Module 2: Ethical thoeries

Deontological theories

motives and actions are morally right independent of their consequences

teleological ethics

rightness and wrongness solely depend on the consequence

subject relativism

right and wrong for each person are decided by themselves. What’s wrong for someone may be right for someone else.

Divine Command Theory

Good actions: aligned with God’s will. Bad actions: contrary to God’s will. God reveals to man his will which guides man to act.

deontology

is the science of moral duty first appeared in writing in 1817. finds its origin from the Greek word “deont” - meaning “that which is binding, duty”

negative and positive rights theories

asserts that an action is right if it protects the individual from harm or unwarranted interference form other people or the government while exercising his right

Social contract theories

posits that people contract with each other to abide by the moral and political obligations towards the society in which they live

social justice theories

it asserts the action is right if it conforms the fairness in the distributive, retributive dimensions of cost and rewards

teleology

is the study of final causes, a term coined by German philosopher Baron Christian von Wolff, from the modern latin term “teleologica”. Greek “teleos” - meaning entire, perfect, complete, a genitve of telos - meaning end, limit goal, result, and greek word “logia” - meaning speaking, discourse

3 types of teological ethical theories

1. ethical egoism

2. utilitarianism

3. eudaimonism

ethical egoism

it posits that an action is good if it produces or is likely to produce result that maximize the person’s self-interest which the person himself defines. even at the expense of others. it is based on the notion that it is always right to promote one’s own good

utilitarianism

• posits that an action is good if it results in maximum satisfaction for a large number of people who are likely to get affected by the action

• states that the rightness or wrongness of actions is determined by goodness and badness of their consequences

• an action is right if it increases satisfaction and happiness

Eudaimonism

posits that an action is good if it results in the fulfillment of goals along with the welfare of the human beings. the actions are said to be fruitful if it promotes or tends to promote the fulfillment of goals that constitute human nature and its happiness

Relativism

• no universal norms of right and wrong

• one can be wrong or right based on relative views

cultural relativism

right and wrong depend on a society’s moral guidelines. guidelines vary from place to place and from time to time an action can be right in a certain society at one time and wrong in another society or at another time.

Virtue ethics

• moral conduct is not determined by universal code of conduct or an outcome of a specific action but by specific personal traits that guarantee the right choice in front of moral dilemmas

virtue

• excellence in character

• purposive dispositions and character traits that are developed throughout life

4 classical greek virtues

1. justice

2. temperance

3. courage

4. wisdom

wisdom

ability to think well about the nature of the world, and it involves careful deliberation of universal truths

prudence

it is the capability to consider the mode of action in order to deliver change, especially to enhance the quality of life. involves using one’s insight into reality in reasoning and applying

virtues of the health care provider

1. fidelity

2. honesty

3. humility

4. respect

5. compassion

6. prudence

7. courage

types of virtue ethical theories

1. individual character ethics

2. work character ethics

3. professional character ethics

Ethical relativism

• moral relativism

• claims that there are no universal or absolute moral principles

• standards of right and wrong are always relative to a particular society

• the moral opinion of one individual is as good as any other because there is no objective bases for saying that a particular action is right or wrong apart from a specific social group

situation approach

• advocated by joseph fletcher, mentions three approaches to morality: legalism, antinomianism, and situationism

• states that the moral norm depends upon a given situation, but whatever this situation may be, one must always act in the name of Christian love

Legalistic or normative approach

• prescribes certain general moral prescription, laws, or norms that are used to judge, determine, and settle the rightness and wrongness of human judgments or decisions

antinomian approach

• frees the Christian from the obligations of the moral law, in which case there are no absolute precepts or moral principles by which to be guided in making decisions.

• for fletcher, ________ is unorthodox and provides too much freedom to individuals, which may result in anarchy and moral chaos

six propositions that are the fundamentals of Christian conscience

1. nature of love

2. reduces all value to love

3. equates love and justice

4. frees love from sentimentality

5. relation between means and ends

6. validates every judgment within its own context

pragmatism

• attributed to charles peirce and william james

• more of a theory of knowledge, truth, and meaning rather than or morality

• also known as experimentalism because of its claim that the truth must always be verified and tested by experiment

Perfect duty

• one which people must always observe, irrespective of time and place or circumstances. that a person should not harm or inflict an injury upon others

Imperfect duty

• is one which people must observe only on some occasions. that a person should show love and compassion occasionally to others, based on his/her choice

Ross’ ethics

• notion of prima facie duty

• there will always be one duty that will have a greater urgency or priority than the other, and that will be the right thing to do

actual duty

• one’s real duty in a given situation

• it is the action one ought to choose from among many other actions

Prima facie duty

• “at first view” or “so far as it appears”

• is one that directs or commands what one ought to perform when other relevant factors are not taken into account

7 types of prima facie duties

• duty of fidelity

• duty of reparation

• duty of gratitude

• duty of justice

• duty of beneficence

• duty of self improvement

• duty of non-maleficence

duty of fidelity

a person should be faithful to his/her duties, obligations, vows, and pledges

duty of reparation

one must make amends for an injury that he/she inflicted on others

duty of gratitude

an individual has to appreciate and recognize the services others have done for him/her which may be either a favor, kindness, good fortune, assistance, or saving a life

duty of justice

proper distribution of social benefits and burdens. one should not only enjoy social benefits with others but also equally share with them burdens of social living

duty of beneficence

enjoins people to not only bring about what is good for others but also help them improve their conditions with respect to virtue, intelligence, or comfort. they should contribute in whatever small way they can to their health and well-being

duty of self-improvement

a duty to improve and develop themselves with respect to virtue, intelligence and happiness. this type of duty should go hand-in-hand with other duties, for unless one performs or carries out one’s duty to oneself, the fulfillment of one’s other duties would be less effective

duty of non-malificence

• not injuring others

• one ought to avoid inflicting evil, injury, or harm upon others as one would avoid doing so to oneself. ought to prevent evil or harm, which encompasses pain, suffering, disability, and health

Rawl’s theory of justice

• as fairness described a society of free citizen holding equal basic rights and cooperating within an egalitarian economic system

• every individual is inviolable. this inviolability, which is founded on justice is so sacrosanct that nit even the general welfare of society can override and supersede

• one should choose the better and less erroneous one

Natural law ethics

• thomistic ethics after St. Thomas Aquinas

• voice of right reason or voice of conscience. moral doctrine regard right reason or the voice of reason as the moral norm insofar as individual’s natural capacity to determine what is right from what is wrong

• dictate of the voice of reason, and this dictate is express in the moral principle “the good must be done and the evil must be avoided”

Double effect principle

• applies to a situation in which a good effect and a evil effect will result from a good cause

principle of totality

• an individual has the right to cut off, mutilate, or remove any defective, worn-out, or non functioning body part; dispose his/her organs; or destroy their capacity to function “only insofar as the general well-being of the body requires it

professional virtue

• purity and holiness have religious overtones but are embodied in the Hippocratic oath.

secular virtues

• justice, temperance, courage, wisdom

• these virtue enable the nurse to be firm in facing adversity, intactness of character, to be kind and optimistic and to experience great joy in serving

virtue -based nursing model

• virtue ethics with a proposed path to moral ground adapted from the eightfold path of Buddhism

• model implies that nurses go about in their day-to-day activities, they are aware that this routine may give them dissatisfaction from their profession. but nurses should focus less on the dissatisfaction and carry on with their work

Types of virtue ethical theories

1. individual character ethics

2. work character ethics

3. professional character ethics

altruism

• is concern for the welfare and well-being of others. in professional practice.

• reflected by the nurse’s concern for the welfare of patients, other nurses, and other healthcare providers

autonomy

• is the right to self-determination

• when nurse respects patients’ right to make decision about their healthcare

human dignity

• is respect for the inherent worth and uniqueness of individuals and populations.

• reflected when the nurse values and respects all patients and colleagues.

Integrity

• reflected in professional practice when the nurse is honest and provides care based on an ethical framework

social justice

• acting in accordance with fair treatment regardless of economic status, race, ethnicity, age, citizenship, disability, or sexual orientation