CHAPTER 1
WELCOME TO ETHICS
WHAT IS ETHICS?
• Life contains questions
concerning right and wrong
• Ethical beliefs are unique
• Based decisions on personal
values and principles
• Developed through
individual life experiences
WHAT IS ETHICS?
• Ethical principles- general statements of how people should or should not act.
• Reasons behind a person’s actions, thoughts, and beliefs
• Universal principles- rational people thinking logically would have to agree
that everyone should follow them.
• EX. Golden Rule- Treat others how you would want to be treated.
LANGUAGE OF ETHICS
• Ethics- What is considered right or wrong, good or bad
• Morality- Human behavior that can be evaluated in terms of right and wrong
• Ethics is the study of morality
• Ethical Issues- Topics or actions that raise questions of right and wrong.
• Ex. Stealing, cheating, lying, downloading music for free and driving drunk.
DO RIGHT AND WRONG EXIST?
TWO ARGUMENTS:
1) Relativism- belief that ethical beliefs vary so widely, there can be
no universal ethical principles
• Is moral principle personal opinion?
2) Legalism- Presence of laws and policies make ethics irrelevant
• Some laws are/were unethical
• Ex. Slavery, child labor laws, women’s rights
DR. MARTIN LUTHER KING JR.
Letter from Birmingham Jail
SOURCES OF ETHICAL BELIEFS
• Ethical principles and values can come from a variety of
places:
• Home
• School
• Religion
• Place you live
• Music
• Television
SOURCES OF ETHICAL BELIEFS
1) AUTHORITY- an action is right or wrong because “someone important
said so”
• Often stems from Religion or Political leaders
•
•
2)
“Stealing is wrong because God forbids it”
“Stealing is wrong because the government says it is illegal”
CULTURE- Morality of an action based on the beliefs of one’s culture
or nation
• Cultures and nature have different beliefs
• Good for one is harmful or bad for another
• Can you judge another culture? Can any cultures improve?
SOURCES OF ETHICAL BELIEFS
3) INTUITION- Principles of right and wrong built into a person’s
conscience
• “Little voice in your head”
• Can be very biased. Ex. Racism
4) REASON- Logical thinking used to make ethical decisions.
• If stealing is wrong, should be solid arguments that back up that belief.
• Arguments against stealing stronger than for it.
• Don’t worry about authority, what culture thinks or your “inner voice”
• Look open-mindedly on both sides and choose the stronger argument.
WHAT DO YOU THINK NOW?
Source
Authority
Culture
Intuition
Reason
What Would Tamika Be What Would Tamika Do?
Thinking?
STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR
Standard- an accepted level of behavior which people are
expected to conform.
• Low- minimum standard
• Middle- average standard
• Very high- standard of excellence
Three most common standards:
1. Etiquette
2. Law
3. Ethics
STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR
• Standard of Etiquette- expectations concerning manners or social graces.
• Ex. Knocking before entering someone’s home
• Ex. Say “please” and “thank you”.
• Some companies send employees to etiquette classes
• Standard of Law- rules of behavior imposed on people by
governments.
• Legal and ethical standards are serious but different. Difference is Validity.
• What makes a law Valid (gives it force), different from what makes ethical principle valid.
REVIEW LAW CHART! (pg. 15) and Ethics and Law Activity (pg. 16)
STANDARDS OF BEHAVIOR
• Standard of Ethics- social expectations of people’s moral behavior.
• Made Valid by the reasons and arguments supporting them
• Must make logical sense.
• Ex. “Death Penalty” is morally wrong
• Crucial difference between legal and ethical standards
1) Legally and morally right
2) Legally wrong but morally right
3) Legally right but morally wrong
4) Legally and morally wrong
• Legal standards can change as authority changes. Ethics changes as thinking
changes.