Normative Ethics Overview

Case: The Ford Pinto
- Incident occurred in January 10, 1978, near Goshen, Indiana.
- 3 teenagers died due to a punctured gas tank.

Ethics: Systematic reflection on morality. Derived from Greek word 'Ethos' (custom, morals, conviction).
- Latin equivalent: 'Mos' (mores).
Morality: Totality of opinions, decisions, and actions reflecting what is collectively believed to be good or right.
- Descriptive Morality: Describes existing moral views, customs, and opinions on responsible behavior.
- Prescriptive Morality: Proposes judgments and normative recommendations on how to act or live, associated with normative ethics.

Central Questions in Normative Ethics:
- What is the right opinion, decision, or action?
- Normative Judgment: What is considered correct behavior?
- Descriptive Judgment: What was, is, or will be the case (can be true or false).
- Example: "The Challenger met all safety standards of the time."
- Normative Judgment: Evaluates goods and bads, right or wrong (e.g., "The Challenger should never have been launched").

Values: Lasting beliefs that people strive for to lead a good life.
- Examples: Justice, Health, Happiness, Charity, Equality, Liberty.
- Intrinsic values: Good in themselves (e.g., money, work).
- Instrumental Values: Help achieve intrinsic values (e.g., privacy).
Norms: Prescriptive rules outlining required, permitted, or forbidden actions.
- Example: Traffic system’s safety norms.
Virtues: Positive human traits and qualities (e.g., Justice, Honesty, Courage).
- Moral virtues develop good character (e.g., Integrity), while intellectual virtues enhance knowledge and skills.

Normative Relativism: Ethical theory claiming all moral viewpoints are equally valid.
- Problems: Leads to contradictions and unworkable moral frameworks.
Absolutism: Rigid universalism with no exceptions to rules; applies universally regardless of context.
- Conflicts and dilemmas arise, such as those involving whistleblowers.

Utilitarianism: Form of consequentialism based on the utility principle; evaluates actions by their outcomes (pleasure vs pain).
- Greatest happiness for the greatest number (Utility Principle).
- Hedonism: Pleasure is intrinsically good; all other values are instrumental.
- Cost-Benefit Analysis: Evaluates actions by listing pleasures and pains (conceptual moral balance sheet).
- Issues: Difficulties arise in quantifying pleasure; potential for exploitation; forecasting outcomes can be challenging.

Freedom Principle: Individuals are free to pursue their own happiness unless it hinders others.
- Different from Bentham's approach by considering quality of pleasures as well
- Emphasizes individual rights and no harm.
- Issues: Difficulty in balancing interests of many vs few; higher desires may conflict.

Duties Ethics: Action is morally right when it aligns with moral law, irrespective of outcomes.
- Concepts of Hypothetical Norm (conditional) vs Categorical Imperative (universal).
- Categorical imperative: Act only on that maxim which can be universally applied.
Principles:
- First Formulation: Universalizability without contradiction.
- Second Formulation: Treat all individuals as ends in themselves, not merely as means.
- Issues: Rigidity of moral laws and potential contradictions in specific cases (e.g., whistleblower scenarios).

Questions exist about the uniformity and consistency of all moral laws.
Example: Categorical imperatives may not apply universally (e.g., saving a friend by lying).
Prima Facie Norms (William Ross): Norms that should be followed unless overridden by more compelling obligations.
- Example: Promise vs helping a friend needing assistance—important to weigh the situation.

Emphasizes character and moral responsibility for leading good lives.
Aristotle's View:
- The ultimate good (Eudaimonia) is achieved through virtuous activity.
- Moral virtue represents equilibrium, balancing extremes (e.g., courage vs recklessness).
- Practical wisdom assists in making choices towards virtuous actions.

Focuses on the importance of relationships and moral development through them.
- Emphasizes care, compassion, and responsibility towards others.
In Engineering: Requires interdisciplinary skills and a focus on teamwork, diversity, and service orientation.
- Responsibilities include ensuring safety and sustainability in practices.

Standards outlined by Michael Pritchard include:
- Expertise, clear communication, cooperation, objectivity, openness to criticism, creativity, and integrity.
- Emphasizes reporting accurately and a shared responsibility in ethical practices.