Lesson 5

Lesson 5: A Framework for Ethical Deliberations What is Ethics:  Ethics is the activity of knowing and doing good behaviours, is it knowing what constitutes good acts and doing them in the concrete situations of our lives. Ethical Theories: Authority, Tradition & Law In response to the question, “What should I do?” , we look to an authority, tradition or law to provide an answer.  What does God command?  What does the law say?  What did my parents tell me?  What are my teachers telling me? So, doing the good means being obedient or faithful to an authority, to a tradition, to the law. Here, the good is what tradition, the authority and the law commands.  Some examples across cultures and time are the Ten Commandments in the Jewish faith, the Beatitudes in the Christian faith, and the Quran in Muslim faith. Rules or Principles known by Reason  For this source, rules or principles are derived through reason not authority. What is the criterion for knowing we are being reasonable?  The Categorical imperative is the basis upon which rules are determined. What is the categorical imperative?  Always act according to a maxim that you would desire would be a universal law.  Never act in such a way as to treat humanity, whether in ourselves or in others, as a means only but always as an end in itself. In response to the question, “What should I do?” we consider the problem in light of the prior, fixed (rational) criteria. Is this something that everyone should be allowed to do in every case? Here, the good is what can be universally applied.  There are 4 principles: Autonomy, beneficence (act of charity, mercy and kindness), non- maleficence (do no harm), and justice. Consequences If the consequence of an action is the source I draw on to make a decision at an individual level, my criterion is happiness. If the end result promotes my happiness, then it is good. The ethical act is what brings about my happiness. Ethics has to do with personal preference. The ethical theory known as Utilitarianism is an expression of this. Individual action is right if it increases happiness more than unhappiness. Another way to think about it is though cost- benefit analysis.

What will it cost? What is the benefit? Does the benefit outweigh the cost? Measured empirically, if applied to society as a whole, the action that brings the greatest happiness to the greatest number of people is what is good. There are no prescriptions, acts are viewed only in terms of effectiveness in bringing about a goal. In response to the question, “What should I do?” , one would ask the following questions:  What is wanted?  What most satisfies one’s desire?  How efficiently can I get it? So, the good is what maximizes the satisfaction of personal desire or social goals.  An example would be who lives or dies in receiving treatments for an illness, like a kidney or renal disease, the lifesaving treatment is dialysis, then you proceed to the question of the greater good. Virtue Acting ethically has to do with how virtuous a person is. It requires training and direction (education). Drawing on Aristotle, virtues are the following:  courage  temperance  justice  truthfulness  prudence  fortitude In this context, ethics refers to the character of the person acting. The virtuous person is the responsible person. What is good refers to one’s own capacity for responsible choice – which grows in direct proportion as one grows in virtue. The virtuous person acts virtuously. In response to the question, “What should I do?” one would refer to one’s character and what promotes the development of virtue throughout a person’s life. So, in this context, the good is virtue or virtuous acts . All in all, what should a virtuous or honest person do? Intention  Ethics is determined by uncovering the intention of the person acting. Ethics has to do with motive. Intentions change the ethical nature of the person’s action.  In response to the question, “What should I do?” one needs to consider motives, reasons or intentions that propels one to act.