Ethics (MODULE 1)

• Ethics is the study of ethical principles, codes, or systems that are strictly observed or followed
• Ethics determines what conduct is good and what is bad
• Ethics and morals are similar, both related to human behavior
• Moral refers to the conduct itself
• Moral is the application of ethical principles
• The term moral is distinct from ethics
• Ethical behavior conforms to accepted standards with a code of ethics
• Unethical behavior deviates from the norm without an ethical code
• Moral behavior is understood in the same way as ethical behavior, what is good or right in human behavior
• Immoral behavior does not conform to moral standards, not morally good or right
• Amoral refers to doing one's duty
• Unmoral refers to neglecting duties
• Nonmoral refers to matters unrelated to ethics or morals, like choosing what shirt to wear
• Right refers to something to which one has a just claim, properly, power, or privilege
• Obligation is a duty or responsibility to which one is bound
• Rights and obligations are correlative terms with a mutual relation
• Norms are standards that guide, control, and define acceptable behavior
• Moral standards involve rules about morally right and wrong actions
• Non-moral standards are rules unrelated to moral or ethical considerations
• Morality refers to the standards individuals or groups have about what is right and wrong, good and evil
• Dilemmas involve choosing between two or more choices
• Ethical dilemmas and moral dilemmas are used interchangeably
• Teleological ethics are result-oriented, depending on the outcome
• Deontological ethics are action-oriented, regardless of the result if the action is bad
• Types of dilemmas include: Epistemic, Ontological, Obligation, and Prohibition
• Epistemic dilemmas involve not knowing the choice (if good/bad)
• Ontological dilemmas involve needing to choose without knowledge being the issue
• Obligation dilemmas involve choosing between two obligations where both choices are good or two prohibited actions
• Prohibition dilemmas involve choosing between two prohibited actions
• Levels of ethical behaviors and norms/actions include Hypernorms, Consistent norms, Moral free space, and Illegitimate norms
• Hypernorms are accepted by all cultures and organizations
• Consistent norms are culturally specific but consistent with hypernorms, legitimate norms, and organizational cultures
• Moral free space has tension with hypernorms but are unique cultural beliefs
• Illegitimate norms are not accepted by any culture or organization and are incompatible with hypernorms
• Three levels of understanding ethics include micro-level, meso-level, and macro-level
• Micro-level (personal) involves human values or personal perspectives
• Meso-level (professional) depends on guidelines
• Macro-level (societal/environmental level) considers public interest and benefits, involving public decisions that consider everyone