Philosophy 316 All

Ethics (Moral Philosophy)

The study of right and wrong and the moral principles that guide human behavior.

Purpose of Ethics

To determine how people should live, what is right and wrong, and what moral principles should guide behavior.

Morality

The principles or standards that determine whether actions are right or wrong.

Moral Judgment

A decision about whether an action is morally right or wrong.

Moral Reasoning

Using logic and evidence to decide what is morally right or wrong.

Moral Responsibility

Being accountable for your actions and their effects on others.

Justice

Fair and equal treatment of people.

Duty

A moral obligation to act in a certain way.

Obligation

Something a person is morally required to do.

Ethics

The study of right and wrong, fairness, justice, duty, and moral responsibility.

Character

A person's moral qualities and values.

Moral Rules

Standards that guide acceptable behavior.

Fairness

Treating people equally and without favoritism.

Justice and Injustice

Justice means fairness; injustice means unfair treatment.

Ethical Person

Someone who acts according to moral principles.

Immoral

Behavior that violates accepted moral standards.

Ethical vs. Moral

The textbook uses these words interchangeably.

Business Ethics

The study of what is morally right and wrong in business situations.

Organizational Ethics

The study of ethical behavior in all organizations, including businesses, governments, and nonprofits.

Business

An organization that provides goods or services for profit.

Organization

A group of people working together toward a common goal.

Businessperson

Someone involved in planning, organizing, or directing business activities.

Ancient Example of Business Ethics

Cicero's story of the wheat merchant deciding whether to tell buyers more grain was on the way.

Why Business Ethics Matters

Businesses make decisions that affect employees, customers, investors, and society.

Theranos

A blood-testing company that falsely claimed its technology could perform many tests using only a finger-prick blood sample.

Elizabeth Holmes

Founder of Theranos who misled investors, doctors, patients, and business partners about the company's technology.

Edison Machine

Theranos' blood-testing machine that frequently produced inaccurate results.

Main Ethical Problem at Theranos

Fraud and deception.

Who Was Harmed by Theranos?

Patients, doctors, investors, employees, Walgreens, Safeway, and the public.

Why Was Theranos Unethical?

The company knowingly reported unreliable medical results and deceived investors and business partners.

Professional Responsibility

The duty to perform your job honestly and competently.

Fraud

Intentional deception for personal or financial gain.

Deception

Deliberately misleading others.

Honesty

Being truthful in words and actions.

Moral Standards

Rules that concern actions affecting human well-being.

Nonmoral Standards

Rules involving etiquette, fashion, grammar, or technical skills rather than morality.

Three Characteristics of Moral Standards

1. Concern serious human well-being. 2. Take priority over other standards. 3. Must be supported by good reasons.

Human Well-Being

People's health, safety, happiness, dignity, and quality of life.

Moral Principles

General rules about what actions are right or wrong.

Moral Code

The collection of moral principles accepted by a person or society.

Etiquette

Rules of polite and socially acceptable behavior.

Good Etiquette

Behaving politely and respectfully according to social customs.

Bad Etiquette

Violating accepted social customs or manners.

Difference Between Morality and Etiquette

Etiquette concerns manners; morality concerns right and wrong.

Can Etiquette Become a Moral Issue?

Yes. Disrespectful behavior can violate a person's dignity and become an ethical issue.

Example of Etiquette Becoming a Moral Issue

A boss calling female employees 'honey' or 'doll,' which may be disrespectful and sexist.

Constitutional Law

Laws based on the U.S. Constitution and state constitutions.

Statute

A law passed by Congress or a state legislature.

Administrative Regulation

Rules created by government agencies under authority granted by legislatures.

Common Law

Law developed through court decisions and legal precedents.

Legality

Whether an action follows the law.

Morality vs. Law

Something can be legal but immoral, or illegal but morally right.

Good Samaritan Laws

Laws protecting people who voluntarily help others in emergencies.

Martin Luther King Jr.'s View of Law

Unjust laws should be challenged because morality is more important than unjust human laws.

Moral Floor of the Law

Law establishes the minimum standard of acceptable behavior, but morality often requires more.

Example of Illegal but Moral Behavior

Hiding Jewish families from the Nazis during World War II.

Example of Legal but Immoral Behavior

Advising clients to make poor investments for personal financial gain.

Professional Code of Ethics

Rules governing the conduct of members of a profession.

Purpose of Professional Codes

To promote ethical behavior and professional responsibility.

Limitation of Professional Codes

They do not guarantee ethical behavior and may contain nonmoral rules.

Why Professionals Must Think Independently

Because professional codes are not always morally correct.

Corporate Code of Ethics

Ethical guidelines established by a company for its employees.

Enron Example

Enron had a detailed ethics code but still committed major accounting fraud, showing that a code alone does not ensure ethical behavior.

Where Moral Standards Come From

Moral standards come from upbringing, culture, experiences, role models, and personal reflection, but philosophers focus on whether they can be justified.

Moral Beliefs

Personal beliefs about what is right and wrong.

Moral Justification

Providing good reasons to support a moral belief or action.

Critical Reflection

Carefully thinking about and evaluating your moral beliefs.

Ethical Theory

A system of ideas that explains and justifies moral principles.

Normative Ethics

The branch of ethics that studies what people ought to do and which moral principles are correct.

Religion

A system of beliefs and worship that often includes moral teachings and values.

Golden Rule

Treat others the way you want to be treated.

Golden Rule in Christianity

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Golden Rule in Judaism

"Love your neighbor as yourself."

Golden Rule in Islam

Love for your brother what you love for yourself.

Golden Rule in Buddhism

Do not hurt others in ways that would hurt you.

Golden Rule in Confucianism

Do not do to others what you do not want done to yourself.

Golden Rule in Hinduism

What is best for others is also best for yourself.

Original Sin

The Christian belief that humans are born morally flawed.

Morality and Religion

Religion influences morality, but morality is not dependent on religion.

Three Reasons Morality Does Not Depend on Religion

People can be moral without religion, religious texts require interpretation, and morality is not based solely on God's commands.

Divine Command Theory

The belief that actions are right or wrong because God commands or forbids them.

Problem with Divine Command Theory

It suggests morality is arbitrary because God could command anything.

Why Many Philosophers Reject Divine Command Theory

They believe God commands actions because they are morally right, not that they become right simply because God commands them.

Why Religious Texts Cannot Answer Every Ethical Question

They are often general and require interpretation and moral reasoning.

Can Atheists Be Moral?

Yes. People can act morally because of empathy, conscience, habit, and concern for others.

Ethical Relativism

The belief that what is right and wrong depends on what a society believes.

Cultural Relativism

The idea that moral standards differ among cultures.

Relativist View of Morality

There are no universal moral standards; morality depends on culture.

Aztec Example

Ethical relativists argue that human sacrifice was morally right for the Aztecs because their society accepted it.

Evidence Used to Support Ethical Relativism

Different cultures have different moral beliefs and customs.

Does Moral Disagreement Prove Ethical Relativism?

No. Disagreement does not prove that every opinion is equally correct.

Math Analogy Against Relativism

Two students getting different math answers does not mean both answers are correct.

First Problem with Ethical Relativism

It prevents criticizing immoral practices in other societies.

Second Problem with Ethical Relativism

It makes moral progress impossible.

Third Problem with Ethical Relativism

It prevents people from criticizing their own society's moral standards.

Fourth Problem with Ethical Relativism

It assumes the majority is always morally right.

Moral Progress

Improve in a society's moral standards over time.

Why Ethical Relativism Rejects Moral Progress

If society determines morality, then moral standards cannot become better or worse.

Reformer

Someone who challenges accepted practices and works to improve society.

Ethical Relativism's View of Reformers

Reformers are morally wrong until society agrees with them.