All About Ethics!
Ethics, Morals, and Values
Ethical Dilemma (Think about it)
• You are an inmate in a
concentration camp. A
sadistic guard is about to
hang your son who tried
to escape and wants you
to pull the chair from
underneath him. He says
that if you don’t he will
not only kill your son but
some other innocent
inmate as well. You don’t
have any doubt that he
means what he says.
What should you do?
Why Talk about Ethics?
• The goal of this lesson is to introduce students
to ethics, and morals, and to come to an
understanding about the differences between
them.
What is Ethics and Morality?
• The definition of
Ethics is often
confused with
morality, so here’s an
explanation of the
two terms:
• Ethos (Greek) and
Mores (Latin) are
terms having to do
with “custom,”
“habit,” and
“behavior.”
• Ethics is a rational
reflection on morality
What is Ethics?
• Ethics is a branch of Philosophy that
tries to answer the question of what is
good / bad.
• Ethics is the study of human behavior
and its consequences in the light of
what is ideally possible. For example,
ethicists might study a society's
morals to determine what effect they
would have on humankind if they
were used as universal standards.
What is Morality?
• Morality can be defined as:
a system of rules for
guiding human conduct,
and principles for
evaluating those rules.
• Try to remember two
things from the above
definition?
• Morality is a system;
• It is a system made up of
rules and principles
So why study Ethics?
• Discussing moral issues is important because…
– It helps us address controversies and dilemmas
– It teaches us how to live a good life?
Ethical Theories
•
•
The study of ethics goes back to the Greek philosophers
These philosophers proposed many ethical theories
Why study these theories?
- A useful ethical theory makes it possible for us to examine moral problems, reach
conclusions through logical reasoning and defend the conclusions
Ethical Theories
•
•
•
•
Utilitarianism
Deontological Theories
Related Theory: virtue theory
Natural Law Theories
Utilitarianism
• Utilitarianism says that an action is good if it
produces the greatest good for the greatest
number of people.
So… Bringing this back to Government
What type of government would a staunch
Utilitarian most likely support?
Discuss with your neighbors and see if you can
come up with an answer and why.
Deontological Theory
• Says that one must follow “his
or her obligations to another
individual or society because
upholding one’s duty is what
is considered ethically
correct.”
• Deontologists believe that
morality is a matter of duty,
and we as individuals have a
moral obligation to act in
accordance with duty.
So… Bringing this back to Government
• Do you think that someone who subscribed to
Deontological Theory would make a good
ruler / leader? Why or why not?
Related Theory: Virtue Theory
Virtue Theory is an approach that deemphasizes
rules, consequences and particular acts and places
the focus on the kind of person who is acting. The
issue is not primarily whether an intention is right,
though that is important; nor is it primarily whether
one is following the correct rule; nor it is primarily
whether the consequences of an action are good,
though these factors are not irrelevant.
What is important is whether the person acting
expressing good character (moral virtues) or not.
So… Think about it
What are the qualities of a good physician?
What are the qualities of a good patient?
What are the qualities of a good leader?
What are the qualities of a good teacher?
Natural Law Theories
•
Naturalist believe
that natural law
principles are an
inherent part of
nature and exist
regardless of
whether
government
recognizes or
enforces them.
Naturalist further
believe that
government must
incorporate natural
laws principles into
their legal systems
before justice can
be achieved.
So… think about it
• What would a naturalist say about the hot
button issue of abortion?
Ethics in Historical Context
Aristotle
(384 – 322 BC)
• Greek philosopher.
• Teacher of Alexander
the Great.
• His ethics books
dedicated to his son
Nicomachus and are
commonly referred to
as the Nicomachean
Ethics.
Aristotelian Philosophy
• Matter and form
• Potentiality and Actuality
• Plant, Animal, & Speaking souls.
Aristotelian Virtue Ethics
• Humans should strive to fulfill their true
“potential”.
• We have a “feel” for right and wrong.
• There are certain traits in “role models” that
seem to make them “superior” and makes
their lives “good”.
• Adopting these traits (Virtues) would improve
our lives and contribute to our overall
wellbeing. (the good life).
So…… According to Aristotle:
• An action is moral if it is one that a virtuous
person, acting in character, would take at the
given situation.
• Becoming a virtuous persons benefits the
person.
• One should strive to maximize intellectual
virtues and find the middle path to moral
virtues.
So where do you think your morality
comes from?
• Parents – instill ethics and morals in children
• Religion – most religions set guidelines on how to make
moral judgments.
• Peers – friends effect your moral judgments. Peer pressure
can sometimes cause people to make moral and ethical
decisions.
• Technology – provides many opportunities to make moral
and ethical decisions. Think about it, how many of you
have ever violated copy right law, because of technology?
Right, Wrong, and Grey areas?
• Unclear situations in ethics, many times they
are personal and hotly debated in politics.
• Black and white – fairly clear – straight
forward, most people feel the same way
about: stealing, murder, honesty, charity.
• Grey areas – Natural law theories can have a
lot of grey areas
Virtue Ethics
What is it in these people that
make them role models?
Achievements?
Abilities?
Character?
All/some/combination of the
above?
Kohlberg’s Theory of Moral Reasoning
• Lawrence Kohlberg was a
psychologist
• He based his theory upon
research and interviews with
groups of young children.
• A series of moral dilemmas were
presented to children, who were
then interviewed to determine
the reasoning behind their
judgments for each scenario.
The Story of Heinz (Kohlberg, 1963)
• A woman was near death from a special kind
of cancer. There was one drug that the doctors
thought might save her. It was a form of
radium that a pharmacist in the same town
had recently discovered. The drug was
expensive to make, but the pharmacist was
charging ten times what the drug cost him to
make. He paid $200 for the radium and
charged $2,000 for a small dose of the drug.
The Story of Heinz cont’d.
• The sick woman's husband, Heinz, went to
everyone he knew to borrow the money, but
he could only get together about $ 1,000
which is half of what it cost. He told the
pharmacist that his wife was dying and asked
him to sell it cheaper or let him pay later. But
the pharmacist said: "No, I discovered the
drug and I'm going to make money from it."
So Heinz got desperate and broke into the
man's store to steal the drug-for his wife.
Should the husband have done that?
Think, Pair, Share
• Think about your answer to the question, and
your REASON for that answer.
• After you have answered the question and
come up with a reason, talk to your neighbor.
• Compare your answers and be prepared to
share your discussions with the entire class.
Level 1. Preconventional Morality
Stage 1: Obedience & Punishment
ANSWER: NO, he shouldn’t have, because he
could have got caught and then he would have
got punished.
Or YES, because if not, wife would be angry
- common in young children
- rules seen as fixed and absolute.
- Obeying the rules is important to avoid
punishment.
- Does not consider the interests of others.
Stage 2 - Individualism and Exchange
• YES, he should have. The pharmacist refused to make
a deal so Heinz was right to steal drug to help his wife
get better.
• Or NO, Your wife is wrong to expect you to steal. It is
not reasonable for her to ask you to break the law, as
she may still not get better.
•
•
•
•
Common amongst children aged 7-10 and some adults
“What’s in it for me?” – (egocentric)
Give-and-take guides behaviour
Tries to strike deals that serve both parties interests
2. Conventional Morality
Stage 3 - Interpersonal Relationships
• NO, because good people do not steal. People will
think you are a bad person if you steal.
• YES, Because good husbands should look after their
wives. Even if it means breaking the law, this is what
a good person would do.
• This stage is reached by 10-16 years, and is usually
found in many adults
• the "good boy-good girl" orientation,
• focused on living up to social expectations and roles.
• emphasis on conformity, being "nice," and
consideration of how choices influence relationships.
Stage 4 - Maintaining Social Order
• ANSWER: NO, because stealing is against the law. If
everyone stole, society would be in chaos.
• YES, because when you married you promised to do
everything to help your wife. If you didn’t steal the
drug, you would be breaking your promise.
- People begin to consider society as a whole when
making judgments.
- The focus is on maintaining law and order by following
the rules, doing one’s duty and respecting authority.
- They think of the consequences if EVERYONE behaved
in this way
L 3. Postconventional morality
Stage 5 - Social Contract and
Individual Rights
• Yes, Heinz’s wife’s right to live outweighs the
pharmacist’s right.
• No, The life of one individual should not cause
you to act in ways that threatens social order.
• At this stage, people begin to consider HUMAN
RIGHTS and SOCIAL CONTRACTS
• Rules of law are important for society, but
members of the society should agree upon these
standards.
• They consider the differing values, opinions and
beliefs of other people.
Stage 6 - Universal Principles
• Yes, he should have stolen because the principle of life is
more important than a law about not stealing. Even the
pharmacist would be better off because he would not be
party to your wife’s death. The case might bring attention
to the problem of expensive drugs.
• No, Your feelings for your wife should not take precedence
over the well-being of others. If you steal the drug, the
pharmacist may raise the price of the drug making it even
harder to get.
• Very few people reach this level of reasoning.
• People make decisions based upon their personal
principles.
• They follow most laws (as they are based universally held
values) but if laws violate them, they believe they must act
according to their principles.
Prerequisites for Morality
• It must be possible to choose actions and to
plan. What abilities enable us to do that?
Make a list
Which Can be Moral or Immoral?
Prerequisites for Morality
• Now what if I tell you that these are all people
with serious mental illness?