Ethics and Morality
Area of Study 2.1 – Ethical Method In A Pluralist Society
Today’s Learning
Exam review and check
Ethics v Morality
Ethics and morals both relate to “right” and “wrong”
conduct.
Ethics refer to the series of rules or decision making
processes that are provided to an individual, group or
society by an external source, e.g. their profession or
religion.
Morals refer to a group, individual’s or societies principles
regarding right and wrong.
Ethics: Examination of the process of decision
making about what is good/bad, right/wrong
and the exploration of why people/groups make
the decisions they do.
Morality: An accepted set of
standards or beliefs or values
that establish what should or
ought to be the behaviour of
individuals, groups or
societies. May or may not be
the result of ethical reflection
or examination.
Before We Begin
What do these terms mean?
Pluralist –
a society in which there are many religions, ideas or
approaches, no sigle view is dominant.
Ethics –
Study of the decisions involving laws, values, morality,
norms and ideas.
Morality –
An accepted set of beliefs, values and standards that
establish what should or ought to be the behaviour of
individuals, groups and societies.
Norm (Normative) –
Something that is the set or accepted standard of
behaviour.
Ethical Principles –
What rules, values, goals and approved ways of
behaving are organised around.
Conscience –
The capacity to know, consider and evaluate right and
wrong, good and bad, and worthy and unworthy
human behaviour.
Values Ideas about what is important in life, which attach worth to
particular feelings, concepts and objects that have the power to
shape behaviour.
Natural Law –
a system of moral principles thought to be common to all
human beings as a basis of conduct, related to human
instincts or behaviour.
Values Auction
Each of you has $1,000 into spend.
You can bid any amount up to $1,000
for an item. You must bid in quantities
of 100 or more.
If you make the highest bid for an item,
you pay for it. Once your money is gone,
you cannot bid on additional items, even
those you really want.
When an item is sold, please write the
amount of the winning bid in the first
column on your handout. Write the
greatest amount you would have been
willing to bid for that item in the second
column.
Review
Judging from the bidding, which items were most valuable?
Which were least valuable? Why?
Do you think an item was most valuable if lots of people bid
on it or if it went for the most money or both? Why?
Are you satisfied with what you bid on? Do you feel that
your bidding accurately reflects what you most value in life?
Were there any items that no one seemed interested in
buying? If so, why do think no one was interested in it
(them)?
How would your parents have bid in this auction? Why?
History of Human Rights
Universal Declaration of
Human Rights
UDHR - Investigation
Poster
Helpful websites
Human Rights Watch - http://www.hrw.org
Youth for Human Rights http://www.youthforhumanrights.org/voices-for-humanrights/human-rights-abuses.html
Amnesty International - http://www.amnesty.org.au
Catholic Church (Human Rights) http://www.catholicaustralia.com.au/page.php?pg=missionhumanrights
Catechism (Human Rights) http://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/p3s
1c2a3.htm
Today’s Learning
Morals and Ethics Review
Religion and Ethics
Ethics Comparison
Reading
Ethical Thinking
Read pages 159-161
What Is Ethics?
Ethics and morals both relate to “right” and “wrong”
conduct.
Ethics refer to the series of rules or decision making
processes that are provided to an individual, group or
society by an external source, e.g. their profession or
religion.
Morals refer to a group, individual’s or societies principles
regarding right and wrong.
Why Ethics?
Decisions and morals are subjective.
Increased social cohesion.
Better outcomes for all in all situations.
Requires study and debate
Religion and Ethics
Each religious tradition maintains a set of written ethical
principles or codes of behaviour based on the Traditions core
beliefs.
These ethics are provided the believer advice on what ought
to be done and set out a list of values, qualities or laws that
would bring about the ideal society.
Christian Ethics
Found within the Catechism and are an expansion of the
teachings of Jesus.
Examples:
Beatitudes
Golden Rule
Thinking clip
Ethics Comparison
Homework
Read 189-191
Answer questions: 1-5 on page 191192
Today’s Learning - review
Morals and Ethics Review
Religion and Ethics
Ethics Comparison
Today’s Learning
Continued from Tuesday
Morality and Laws
Reading
Morality and Laws
Read pages 172-175
Summary of reading
Classwork/Homework
1. Family and Ethics
Read 181-182
Answer Q’s 1-4 on page 182.
2. Wicked Campervans
Research Wicked Campervans (controversy) and discuss
[give your opinion} based on your morality.
Today’s Learning - review
Continued from Tuesday
Morality and Laws
Today’s Learning
Who has Ethical Authority?
Contemporary examples
Heroes v Anti Heroes
Ethical Authority
Read 179-181
Copy table 4.2 into your workbook and describe anything
you agree or disagree with. Use question 1 as a guide if
helpful.
Answer Q 2
Activity
Activity 4.14 p 187
Working with a partner.
Research and summarise two of the ethical theories listed
and then apply them to a contemporary issue
Today’s Learning - review
Who has Ethical Authority?
Contemporary examples
Today’s Learning
Great Ethical Thinkers Discussion
Ethical issue or not?
Ethics of Driving
Great Ethical Thinkers
Discussion
Is It An Ethical Issue?
Ethical Issue ID
At least two different opinions about the issue,
leading to at least two potentially different
courses of action.
Opinions and judgments about the issue are
debated in terms of good and bad, right and
wrong, worthy and un-worthy human
behaviour.
Ethical Issue ID
Consider which items in the following list are
clear ethical issues.
Write the issue in the form of a proposition,
which could be debated in terms of good and
bad, right and wrong, worthy and un-worthy
human behaviour.
Ethical Issue ID
Wearing revealing clothes
Raising poultry in battery cages
Body piercing
Legalisation of marijuana
Government limits being placed in poker-machine
gambling
Sexting
Speed cameras
Giving to a beggar
Forwarding emails, Twitter, Facebook conversations
Ethical Decision Making Model
1.
Identify the issue.
2.
Determine the position/view point of each of the stakeholders
involved. Does this influence their decision.
3.
What are the possible outcomes/decisions.
4.
What impact will each of the outcomes lead to.
5.
Seek further opinion (Ethical Authorities – the more the better).
6.
Determine a course of action – what is best (dependent on ethical
model)
Resources - Pg 199 (blue text)
Ethics of Driving
Autonomous Vehicles
Autonomous reco’ and weapons delivery vehicle
Jet Fighter
Today’s Learning - Review
Great Ethical Thinkers Discussion
Ethical issue or not?
Ethics of Driving
Today’s Learning
Applying ethical methodology to an issue
Medicinal Cannabis Oil
Medicinal Cannabis
The Issue
Article 1 - Medical marijuana: Jai's story
Article 2 - Cannabis oil: Raided for helping their son
Article 3 - Man supplying cannabis to seriously ill toddler has
house raided after writing to Chief Minister
Questions – Cannabis Oil
1.
Is this and ethical issue?
2.
Who are the stakeholders? Who has an opinion to offer?
3.
What are the possible outcomes for each opinion?
4.
Does the use of medicinal cannabis oil differ from societial norms?
5.
Describe your viewpoint/decision about the use of medicinal
cannabis oil for children.
6.
Where do many organis compounds used in medication come from?
7.
Is the issue complicated by illegal use of cannabis and how could this
confuse the issue of medicinal cannabis oil?
Today’s Learning - Review
Applying ethical methodology to an issue
Medicinal Cannabis Oil
Today’s Learning
Applying ethical methodology to an issue
Warfare
The Issue
The Issue
The Ethics of War starts by assuming that war is a bad
thing, and should be avoided if possible, but it
recognises that there can be situations when war may be
the lesser evil of several bad choices.
War is a bad thing because it involves deliberately
killing or injuring people, and this is a fundamental
wrong - an abuse of the victims' human rights.
The Issue
The purpose of war ethics is to help decide what is right
or wrong, both for individuals and countries, and to
contribute to debates on public policy, and ultimately to
government and individual action.
War ethics also leads to the creation of formal codes of
war (e.g. the Hague and Geneva conventions), the
drafting and implementation of rules of engagement for
soldiers, and in the punishment of soldiers and others
for war crimes.
Questions
BBC Ethics Guide
Respond to the following questions after reading ALL
sections of the website and after completing the grid.
1. Explain if you believe that it’s ever right to go to war?
2. When is it right to wage war?
3. What is the moral way to conduct a war?
Today’s Learning - review
Applying ethical methodology to an issue
Warfare