?
Does it conform with the Golden Rule?
Ethical Decisions Checklist
“KNOW” Checks:
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Will this choice help me build trust with
others?
Does it allow me to remain loyal to my values
and to others?
Does making this choice compromise my
religious beliefs?
Am I being helpful?
Are my actions friendly, courteous,
cheerful, and kind?
Ethical Decisions Checklist
“DO” Checks:
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Am I performing my duty to God and
to my country?
Does this choice help me stay
physically strong, mentally awake, and
morally
straight?
Does it conform to the principles of
the Outdoor Code.
Making Ethical Decisions
Part Two
Video Discussion
Values
Values are core beliefs that guide
or motivate our attitudes and
actions.
• What values would you like other
people to see in you?
What you DO is a clear reflection
of what you THINK.
Practice using the Ethical
Decisions Checklist
Summary
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Ethical decision making is at the heart of the
Boy Scouts of America.
The first step is to get the facts of the
situation straight.
For trivial choices, simply do the right
thing.
For right vs. wrong choices, do what
you know is right.
For right vs. right choices, use the
checklist.