ethics L8

Ethics:

the branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to
human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of
certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and
ends of such actions.

Utilitarian ethics:

an ethical theory that determines right from wrong by
focusing on outcomes. Believes in the right action of any situation can be
determined by choosing the greatest balance of benefits over harms for
everyone affected.

Deontological ethics:

an ethical theory that uses rules to distinguish right
from wrong. Believes ethical actions follow universal moral laws, such as
“Don’t lie. Don’t steal. Don’t cheat.”

Virtue ethics:

a philosophy developed by Aristotle and other ancient Greeks.
It is a quest to understand and live of moral character. Believes that we can
acquire virtue through practice. By practicing being hones, brave, just,
generous, and so on, a person develops an honorable and moral character.

Historical –

Golden Rule

Personal –

moral principles you hold personally

Situational –

moral principles that vary with circumstances

Business –

values related to human conduct as applied to business

Secular values

the norms of contemporary society
contribute to ethics as well. (change with time)

St. Thomas Aquinas:

recognized by the Roman Catholic Church as its foremost Western philosopher and theologian

St. Augustine of Hippo:

his theological style shaped Latin
Christianity and still holds contemporary relevance

A Code of Ethics

a declaration or public statement of professional
standards of right and wrong conduct

Lawrence Kohlberg

Said humans progress through moral stages of development (like
physical growth stages).

Pre-Conventional stage:

Judge right/wrong by direct consequences to oneself. “Fair” to you = what is right.

Conventional stage:

Be good because its expected, rules should be followed for the greater good

Post-Conventional stage:

Be impartial and uphold “universal/common” values, decide for yourself what is just, some laws may be unethical

Carol Gilligan

Researched moral development, specifically in women. She argued that girls exhibited distinct patterns of moral development based on relationships and feelings of care and responsibility for others. Men prioritize an “ethics or justice”
where morality is centered on abstract principles and rules that can be applied equally to everyone. Women prioritized an “ethics of justice” where morality is centered on interpersonal relations and moral judgment is based on the context of an issue.

Gilligan’s first level of moral development

Moral development for females begins, with the concern for individual survival as paramount. It is followed by the transition from selfishness to responsibility, in which women start to become aware of morality as requiring that they be responsible for the well-being of others

Gilligan’s second level of moral development

goodness comes to be equated with self-sacrifice. Many of us have probably had mothers or grandmothers who saw their lives in precisely these terms: to
be a good person was to take care of other people (husband, children, family) at the expense of themselves. For them, it wasn’t a struggle to motivate themselves to take care of other people—the struggle came when they tried to give
themselves permission to take care of themselves. It is precisely this struggle to include the self that constitutes the second transitional phase. It is often a difficult struggle, for initially it feels more like moral regression than moral progress, since
morality is equated with self-sacrifice

Gilligan’s third level of moral development

moral goodness is seen as caring for both self and others. This highest level is one which takes inclusiveness and nonviolence as ideals, and which condemns exploitation and hurt.

Legal ____ mean ethical!

DOES NOT

Laws

• Man-made rules
• Often just a minimum standard

Ethics

• Concern right and wrong regarding the individual and society.
• Imposed internally and concern higher ideals and standards

Personal Sources of ethics

• Culture (relative) – norms, values, customs, etc.
• Religion – specific teachings, belief vs. non-belief
• Community/Society – group identity, expectations
• Family/Relationships – imitation of others, testing out concepts

Professional Sources of ethics

• Model codes of ethics – example: NFDA - You serve not only client families but the profession as a whole.
• Education – specific ethical teachings learned in the academic setting
• Formal academics (college/mortuary school)
• Field training
• Continuing education
• Regulation & Legal Compliance – good starting point, many funeral service laws are intended to keep practices ethical. In other words, staying legal helps to stay ethical.

Funeral Service Ethics –

values related to human conduct as applied to the care of the deceased, family, funeral home operations, and society.

Ethical practices in funeral service involve 3 key areas:

• Arrangement conferences and services
• The deceased
• Operations

Confidentiality –

to hold certain information in trust and not to
disclose without proper authorization or authority. MANDATORY due
to sensitive info and/or photos. Can damage reputation, create civil
liability, etc

Confidentiality and privacy issues

• Informed consent (a formal agreement provided after receiving complete and
accurate information, including alternative choices and consequences, in an
understandable form) regarding any photos or captured images

• Condition of remains and circumstances of death

Procedures

• Take care when handling the deceased or cremated remains.
• Keep remains covered (when possible, keep genitals covered during
embalming).
• Be thorough in preparation and dispositions – DO NOT cut corners.
• Ensure correct custody and disposition of personal effects.

Aftercare (post funeral follow-up) -

Appropriate and helpful acts of counseling, personal and/or written contact that come after the funeral