Summary of Ethics and Will

Goals

1. Understand behavioral ethics as a fundamental human responsibility.

2. Recognise the significance of prioritising ethics over personal will in everyday and professional contexts.

3. Develop skills to analyse ethical dilemmas and make decisions rooted in ethical principles.

Contextualization

Ethics comprises principles that guide human behaviour and help us differentiate right from wrong. In our current climate, where social media can amplify our choices and actions, grasping and implementing ethics is crucial. Behavioural ethics plays a key role as it impacts our daily interactions, both personally and professionally. For instance, companies like Patagonia and Natura are lauded for their ethical commitments towards environmental sustainability and workers' rights. Professions such as medicine, law, and journalism have stringent ethical codes guiding their practitioners' conduct. Interestingly, studies have shown that companies known for their ethical responsibility tend to thrive in the long run.

Subject Relevance

To Remember!

Behavioral Ethics

Behavioural ethics encompasses principles that guide human actions and behaviours, helping us understand what is morally right or wrong. These principles are vital for ensuring our actions uphold and advocate for values like justice, honesty, and responsibility.

• Defines human behaviour in terms of morality.

• Guidance to differentiate between right and wrong.

• Promotes values such as justice, honesty, and responsibility.

Difference between Ethics and Morality

Ethics and morality are concepts often confused, yet they possess significant differences. Morality pertains to the customs, norms, and values established by a society or culture, whereas ethics is a philosophical inquiry striving to comprehend and systematise these values and principles.

• Morality: customs and norms of a society.

• Ethics: philosophical study of moral values and principles.

• Morality can vary across cultures, while ethics seeks universal principles.

Ethical Dilemmas

Ethical dilemmas arise in situations lacking a clear moral resolution, necessitating deep and thoughtful analysis of the ethical principles involved. These challenges are prevalent in everyday life and the workplace, pushing individuals to make decisions weighing different values and interests.

• Situations without clear answers about what is morally right.

• Require consideration and analysis of ethical principles.

• Common in everyday life and professional settings.

Practical Applications

• Companies like Natura and Patagonia exemplify organisations that incorporate ethical principles into their business practices, championing sustainability and respecting workers' rights.

• In the medical field, professionals abide by a rigorous code of ethics to ensure their actions favour patients' well-being and health, putting ethics above personal interests.

• In law, attorneys must uphold ethical standards to guarantee their practices are fair and transparent, defending their clients' rights ethically and responsibly.

Key Terms

• Behavioral Ethics: A set of principles guiding human actions, distinguishing right from wrong.

• Morality: Customs, norms, and values established by a society or culture.

• Ethical Dilemma: A situation without a clear answer about what is morally right, necessitating a thorough analysis of ethical principles.

Questions for Reflections

• Reflect on a recent situation where you had to make a tough decision. How did ethical principles shape your choice?

• In what ways can you incorporate the concepts of behavioural ethics into your forthcoming professional journey?

• Consider an ethical dilemma you have encountered. How did you approach the situation, and what alternatives could you have considered based on the ethical principles discussed?

Ethical Challenge: Applying Ethics in Everyday Life

This mini-challenge is designed to reinforce the understanding of the importance of behavioural ethics and its practical applications in daily life.

Instructions

• Choose an ethical dilemma you have faced or one that could arise in your personal life or future professional career.

• Write a paragraph outlining the dilemma, including the conflicting values and interests at play.

• Analyse the dilemma using the ethical principles we discussed in class.

• Propose an ethical resolution to the dilemma, detailing how you arrived at this conclusion.

• Share your analysis and solution with a peer, and discuss the differing perspectives.