...performance of affirmative action using logical arguments ethical theories, and perspectives. This paper will examine in what way a Utilitarian, Deontologist, Virtue Ethicist, Relativist and an Ethical Egoist would debate against the use of affirmative action. The case will be made by demonstrating why this practice is unquestionably unethical and discriminatory. Affirmative action is frequently used to give subgroups a benefit when applying for jobs, colleges or other organizations. In some cases, companies are financially incentivized to be racially diverse and in other instances extra points are given for test results. The result of these practices enables candidates, which could be less experienced to satisfy a position, to be chosen in order to achieve minority quotas. Affirmative action was passed to push back opposed to racism after segregation was viewed unlawful in order to get the government and employers to employ minorities; however, it is twisted by issues. In order to comprehend how an ethical perspective or theory would deal with affirmative action, it is necessary to first comprehend the view or approach. Utilitarianism is acknowledged as an important ethical theory, which only means that it centers on the expected result of an act, instead of the principles of the act itself or the agent involved in the action. The Utilitarian may endorse using the motto, “the ends justify the means”. The most fundamental evidence of Utilitarianism is that the agent must choose...
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...characteristics of virtue ethics are a force that drives ethical behavior, instead of rules or deontology. Normative ethical philosophies are a collection of virtue ethics that stresses being rather than doing. Virtue ethics are focused on the characteristics of morals not rules and consequences. Virtue ethics and deontology are different in the way that moral dilemmas are approached and solved (Virtue Ethics, n.d.). Telling lies is wrong even if the results are good according to deontologists. A virtue ethicist is someone who focuses on the decision to lie more than on the lie told in the first place. While virtue ethics are considered self-centered and they should not be used to guide our actions. These ethics will encourage people to get rid of bad habits and help develop new character traits. A virtue ethicist will in any instance worry less about the lie and think about the decision to lie or not, tells about someone’s character and morals. Lying could be based on a case by case situation, based on personal benefit, intentions and a group benefits from it (Virtue Ethic, n.d.). Following rules would be considered the use of deontology or duty ethics. Deontology approaches the ethics that judges morality based on how you adhere to a rule or rules (Davidson College, 2002). These rules are considered to be a point of contention and criticism in deontological ethics. All actions are judged on how they adhere to or lack, to an objective moral code of ethics. A deontologist will argue...
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... INTRODUCTION DEFINITION ETHICAL PRINCIPLES • BENEFICENCE • LEAST HARM • RESPECT FOR AUTONOMY • JUSTICE ETHICAL THEORIES • DEONTOLOGY • UTILITARIASM • RIGHTS • CASUIST • VIRTUE VIEW OR NOTABLE SCHOLARS • PLATO ABSOLUTION • ARISOTLE: EUDEMONISM • ST. THOMAS AQUINESS – NATURAL LAW • IMMANUEL KANT: DEONTOLOGY • JOHN STUART MILL – UTILITARISM • JOHN RAWLS – CONGRATURIANISM • TOM REGAN: RIGHTS THEORY (BONUS THEORY ) • TENTATIVE COMPARISON (TABLE & GRAPH) • CRITICISM AGAINST DEONTOLOGY: “ “ UTILITARIANISM “ “ RIGHTS “ “ CASUIST “ “ VIRTUE • CONCLUSION • REFERENCES CRITICISMS OF ETHICAL THEORIES INTRODUCTION The art of critiquing is basically to appraise a work i.e articles, write-ups, novels etc. Critiquing does not aim to condemn or castigate a paper but to seek the flaws, identify the various meanings, put up better explanations on the subject, seek the weaknesses and strengths and give opinions to enhance the quality of the discourse. The topic of this discourse is ETHICAL THEORIES CRITICISM. We shall examine the definition of ethics, the meaning of ethical theories, types of ethnical theories and the various submissions of famous scholars, its relevance to the society interactivity and criticize them in comparison with what obtains in the modern day. DEFINITION Ethical...
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...Ethics and Social Responsibility (ETH 316) November 29, 2011 Sandra White Virtue ethics describes the character of a moral agent as a driving force for ethical behavior, rather than rules (deontology). Virtue ethics is a collection of normative ethical philosophies that emphasizes on being than doing. Virtue ethics focuses on the character of the moral agent instead of the rules and consequences. The differences between virtue ethics, and deontology lies in the way moral dilemmas are approached and solved. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtue_ethics) Deontologist says that telling lies are wrong even if gives good results. A Virtue ethicist concentrates less on the lie told and more on the decision to lie. Virtue ethics has been considered to be self centered and not to guide our actions properly. Virtue ethics encourages people to develop good character traits and break bad habits. A virtue ethicist, however, would focus less on lying in any particular instance and instead consider what a decision to tell a lie or not tell a lie said about one's character and moral behavior. As such, lying would be made in a case-by-case basis that would be based on factors such as personal benefit, group benefit, and intentions (as to whether they are benevolent or malevolent). (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtue_ethics) Deontological or duty ethics emphasizes on following rules. Deontological is an approach to ethics that judges the morality of an action based on the action's adherence...
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...Ethics Essay Joseph Grandmaison University of Phoenix Ethics and Social Responsibility ETH/316 Denise Antoon September 15, 2013 Ethics Essay To understand the similarities and differences between the virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontological ethics there must be first understanding what each are separately. Virtue ethics theory stresses the character of a person and the virtues that his or her character embodies relating to their ethical behavior. Utilitarianism theory emphasizes that the right course of action is the one that fully maximizes happiness and reduces suffering of many. Deontological ethics judges the morality of a given choice based on the adherence to rules. Deontological ethics is sometimes described as duty or obligation ethics based because it holds a person accountable for his or her position or roles rules. These three theories are similar because they describe how a person or people decide what is ethical behavior in any given situation or way of life. They are process by which we judge moral choices, right, and wrong. These are used to guide a person on the moral choices he or she must make daily. The three theories described virtue, utilitarianism, and deontological, although very similar put more emphasis on different principals to judge what is moral and what is not. A utilitarian will choose to share the excess food supply of the richer in a community to feed the poor. This choice to them is moral because it serves the greatest good...
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...perspective, “the utilitarian is concerned with maximizing the benefits for the maximum number of people” (Holmes, Pg. 43), which invokes an appropriate theoretic principle for the probability of diminishing the resolve of the prisoner through torture. These efforts of torture would also be associated with consequentialism, which is results oriented; driven to achieve the best results by any means necessary and doing whatever is needed to get the job done by allowing the ends to justify the means. Obtaining the needed information by means of torture for the benefit of saving human lives would be the underlying principle of achieving the greatest good for the greater number of individuals involved. Kantian duty-based ethics states, “we must act out of regard for duty and respect for moral law, (…) always treat persons as ends and not just as means” (Holmes, Pg. 63), which would be associated with deontology that is ruled based. As an American being threatened with terrorist attacks, which would cause massive loss of life, a duty to America and its citizens would be to obtain any and all necessary intelligence that would aid in preventing such an act. Acting on a moral and civic duty to country and person(s) as well as a respect for life, deontologists would not necessarily be against having good consequences and imparting those said consequences upon the prisoner who wants to partake in devaluing American life. Virtue ethics and Christian-principle based ethics are both biblically...
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...CHAPTER 1: THE IMPORTANCE OF BUSINESS ETHICS Ethics- Inquiry into the nature and grounds of morality where the term of morality is taken to mean moral judgments, standards and rules of conduct. The American Heritage Dictionary- Ethics- The study of the general nature of morals and of specific moral choices, moral philosophy, and the rules or standards governing the conducts of the members of a profession. Applying Ethics to business: 1.To survive, business must earn a profit 2. Business must balance their desires for profits against the needs and desires of society. Business ethics comprises the principles and standards that guide behavior in the world of business. CHAPTER 2: STAKEHOLDER RELATIONSHIPS, SOCIAL RESPONDSIBILITY, AND CORPERATE GOVERNANCE. In a business context, customers, investors and shareholders, employees, suppliers, government agencies, communities, and many others who have a “stake” or claim in some aspect of a company’s products, operations, markets, industry, and outcomes are known as stakeholders. These groups are influenced by business, but they also have the ability to influence businesses; thus, the relationship between companies and their stakeholders is a two-way street. Stakeholders provide resources that are more or less critical to a firm’s long-term success. These resources may be both tangible and intangible. Primary stakeholders are those whose continued association is absolutely necessary for a firm’s survival; these include...
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...Theories of Ethics Consequentialism (Utilitarianism) Consequentialism sees the rightness or wrongness of an action in terms of the consequences brought about by that action. The most common form of consequentialism is utilitarianism. Utilitarianism holds that one should act so as to do the greatest good for the greatest number. The good as defined by J.S. Mill would be the presence of pleasure and the absence of pain. Utilitarians are concerned with the aggregate happiness of all beings capable of experiencing pleasure or pain including nonhuman animals. They consider the principle of utility to be the act, which produces the greatest balance of good over evil. Utilitarians consider both the happiness-producing and unhappiness-producing consequences of several alternative actions before deciding on one. A nineteenth century philosopher Jeremy Bentham created a checklist called the hedonic calculus. Bentham designed what he termed the hedonic calculus to enable people to measure the overall happiness- or pleasure-producing consequences of actions in terms of their duration, intensity, certainty, propinquity, fecundity, purity, and extent. This tool would not work in today’s society because happiness or pleasure as we know it would be difficult to measure on a numeric scale. There are two forms of utilitarians. Act utilitarians directly apply the principle of utility to each case as it arises. Rule utilitarians apply the principle of utility to general rules of...
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...weaknesses, one can make the most informed decision when trying to achieve an ethically correct answer to a dilemma. Ethics Essay Even though people usually base their individual choice of ethical theory upon their life experiences (1,2). Each of these theories is seen every day through in our actions and decisions. One of the virtue theories that I can relate to is virtue, which encourages me to be the best that I can be, and put forth the effort necessary to be successful in my endeavors. I believe that by being the best person I can be, I not only demonstrate discipline, but that I also acquire the tools and knowledge necessary to take what I have learned and use it to help others. People usually base their individual choice of ethical theory upon their life experiences (1,2). It seems I'm personally drawn more to Virtue Ethics and Deontology, but I'm not sure which would over power the other. Theory Differences Deontological ethics contend that individuals should lead by example and establish moral precedent through their virtuous actions. The deontological theory states that people should adhere to their obligations and duties when analyzing an ethical dilemma. This means that a person will follow his or her obligations to another individual or society because upholding one's duty is what is considered ethically correct (1,2). For instance, a deontologist will always keep his promises to a friend and will follow the law. A person who follows this theory will produce very...
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...The movie “John Q” is filled with ethical and moral dilemmas throughout its course. It gives us a clear notion of the duties of public servants, and private administrators with regards to ethical decision they face in the daily execution of duties in communities they represent. In this analysis, I will explore the ethical and moral values of the main characters in the movie in performing their various official capacities. I will also elaborate on health insurance coverage by defining and reviewing the difference and similarities of PPO and HMO. Below is an ethical analysis of the characters in the movie “John Q.”: First of all let me explain what the movie is about before touching on the moral and ethical dilemmas of the characters. The director of this movie Nick Cassavetes reveals a social issue in the health care industry. He explains the ordeals of John Archibald, whose son has a serious cardiac condition that requires urgent surgery. John did not have an appropriate health insurance policy to cover the cost of the operation; the hospital chooses not to take the Good Samaritan route, and refuse to proceed with the operation. Therefore, John Q is confronted with a moral dilemma to accept fate and prepare for his son’s funeral as the Hope Memorial Hospital administrator, Rebecca Payne have suggested, or raise funds for the cardiac operation, which is a daunting task considering the time and emergency nature of the situation his son is in. John decided to take the...
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...referred to as “the greatest good for the greatest number” or “greater good” ethics (Boylan, 2009). Basically, when utilitarianism is useful to any decision the outcome should end with appeal to the largest number of affected individuals. In this form of ethics it is commonly seen in business and capitalist environments (Boylan, 2009). Virtue Theory The next theory of ethics is virtue ethics focusing on the individual’s personality rather than the rules or the consequences of any action taken. In this theory it examines whether or not the person is of good standing or good character rather than what decisions are made (Garrett, 2005). This does not mean that rules, intentions, consequences, and outcome are not important but rather that the ethical standard of the individual are based on his or her demonstration of good intentions, virtue, and ethics through the actions they take (Garrett, 2005). Deontology Deontology is different than virtue it emphasizes the duty for action based on planned rules, and principles. Doing well a making the right decision or action is of main point in this theory of ethics. The difference between deontology and utilitarianism is that deontology relies more on the decision than on the consequence of the action (Boylan, 2009). Deontology is focuses on principles and rules rather than intentions or consequences. Similarities between Theories The three theories of ethics show notable similarities, including some impact from consequence of action...
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...Under these principles, virtue is defined in terms of qualities that help one “pierce the veil of selfish consciousness and join the world as it really is” and morality can then be determined “by the possession and exercise of such virtues.” (Murdoch, 1971). John ignores the needs and happiness for others, selfishly concerned only for himself. Filled with vice, his acts result in moral wrongness. He does not exercise virtues, because he still does not possess a virtuous character when he performs his corrupt actions, selling overpriced products to innocent people. As a result of his self-driven impulses, John would not be classified as virtuous or moral at...
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...An analysis of The Parable of the Sadhu Table of Contents Table of Contents Pg 2 Introduction Pg 3 Background Pg 3 Analysis Pg 5 The teleological approach Pg 5 The deontological approach Pg 6 The virtue ethics approach Pg 7 A better Solution Pg 10 Conclusion Pg 12 References Pg 14 Introduction The Parable of the Sadhu, by former Morgan Stanley executive, Bowen McCoy, is a narrative illustrating the differences between individual and group ethical values and the need for today’s business managers to have a plan to help guide their team through ethical problems that may suddenly arise. This paper will examine McCoy’s story to see how the actions of the group players relate to teleological, deontological, and virtue ethic theories, as described in Managing Business Ethics. Finally, I will recommend how those actions could have been managed better using proper preparation and fostering an environment where individuals are supported and encouraged to take charge of any crisis. Background In 1982, Bowen McCoy spent several months hiking through Nepal as part of a sabbatical program offered to executives of Morgan Stanley. Midway through the difficult trek, as he and several others were preparing to attain the highest point of their climb, they encountered the body of an Indian holy man, or sadhu. Wearing little clothing and shivering in the bitter cold, he was barely alive. McCoy and...
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...Whistleblowing and Ethical Motivations Marie Whitehead Soc. 120 Introduction to Ethics and Social Responsibility Prof: Christopher Messer March 31, 2014 The term whistleblower was first used in England and referred to the practice of British police officers blowing a whistle when a crime was being committed. This would then raise the alarm to other law enforcement officers to alert them that something was endangering the public (Princeton, n.d.). Today, however, the term shares a much broader meaning and is met with a variety of ethical motivations. When we hear the term, “whistleblower”, we know that someone has raised a concern regarding a possible wrongdoing in either a government agency or a private company, and they want to make others aware. The status of the whistleblower is often debated: as Rothschild and Miethe (1999) note, “some see whistleblowers as traitorous violators of organizational loyalty norms; other see whistleblowers as heroic defenders of values considered more important than company loyalty”. In addition, whistleblowing is a “new form of worker resistance” relevant to the “unending battle between labor and management to control the workplace” (Rothschild, et.al, 1999). But with the right motives in place, whistleblowing is good for an organization or agency because it protects that organization and agency from fraud, misconduct, and in most cases, failure. And, when affective communication is in place, the organization’s goals are kept in...
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...Is Euthanasia Immoral Active euthanasia is the willful taking of a person’s life to relieve them of pain and suffering (lethal injection) and passive euthanasia (discontinuing treatment) is to cease medical treatment to prevent the prolonging of pain and suffering resulting in death. The objective and purpose of this paper is to dispute and argue against the use of active euthanasia as a cautious selection of choice to end a persons’ life based on the purposes of relieving pain and suffering for that person using Kantian theory to best support this claim. This paper will consider the ethical complexities of euthanasia. It will take into consideration and briefly explain the ethical theories of deontology, utilitarianism, and virtue ethics to analyze whether the use of active euthanasia is indeed a moral act and if it is morally permissible for doctors to end the lives of their patients by use of euthanasia and should laws allow it? Euthanasia is a form of suicide. People should not be allowed to kill themselves nor should others be allowed to assist them in doing it. The debate of the use of active and passive euthanasia and whether it should be morally permissible and accepted into law has been under much controversy over the years. Active euthanasia should not be permitted because it violates laws against killing, such as criminal homicide-the unlawful taking of the life of another. It is also contrary to the role of the physician which is to prolong the life of patients...
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