Communication Ethics

Ethical Principles and Ethical Theories

- Ethical theories and principles are the foundations of ethical analysis because they are the viewpoints from which guidance can be obtained along the pathway to a decision. -Each theory emphasizes different points such as predicting the outcome and following one's duties to others in order to reach an ethically correct decision

Extreme Positions: 1. Absolutism: 2. Relativism:

- Only one correct answer to any ethical question - Many ethical answers to ethical questions

Religious worldview

- appeal to religious authority is a conversation stopper

Dialogic Ethics

-Dialogic ethics begins with the assumption that the content of ethics shapes the ground from which the discourse begins -dialogue begins with the ground on which one stands with an openness to learn from the 'Other', but never a willingness to forego the ethical ground that propels and shapes the identity of a communicator speaking about a topic more substantial than an emotivistic outburst with the 'Other'

Ethical Principles

1. Beneficence: guides the ethical theory to do what is good. Generate the largest ratio of good over evil. ex: is found in the practice of medicine in which the health of an individual is bettered by the treatment from a physician. 2. Least Harm: Person should choose to do the least harm possible and do harm to the fewest people. ex: Physician is supposed to do the least amount of harm to a patient instead of giving them more pain. 3. Respect for Autonomy: Means people should have control over their lives as much a possible and be allowed to make decisions that apply to their lifestyle. ex: a patient with terminal cancer may choose to live the rest of their life without the medication that constantly makes them ill. 4. Justice: states that ethical theories should prescribe actions that are fair to those involved. ex: a policeman is allowed to speed on the highway if he must arrive at the scene of a crime as quickly as possible in order to prevent someone from getting hurt.

Potter Box Method

1. Definition: Decide all the facts and issues that arose in the situation ex: Details and Events 2. Values: Identify the values in operation that drive or aggravate the situation ex: what might have been important 3. Principles: Select a moral principle to apply to the situation ex: ethical principles or theories 4. Loyalties: Show active understanding of your own loyalties and why you have them ex: personal beliefs

Ethical Theories

1. Deontology: states that people should adhere to their obligations and duties when analyzing an ethical dilemma. ex: a deontologist will always keep his promises to a friend and will follow the law. 2. Utilitarianism: is founded on the ability to predict the consequences of an action. The choice that is the greatest benefit to the most people is the ethically correct choice. ex: If a person lights a fire in order to warm his friends, and then the fire burns down the house because the soot caught on fire, then the utilitarian now seems to have choosen the unethical decision. The unexpected house fire is judged as unethical because it did not benefit his friends. 3. Rights: the rights set forth by a society are protected and given the highest priority. They are considered ethically correct. Ex: a person may say that her friend may borrow the car for the afternoon. The friend who was given the ability to borrow the car now has a right to the car in the afternoon. 4. Casuist: is one that compares a current ethical dilemma with examples of similar dilemmas and their outcomes to determine the severity of the situation to create the best possible outcome. 5. Virtue: judges a person by their character rather than by an action that may deviate from his normal behavior. Ex: if a person plagiarized a passage that was later detected by a peer, the peer knows the person well will understand the person's character and will be able to judge the friend. * ALL USED IN DECISION MAKING PROCESS*

Ethical Decision Making Model

1. Identify the problem 2. Identify the potential issues involved 3. Review relevant ethical guidelines 4. Know relevant ethical guidelines 5. Obtain consultation 6. Consider possible and probable course of action 7. List the consequences of the probable courses of action 8. Decide on what appears to be the best course of action

One Decision Making Model

1. Identify: recognition/issues 2. Analyze: what are my options 3. Justify: proceeding on the presumption 4. Decide: ethical decision making model to ethical action

Central Concerns

1. Identifying the right actions 2. "The Good Life" -enhanced well being

M.A.N.I.C

1. Most important thing in reading 2. Something you agree with in reading 3. Something you don't agree with in the reading 4. Something Interesting in reading 5. Something Confusing about the reading

Communication Phenomena

1. Perception 2. Openess 3. Free Expression

Ethics

A situation has an ethical dimension when the action within would have a significant impact on the well being of sentient creatures

Utilitarian of Happiness theory

Actions are right in perception as they tend to promote happiness, wrong as they tend to promote opposite of happiness

Dialogic Ethics

Begins with the assumption that the content of ethics shapes the ground from which the discourse begins

Human Rights

Classification and interpretation of human rights

What makes Communication Ethics, Communication Ethics?

Communication ethics is the notion that an individual's or group's behavior are governed by their morals which in turn affects communication. Generally speaking communication ethics deals with the moral good present in any form of human communication. This includes interpersonal communication, mass mediated communication, and digital communication. Communication ethics is the ability to look at communication through an ethical lens. Communication ethics concerns not only the individual, but is of great concern to businesses, corporations, and professional entities. A business with unethical communication practices is not as effective as one with ethical communication practices.

What does communication do for us?

Enables us to probe questions about how ethics came to the forefront of consciousness and experience

Aristotle

Happiness and the good life

Communication Ethics

Looking at communication through an ethical lens

Mill

Morality: 1. Principles or rules are evident 2. Right and wrong are products of experience and observation

Virtue Ethics

Person rather than action based, focuses on moral character of the person carrying out an action ex: level of progression

Justice

States ethical theories should prescribe actions that are fair to those involved

Deontology

adhere to responsibilities when analyzing an ethical decision ex: deontologist will always keep his promises to friend and follow law

Analysis

deciding what counts as relevant information

Respect for autonomy

duty to do job/responsibility

Beneficience

guides behavior to do good

Categorical Imperative

obligation to do something ex: golden rule

Rights

rights set by society are protected and given highest priority

Least Harm

to harm least amount of people and do less harm