ethics problem solving essay

A Framework for Ethical Decision Making

• Markkula Center for Applied Ethics
• Ethics Resources

This document is designed as an introduction to thinking ethically. Read more about what the framework can (and cannot) do .  

We all have an image of our better selves—of how we are when we act ethically or are “at our best.” We probably also have an image of what an ethical community, an ethical business, an ethical government, or an ethical society should be. Ethics really has to do with all these levels—acting ethically as individuals, creating ethical organizations and governments, and making our society as a whole more ethical in the way it treats everyone.

What is Ethics?

Ethics refers to standards and practices that tell us how human beings ought to act in the many situations in which they find themselves—as friends, parents, children, citizens, businesspeople, professionals, and so on. Ethics is also concerned with our character. It requires knowledge, skills, and habits. 

It is helpful to identify what ethics is NOT:

• Ethics is not the same as feelings . Feelings do provide important information for our ethical choices. However, while some people have highly developed habits that make them feel bad when they do something wrong, others feel good even though they are doing something wrong. And, often, our feelings will tell us that it is uncomfortable to do the right thing if it is difficult.
• Ethics is not the same as religion . Many people are not religious but act ethically, and some religious people act unethically. Religious traditions can, however, develop and advocate for high ethical standards, such as the Golden Rule.
• Ethics is not the same thing as following the law. A good system of law does incorporate many ethical standards, but law can deviate from what is ethical. Law can become ethically corrupt—a function of power alone and designed to serve the interests of narrow groups. Law may also have a difficult time designing or enforcing standards in some important areas and may be slow to address new problems.
• Ethics is not the same as following culturally accepted norms . Cultures can include both ethical and unethical customs, expectations, and behaviors. While assessing norms, it is important to recognize how one’s ethical views can be limited by one’s own cultural perspective or background, alongside being culturally sensitive to others.
• Ethics is not science . Social and natural science can provide important data to help us make better and more informed ethical choices. But science alone does not tell us what we ought to do. Some things may be scientifically or technologically possible and yet unethical to develop and deploy.

Six Ethical Lenses

If our ethical decision-making is not solely based on feelings, religion, law, accepted social practice, or science, then on what basis can we decide between right and wrong, good and bad? Many philosophers, ethicists, and theologians have helped us answer this critical question. They have suggested a variety of different lenses that help us perceive ethical dimensions. Here are six of them:

The Rights Lens

Some suggest that the ethical action is the one that best protects and respects the moral rights of those affected. This approach starts from the belief that humans have a dignity based on their human nature per se or on their ability to choose freely what they do with their lives. On the basis of such dignity, they have a right to be treated as ends in themselves and not merely as means to other ends. The list of moral rights—including the rights to make one's own choices about what kind of life to lead, to be told the truth, not to be injured, to a degree of privacy, and so on—is widely debated; some argue that non-humans have rights, too. Rights are also often understood as implying duties—in particular, the duty to respect others' rights and dignity.

( For further elaboration on the rights lens, please see our essay, “Rights.” )

The Justice Lens

Justice is the idea that each person should be given their due, and what people are due is often interpreted as fair or equal treatment. Equal treatment implies that people should be treated as equals   according to some defensible standard such as merit or need, but not necessarily that everyone should be treated in the exact same way in every respect. There are different types of justice that address what people are due in various contexts. These include social justice (structuring the basic institutions of society), distributive justice (distributing benefits and burdens), corrective justice (repairing past injustices), retributive justice (determining how to appropriately punish wrongdoers), and restorative or transformational justice (restoring relationships or transforming social structures as an alternative to criminal punishment).

( For further elaboration on the justice lens, please see our essay, “Justice and Fairness.” )

The Utilitarian Lens

Some ethicists begin by asking, “How will this action impact everyone affected?”—emphasizing the consequences of our actions. Utilitarianism, a results-based approach, says that the ethical action is the one that produces the greatest balance of good over harm for as many stakeholders as possible. It requires an accurate determination of the likelihood of a particular result and its impact. For example, the ethical corporate action, then, is the one that produces the greatest good and does the least harm for all who are affected—customers, employees, shareholders, the community, and the environment. Cost/benefit analysis is another consequentialist approach.

( For further elaboration on the utilitarian lens, please see our essay, “Calculating Consequences.” )

The Common Good Lens

According to the common good approach, life in community is a good in itself and our actions should contribute to that life. This approach suggests that the interlocking relationships of society are the basis of ethical reasoning and that respect and compassion for all others—especially the vulnerable—are requirements of such reasoning. This approach also calls attention to the common conditions that are important to the welfare of everyone—such as clean air and water, a system of laws, effective police and fire departments, health care, a public educational system, or even public recreational areas. Unlike the utilitarian lens, which sums up and aggregates goods for every individual, the common good lens highlights mutual concern for the shared interests of all members of a community.

( For further elaboration on the common good lens, please see our essay, “The Common Good.” )

The Virtue Lens

A very ancient approach to ethics argues that ethical actions ought to be consistent with certain ideal virtues that provide for the full development of our humanity. These virtues are dispositions and habits that enable us to act according to the highest potential of our character and on behalf of values like truth and beauty. Honesty, courage, compassion, generosity, tolerance, love, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and prudence are all examples of virtues. Virtue ethics asks of any action, “What kind of person will I become if I do this?” or “Is this action consistent with my acting at my best?”

( For further elaboration on the virtue lens, please see our essay, “Ethics and Virtue.” )

The Care Ethics Lens

Care ethics is rooted in relationships and in the need to listen and respond to individuals in their specific circumstances, rather than merely following rules or calculating utility. It privileges the flourishing of embodied individuals in their relationships and values interdependence, not just independence. It relies on empathy to gain a deep appreciation of the interest, feelings, and viewpoints of each stakeholder, employing care, kindness, compassion, generosity, and a concern for others to resolve ethical conflicts. Care ethics holds that options for resolution must account for the relationships, concerns, and feelings of all stakeholders. Focusing on connecting intimate interpersonal duties to societal duties, an ethics of care might counsel, for example, a more holistic approach to public health policy that considers food security, transportation access, fair wages, housing support, and environmental protection alongside physical health.

( For further elaboration on the care ethics lens, please see our essay, “Care Ethics.” )

Using the Lenses

Each of the lenses introduced above helps us determine what standards of behavior and character traits can be considered right and good. There are still problems to be solved, however.

The first problem is that we may not agree on the content of some of these specific lenses. For example, we may not all agree on the same set of human and civil rights. We may not agree on what constitutes the common good. We may not even agree on what is a good and what is a harm.

The second problem is that the different lenses may lead to different answers to the question “What is ethical?” Nonetheless, each one gives us important insights in the process of deciding what is ethical in a particular circumstance.

Making Decisions

Making good ethical decisions requires a trained sensitivity to ethical issues and a practiced method for exploring the ethical aspects of a decision and weighing the considerations that should impact our choice of a course of action. Having a method for ethical decision-making is essential. When practiced regularly, the method becomes so familiar that we work through it automatically without consulting the specific steps.

The more novel and difficult the ethical choice we face, the more we need to rely on discussion and dialogue with others about the dilemma. Only by careful exploration of the problem, aided by the insights and different perspectives of others, can we make good ethical choices in such situations.

The following framework for ethical decision-making is intended to serve as a practical tool for exploring ethical dilemmas and identifying ethical courses of action.

Identify the Ethical Issues

• Could this decision or situation be damaging to someone or to some group, or unevenly beneficial to people? Does this decision involve a choice between a good and bad alternative, or perhaps between two “goods” or between two “bads”?
• Is this issue about more than solely what is legal or what is most efficient? If so, how?

Get the Facts

• What are the relevant facts of the case? What facts are not known? Can I learn more about the situation? Do I know enough to make a decision?
• What individuals and groups have an important stake in the outcome? Are the concerns of some of those individuals or groups more important? Why?
• What are the options for acting? Have all the relevant persons and groups been consulted? Have I identified creative options?

Evaluate Alternative Actions

• Evaluate the options by asking the following questions:
• Which option best respects the rights of all who have a stake? (The Rights Lens)
• Which option treats people fairly, giving them each what they are due? (The Justice Lens)
• Which option will produce the most good and do the least harm for as many stakeholders as possible? (The Utilitarian Lens)
• Which option best serves the community as a whole, not just some members? (The Common Good Lens)
• Which option leads me to act as the sort of person I want to be? (The Virtue Lens)
• Which option appropriately takes into account the relationships, concerns, and feelings of all stakeholders? (The Care Ethics Lens)

Choose an Option for Action and Test It

• After an evaluation using all of these lenses, which option best addresses the situation?
• If I told someone I respect (or a public audience) which option I have chosen, what would they say?
• How can my decision be implemented with the greatest care and attention to the concerns of all stakeholders?

Implement Your Decision and Reflect on the Outcome

• How did my decision turn out, and what have I learned from this specific situation? What (if any) follow-up actions should I take?

This framework for thinking ethically is the product of dialogue and debate at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University. Primary contributors include Manuel Velasquez, Dennis Moberg, Michael J. Meyer, Thomas Shanks, Margaret R. McLean, David DeCosse, Claire André, Kirk O. Hanson, Irina Raicu, and Jonathan Kwan.  It was last revised on November 5, 2021.

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• The PLUS Ethical Decision Making Model

Seven Steps to Ethical Decision Making –  Step 1: Define the problem  (consult  PLUS filters ) –  Step 2: Seek out relevant assistance, guidance and support  –  Step 3: Identify alternatives –  Step 4: Evaluate the alternatives  (consult  PLUS filters ) –  Step 5: Make the decision –  Step 6: Implement the decision –  Step 7: Evaluate the decision  (consult  PLUS filters )

Introduction Organizations struggle to develop a simple set of guidelines that makes it easier for individual employees, regardless of position or level, to be confident that his/her decisions meet all of the competing standards for effective and ethical decision-making used by the organization. Such a model must take into account two realities:

• Every employee is called upon to make decisions in the normal course of doing his/her job. Organizations cannot function effectively if employees are not empowered to make decisions consistent with their positions and responsibilities.
• For the decision maker to be confident in the decision’s soundness, every decision should be tested against the organization’s policies and values, applicable laws and regulations as well as the individual employee’s definition of what is right, fair, good and acceptable.

The decision making process described below has been carefully constructed to be:

• Fundamentally sound based on current theories and understandings of both decision-making processes and ethics.
• Simple and straightforward enough to be easily integrated into every employee’s thought processes.
• Descriptive (detailing how ethical decision are made naturally) rather than prescriptive (defining unnatural ways of making choices).

Why do organizations need ethical decision making? See our special edition case study, #RespectAtWork, to find out.

First, explore the difference between what you expect and/or desire and the current reality. By defining the problem in terms of outcomes, you can clearly state the problem.

Consider this example: Tenants at an older office building are complaining that their employees are getting angry and frustrated because there is always a long delay getting an elevator to the lobby at rush hour. Many possible solutions exist, and all are predicated on a particular understanding the problem:

• Flexible hours – so all the tenants’ employees are not at the elevators at the same time.
• Faster elevators – so each elevator can carry more people in a given time period.
• Bigger elevators – so each elevator can carry more people per trip.
• Elevator banks – so each elevator only stops on certain floors, increasing efficiency.
• Better elevator controls – so each elevator is used more efficiently.
• More elevators – so that overall carrying capacity can be increased.
• Improved elevator maintenance – so each elevator is more efficient.
• Encourage employees to use the stairs – so fewer people use the elevators.

The real-life decision makers defined the problem as “people complaining about having to wait.” Their solution was to make the wait less frustrating by piping music into the elevator lobbies. The complaints stopped. There is no way that the eventual solution could have been reached if, for example, the problem had been defined as “too few elevators.”

How you define the problem determines where you go to look for alternatives/solutions– so define the problem carefully.

Step 2: Seek out relevant assistance, guidance and support

Once the problem is defined, it is critical to search out resources that may be of assistance in making the decision. Resources can include people (i.e., a mentor, coworkers, external colleagues, or friends and family) as well professional guidelines and organizational policies and codes. Such resources are critical for determining parameters, generating solutions, clarifying priorities and providing support, both while implementing the solution and dealing with the repercussions of the solution.

Step 3: Identify available alternative solutions to the problem The key to this step is to not limit yourself to obvious alternatives or merely what has worked in the past. Be open to new and better alternatives. Consider as many as solutions as possible — five or more in most cases, three at the barest minimum. This gets away from the trap of seeing “both sides of the situation” and limiting one’s alternatives to two opposing choices (i.e., either this or that).

Step 4: Evaluate the identified alternatives As you evaluate each alternative, identify the likely positive and negative consequence of each. It is unusual to find one alternative that would completely resolve the problem and is significantly better than all others. As you consider positive and negative consequences, you must be careful to differentiate between what you know for a fact and what you believe might be the case. Consulting resources, including written guidelines and standards, can help you ascertain which consequences are of greater (and lesser) import.

You should think through not just what results each alternative could yield, but the likelihood it is that such impact will occur. You will only have all the facts in simple cases. It is reasonable and usually even necessary to supplement the facts you have with realistic assumptions and informed beliefs. Nonetheless, keep in mind that the more the evaluation is fact-based, the more confident you can be that the expected outcome will occur. Knowing the ratio of fact-based evaluation versus non-fact-based evaluation allows you to gauge how confident you can be in the proposed impact of each alternative.

Step 5: Make the decision When acting alone, this is the natural next step after selecting the best alternative. When you are working in a team environment, this is where a proposal is made to the team, complete with a clear definition of the problem, a clear list of the alternatives that were considered and a clear rationale for the proposed solution.

Step 6: Implement the decision While this might seem obvious, it is necessary to make the point that deciding on the best alternative is not the same as doing something. The action itself is the first real, tangible step in changing the situation. It is not enough to think about it or talk about it or even decide to do it. A decision only counts when it is implemented. As Lou Gerstner (former CEO of IBM) said, “There are no more prizes for predicting rain. There are only prizes for building arks.”

Step 7: Evaluate the decision Every decision is intended to fix a problem. The final test of any decision is whether or not the problem was fixed. Did it go away? Did it change appreciably? Is it better now, or worse, or the same? What new problems did the solution create?

Ethics Filters

The ethical component of the decision making process takes the form of a set of “filters.” Their purpose is to surface the ethics considerations and implications of the decision at hand. When decisions are classified as being “business” decisions (rather than “ethics” issues), values can quickly be left out of consideration and ethical lapses can occur.

At key steps in the process, you should stop and work through these filters, ensuring that the ethics issues imbedded in the decision are given consideration.

We group the considerations into the mnemonic PLUS.

• P  = Policies Is it consistent with my organization’s policies, procedures and guidelines?
• L = Legal Is it acceptable under the applicable laws and regulations?
• U  = Universal Does it conform to the universal principles/values my organization has adopted?
• S = Self Does it satisfy my personal definition of right, good and fair?

The PLUS filters work as an integral part of steps 1, 4 and 7 of the decision-making process. The decision maker applies the four PLUS filters to determine if the ethical component(s) of the decision are being surfaced/addressed/satisfied.

• Does the existing situation violate any of the PLUS considerations?
• Step 2:   Seek out relevant assistance, guidance and support
• Step 3: Identify available alternative solutions to the problem
• Will the alternative I am considering resolve the PLUS violations?
• Will the alternative being considered create any new PLUS considerations?
• Are the ethical trade-offs acceptable?
• Step 5: Make the decision
• Step 6: Implement the decision
• Does the resultant situation resolve the earlier PLUS considerations?
• Are there any new PLUS considerations to be addressed?

The PLUS filters do not guarantee an ethically-sound decision. They merely ensure that the ethics components of the situation will be surfaced so that they might be considered.

How Organizations Can Support Ethical Decision-Making  Organizations empower employees with the knowledge and tools they need to make ethical decisions by

• Intentionally and regularly communicating to all employees:
• Organizational policies and procedures as they apply to the common workplace ethics issues.
• Applicable laws and regulations.
• Agreed-upon set of “universal” values (i.e., Empathy, Patience, Integrity, Courage [EPIC]).
• Providing a formal mechanism (i.e., a code and a helpline, giving employees access to a definitive interpretation of the policies, laws and universal values when they need additional guidance before making a decision).
• Free Ethics & Compliance Toolkit
• Ethics and Compliance Glossary
• Definitions of Values
• Why Have a Code of Conduct?
• Code Construction and Content
• Common Code Provisions
• Ten Style Tips for Writing an Effective Code of Conduct
• Five Keys to Reducing Ethics and Compliance Risk
• Business Ethics & Compliance Timeline

28 Ethical Dilemma Examples

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Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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An ethical dilemma is a situation where two or more moral principles conflict, forcing the individual to choose between them.

The conflict between these principles often makes people struggle with deciding which one to follow and which one to compromise.

A common social dilemma example is when a physician has to choose between breaking a patient’s confidentiality or preventing harm to another person.

Ethical dilemmas go beyond being just ideas on paper (Barrett, 2018). They have a direct impact on the decisions people make in the real world.

Think about how business leaders have to balance making money and being responsible to society (Reynolds, 2014). Also, consider how journalists have to balance giving the public information and respecting people’s privacy (Plaisance, 2017).

Types of Ethical Dilemmas

Rushworth Kidder, an author and ethicist, introduced a framework outlining four types of ethical dilemmas—truth vs. loyalty, individual vs. community, short-term vs. long-term, and justice vs. mercy (Kidder, 2010).

Understanding these classifications aids in dissecting complex moral quandaries and enables effective decision-making .

Below is each type:

• Truth vs Loyalty: This type of ethical dilemma arises when one is caught between absolute honesty and allegiance to individuals or groups (Kidder, 2015). For instance, consider an employee who discovers fraudulent activities in their company. If they disclose this information, they remain truthful but might violate their loyalty to the company and colleagues (real-world example of whistleblowing).
• Individual vs. Community: Individual vs. community dilemmas involve discrepancies between personal interests and collective benefits (Kidder, 2010). A pandemic situation offers an apt example—individuals might resist wearing masks for personal comfort, but this stands contrary to the community’s need for public safety (this is a contemporary real-world example).
• Short-term vs. Long-term: This type of ethical dilemma compels one to choose between immediate benefits or long-term consequences (Kidder, 2015). For instance, a business might opt to cut corners and make profits now, despite the potential long-term detriment to its reputation and customer trust (real-world example of businesses taking shortcuts).
• Justice vs Mercy: Lastly, justice vs. mercy dilemmas highlight the tension between fair consequences and compassion (Kidder, 2010). In the courtroom, for example, a judge might struggle with issuing a strict sentence (justice) or leniency (mercy), particularly in extenuating circumstances such as the accused being a first-time offender (real-world example from the legal system).

Throughout these categories, Kidder advocated for thoughtful analysis and dialogue to navigate the complexities accompanying ethical dilemmas. His work illuminates the intricacies of moral decision-making, underscoring ethics as a dynamic and challenging field.

Examples of Ethical Dilemmas

Truth vs loyalty.

1. Conflict of Interest This occurs when your loyalty to one party undermines your ability to be truthful or impartial to another. For instance, an auditor reviewing the accounts of a company where a relative is an executive officer faces a truth versus loyalty dilemma.

2. Whistleblowing This situation evolves when an employee uncovers illegal or unethical practices within an organization. The employee must choose between loyalty to the organization and telling the truth by exposing the wrongdoing.

3. Professional Secrecy When professionals like doctors or lawyers have information about a client that could harm others––like a patient revealing they intend to harm someone, they face a truth versus loyalty debate about whether to break confidentiality.

4. Journalism Confidentiality Reporters often deal with the dilemma when protecting a source’s anonymity may protect wrongdoing or cause harm. They must weigh their loyalty to the source against their commitment to truth and public interest.

5. Employee Favoritism Managers might face dilemmas when choosing between treating all employees fairly (truth) and giving preferential treatment to friends or family in the workplace (loyalty).

6. Client Representation Lawyers often grapple with representing a client faithfully––even when the client is guilty of a crime and denying it in court. This dilemma pits their loyalty to the client against their commitment to the truth.

7. Academic Cheating A student who is aware of another student’s academic dishonesty faces the problem of loyalty to a friend versus the truthful reporting of misconduct.

Individual vs Community

Also known as: Social Dilemma

8. Vaccination Debates Individuals may resist getting vaccinated for personal health beliefs, conflicting with the community’s wellbeing, which benefits from herd immunity. 

9. Resource Allocation Communities may require certain resources for the common good , which may limit an individual’s access to these resources for personal use.

10. Zoning Disputes A city’s decision to allow commercial developments in residential areas could harm the quality of life for individual residents while promoting the economic growth of the community.

11. Public Health Measures During a pandemic, individuals may disagree with measures like lockdowns that limit their personal freedoms, even if these measures are beneficial to the community as a whole.

12. Education Policy Changes Policies like school consolidation can affect individual children who prefer smaller, neighborhood schools over larger institutions preferable for budgetary and educational reasons. 

13. Environmental Regulations Regulations that protect the environment often restrict individual liberties by limiting options for property development or resource use.

14. Freedom of Speech A person’s right to express potentially harmful or offensive ideas can conflict with a community’s desire for safety and respect.

Short-term vs Long-term

15. Financial Investments Deciding to spend money now (short-term) for immediate comforts or investing it for future gains (long-term) is a classic short-term vs long-term dilemma.

16. Career Advancement You may face the dilemma of taking an appealing job now versus pursuing education or training that may open better opportunities in the long run.

17. Environmental Considerations A company might face a choice between using cheap, environmentally damaging production methods (short-term) or investing in sustainable practices that may bring future reputation boost and savings (long-term). 

18. Health Choices An individual may need to decide between enjoying unhealthy habits, like junk food or smoking, now versus considering the long-term health implications.

19. Business Growth Entrepreneurs confront this dilemma when deciding whether to reinvest earnings into the company for long-term growth or take more profits in the short term.

20. Public Policy Politicians often have to choose between pursuing policies with immediate benefits that voters will notice or focusing on the long-term, slower solutions like infrastructure development.

21. Technology Upgrades A company might have to decide between sticking to older, cheaper technology now or investing in a costly, cutting-edge technology that promises improved efficiency and profitability in the future.

Justice vs Mercy

22. Leniency for First-Time Offenders A judge might choose to give a strict sentence to a first-time offender to uphold justice. Conversely, mercy would suggest a more lenient sentence or rehabilitation effort, given that it’s the offender’s first mistake.

23. Pardon of a Death Row Inmate A governor may face an ethical dilemma where they have to decide between granting a pardon to a remorseful death row inmate (mercy), and upholding the court’s decision to execute, based on the gravity of the crime committed (justice). 

24. Hate Crime Retribution A victim of a hate crime could be torn between wanting justice done – seeing the offenders punished to the full extent of the law – and showing mercy, hoping that education and awareness could change the offenders’ prejudices.

25. Academic Misconduct A professor who catches a student plagiarizing could provide a second chance, valuing mercy to allow for learning and growth, or they could issue immediate punishment (like failing the student) to uphold academic integrity and justice.

26. Role of Advisors in Financial Crisis Companies may seek to punish advisors implicated in a financial crisis to preserve justice, but showing mercy, reprimanding and educating them instead of outright firing, may be more constructive and prevent recurrence.

27. War Crimes Dilemma Post-war scenarios often involve a decision between seeking justice by prosecuting war criminals, or demonstrating mercy by forgiving and focusing on national healing and reconciliation.

28. Social Welfare Decisions Policymakers might struggle between enforcing strict eligibility criteria to ensure that only those truly deserving get social benefits (justice), versus being flexible in applying rules to avoid denying assistance to those in dire need (mercy).

Navigating an ethical or moral dilemma is no easy task, and often there is no clear right or wrong answer. Yet, understanding the principles and theories underlying ethical decision making can guide you in evaluating potential actions and their consequences (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2018). It should help in choosing the least harmful or most beneficial course of action.

Ferrell, O. C., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell, L. (2018). Business ethics: Ethical decision making & cases (12th ed.). Boston: Cengage.

Barrett, C. (2018). Everyday ethics for practicing planners . London: Routledge.

Plaisance, P-L. (2017). Media Ethics: Key Principles for Responsible Practice (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.

Reynolds, G. (2014). Ethics in Information Technology (4th ed.). New York: Cengage Learning.

• Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 10 Reasons you’re Perpetually Single
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Home — Essay Samples — Philosophy — Ethics — Ethics and Its Effective Importance

Ethics and Its Effective Importance

• Categories: Ethics

About this sample

Words: 1032 |

Published: Oct 23, 2018

Words: 1032 | Pages: 2 | 6 min read

Table of contents

Ethics essay outline, ethics essay example, introduction.

• Definition of ethics as systematic moral principles
• Importance of ethics in decision-making and its impact on individuals and society
• Brief overview of the essay's aims and topics

Understanding Ethics

• Origin of the word "ethics" from the Greek word "ethos"
• Overview of the general dilemmas covered by ethics
• Role of ethics in guiding individuals in leading a good life and making ethical decisions
• The language of right and wrong in ethics

Sources of Ethics

• Discussion of how ethics is derived from religions, philosophies, and cultures
• Mention of the ethical debates on topics such as abortion, human rights, and professional conduct
• Ethics as a moral map and framework for addressing complex moral issues

Disagreements and Ambiguity in Ethics

• Explanation of how ethics can pinpoint disagreements and clarify moral issues
• Acknowledgment that ethics doesn't always provide definitive answers
• The challenge of moral ambiguity and taking responsibility for ethical choices

Approaches to Ethical Problem Solving

• Historical perspectives on solving ethical problems, including divine guidance and philosophical reasoning
• Modern view emphasizing ethical decisions rather than fixed conclusions
• The role of philosophy in clarifying ethical issues and ethical methods

Objective vs. Subjective Ethics

• Debate between ethical realists and ethical non-realists
• Ethical realists' belief in the discovery of objective ethical truths
• Ethical non-realists' perspective that humans invent ethical truths
• The challenge of diverse ethical codes and behaviors among humans
• Summary of key points discussed in the essay
• The existence of ethical properties in the world regardless of human opinions
• How to customize a healthy good life
• How to generalize our own
• How to choose right sucessful path.
• How to make our own right decision
• And also of course about the language of right and wrong
• Dalton, Derek 2011 “Gender Differences in Ethics Research; Importance of Controlling Social Desirability Response” Volume 103 pg 73-93. Toronto, Canada.
• Ferell, 20017 ‘'Business Ethics'’ Edition 11 Boston, USA.
• Jeanes, Emmal 2017 “Are We Ethical? Approaches to Ethics in Management and Organization” Volume 24.2017 pg. 174-197. London.
• Mulder, Laetitia 2015 “Effect of Specific and General Rules on Ethical Decisions” Vol. 126.2015 pg. 115-129. Amsterdam.
• Razaha Juhaida Johari 2017 “Ethical Issues and their Relevence of Auditions” Vol 5.2017 pg 205-214. London.
• Velasquez, Manual 1996 “Why Ethics Matters a Defence of Ethics in Business Organization” Vol. 6 1996 pg. 201-227. Chicago, Illinois, USA.
• Wild, Nigel 2011 “Ethical Strategies for Organization” Vol. 16.2011 pg 110-127 Bingley.

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