Ch. 1- What is Ethics?
Moral Character
or the courage, determination, and confidence to execute ethical behavior
Socrates
-if a person knows what is right, he or she will act on what is right. -implies, that wrongdoing is involuntary and based on unawareness, which illustrates the reason for some examples of unethical behavior
9 Steps in Ethical Decision Making
1. It is an ethical issue and it consists of x, y, and z. 2. This person/these people are responsible for making the decision. 3. The relevant facts are x, y, and z. 4. It is truly a matter of right or wrong, ethical or unethical. 5. Is it a choice between competing ethical or "right" actions? 6. Common theories should be applied to determine what is at stake. 7. Look at both options to see if a third option, or compromise, transpires. 8. Make a decision. 9. Evaluate the situation to learn what would or would not be done if the situation occurred again.
Three Ethical Theories
1. Metaethics 2. Normative ethics 3. Applied ethics
Four Processes for Ethical Behavior
1. Moral Sensitivity 2. Moral Judgement 3. Moral Motivation 4. Moral Character
If ethics deal with right and wrong in terms of ideals, then:
1. what constitutes morals? 2. how do these differ from ethics?
There are 5 key elements to personal ethics:
1.) Discretion 2.) Duty 3.) Honesty 4.) Loyalty 5.) Respect for others
Summum bonum
Ethical decision making prescribes that a person should strive for the greatest good, or the lowest harm. Many times, ethical decisions are not a matter of right versus wrong; typically they are a matter of what option is more right or more wrong.
Noninherent goods
are objects, actions, or qualities whose value depends on the ability to bring about intrinsic good, such as money or loyalty
1st Step in the Study of Ethics
encourages awareness and receptiveness to moral and ethical issues
Inherent (or intrinsic)
goods are valuable objects, actions, or qualities, such as life, liberty, justice and happiness
3rd Step in the Study of Ethics
in studying ethics occurs when people become more personally responsible
Social Context
involves how people relate to others based on the given circumstances
Existentialism
is a 20th-century concept that focuses on an individual's freedom to make choices w/o the influence of others (free will)
Criminal justice context
is a process-specific context used to study ethics as it relates to law and enforcement procedures
Forensic ethics
is studied by understanding personal, social, and criminal justice contexts
Aristotle's virtue theory's perspective
is that the goal of ethics is the development of moral goodness.
Morality
is the "operational side" of ethics that provides a basis of right and wrong for ethical application
Ethics
is the general study of the ideals regarding human behavior & the guiding principles -not meant to dictact actions
Applied ethics
is the study of ethical dilemmas, choices, and standards of application in particular contexts including occupations, professions, and situations -Investigations of moral conduct based on facts and are the focus when discussing the ethics of forensic science
Normative ethics
is the study of moral standards, principles, concepts, values, and theories and seeks to determine what is right or wrong to justify standards for behavior
Metaethics
is the study of the nature of moral standards, principles, values, and theories
Goal of ethics
is to protect the rights and needs of professions (or groups) when situations are not just "black and white"
4th Step in the Study of Ethics
is to recognize how professional cultures operate
Determinism
means that all thoughts and actions are beyond human control
Moral Judgement
or the ability to decide which act is morally justified
Moral Sensitivity
or the ability to interpret situations, recognize the ethical issue, and understand consequences
Moral Motivation
or the commitment to doing what is ethical, using ethical standards, and taking responsibility for consequences
Right and Wrong
refers to behaviors or conduct
Good and Bad
refers to outcomes & consequences of behaviors
2nd Step in the Study of Ethics
supports the development of critical thinking and analytical skills
Morals
tend to be specific and generally agreed on standards of conduct in society -Ethics are applicable to situations and are "practiced" while moral are "known".
Persona context
the objective testing and questioning of personal values and ethics
Intentionalism
the opposite of determinism in that it maintains that people possess free will and are accountable for their actions.