...Explain absolute and relative approaches to ethics Absolutism and relativism approach ethics in two very different ways. Absolutists believe that some things are either right or wrong and there is a rule that is true in all situations, this is a lot easier to apply, whereas, relativists believe it’s a judgement that depends on the circumstances where there’s no universal right or wrong. The theory of ethical relativism holds that there are no moral rules, all principles and values depend on a particular culture or age. There is no such thing as right or wrong what’s right to someone could be wrong to someone else. An action could be bad but in itself however the response could be right, for example if your dad is in a burning building with someone who can cure cancer who would you save? That one person who means the world to you? Or the majority of the population? This mean that there is no objective basis meaning there is no truth. Relativism originated from the western ethical thinking to the city of ancient Greece. At the time of 18th BCE, being good meant being a hero and doing heroic things and being a strong, courageous person. This idea started to develop and ethical theories of Socrates, Plato and Aristotle started to become accepted as they looked at the ideas of character and virtue. Things began to change in the 16th century BCE and there was no moral certainty. Due to the exploration of different cultures such as other civilisations with different ideas,...
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...Explain the origins and key ideas behind Absolutist and Relativist ethics. The Absolutist theory is that certain actions are right or wrong from an objective point of view; it doesn’t change according to culture. People are considered to have rational and self-determination – it means they are capable of making choices and acting upon them. So, someone who looks at something from a absolutist point of view doesn’t look at the result or the consequence of an action but the action itself, (they disregard the context of the act) actions are fundamentally right or wrong which means they are right or wrong in themselves. This approach to ethics is known as ‘deontological’. This has often been based on two different ethical theories Kantianism; the view that the only intrinsically good thing is a good will and utilitarianism; that the morally best action is the one that makes the most overall happiness. Religious views of ethics often come from an absolutist view. Moral absolutism may be understood in a strictly secular context, as in many forms of deontological moral rationalism. However, many religions have morally absolutist positions as well, regarding their system of morality as deriving from divine commands. Therefore, they regard such a moral system as absolute, (usually) perfect, and unchangeable. Many secular philosophies also take a morally absolutist stance, arguing that absolute laws of morality are inherent in the nature of human beings, the nature of life in general...
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...those judgments are based are true. Consistency: to what extent do you think the following individuals are morally inconsistent? • A vegetarian who buys leather shoes • A public school teacher who educates her children at private schools. • A politician who advocates family values and has an extra-marital affair. • An environmental activist who drives an SUV Facts: what facts, if any, are relevant in assessing the following value-judgments? • Child labor should be outlawed • Genetically modified food should be banned • Rich countries should give more financial aid to poor countries Moral relativism According to moral relativism our values are determined by the society we grow up in, and there are no universal values. Moral values are simply customs or conventions that vary from culture to culture. Does relativism imply tolerance? Argument against moral relativism: A committed Nazi says that in his value system genocide is acceptable. The “he’s got his values and I’ve goes mine and who am I to say he’s wrong” response seems completely inappropriate in this case. Surely we want to say that the Nazi really IS wrong! Discussion of tolerance and moral relativism: Imagine that you come across a culture—culture X—imposing their values on another culture. As a good relativist, you insist that they have no right to impose their values on other people. What if they turn to you and state that in their culture it is...
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...Introduction Everything in life has a cause and effect; there are a limitless number of causes and effects that going into makes a person who they are how they decide to live their life. This fact is what makes ethics a fascinating thing to study because it goes to the core of we chose to live the way that we do and what is the causes that resulted in the effect of why we make the choices we make every day. I am going to look over what causes have affected me to make the choices I do, what style of philosophical approach this puts me in, and compare myself to someone else on the basis of ethical thinking. Philosophical Approaches The three philosophical approaches focused on in chapter two of the Trevino and Nelson text virtue ethics, consequentialism, deontological. If I were to rank these three philosophical approaches my order would be deontological, virtue ethics, and consequentialism. I would place the approaches in this order because first deontological focuses on doing the right thing and following my own set moral principles which I feel is the best way to make decision and most follows the way I view ethics. Next is virtue ethics, I chose this approach second because though it does not focus specifically on the action it still is based on being a “good” person and striving to do the right things when making decision even though the choices may end up with negative consequences. I would place consequentialism last because I feel that focusing more on the consequences...
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...Ethical Theories In today’s society, especially in business the question of what is ethical is a dilemma that a great deal of individuals is faced with every day. Ethics vary from person to person and culture to culture. What is unethical in the United States of America may be completely ethical in China. Dictionary.com defines ethics as the moral principles that govern a person’s or a group’s behavior. There are many different theories of ethics, and which one a person chooses to live by, depends on which theorist the individual believes to be more in line with their own personal moral beliefs. When business ethics is discussed it is hard to speak about it without mentioning the name of Milton Friedman. Milton Friedman was an economist that theorized business ethics as monetarism. He is essentially responsible for promoting the economic growth of a company and the benefits to their shareholders. The primary goal and motivating force in business is to make a profit, and try to maintain efficiency while making a profit. Friedman’s theory is in correlation with the philosophy of corporate law. In corporate law the shareholders own the company, and they vote on the Board of Directors. The greatest duty is owed to the shareholders as owners of the business. Typically the Board of Directors makes the important decisions because they ensure the company is running efficiency while making a profit at the same time. Making a profit is the primary reason any company is in business...
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...situation. Situation ethics arose in a time when the Church was going through a major change in its moral rules. Joseph Fletcher was a part of this change in the Church’s perspective. He was inspired by Jesus’ gospel message of love. Situation ethics has one single rule; the rule of agape. This love is not merely an emotion but it involves doing what is best for the other person or what decision will cause the greatest amount of good in a situation. He identified three approaches to morality. The first is legalism. Legalism is a conservative approach to morality that is rule-based, stiff and unchanging. It resembles a traditionalist Christian view where something is based on absolute morality. For example, some Christians would see abortion as murder so it is wrong in all situations, independent of the situation, due to ‘Do not kill’ being one of the Ten Commandments. Fletcher explained that this approach can run into problems because life’s complex situations require additional laws. For example murder is wrong but what about self defence? Killing in war? Etc. The second approach is antinomianism. This is the complete opposite of legalism. It’s literal meaning is ‘against law’. Antinomianism is the morality where no rules can be applied and each situation should be dealt with uniquely due to each situation taking different routes. We can never predetermine the effect and result a decision will have and cause so there is no use trying to apply a rule to a situation that...
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...Nasreen Due to the modernizing world, a lot is changing. Same sex couples are fighting for their privileges and acceptance, rights such as same sex marriage, and benefits that straight married couple’s get. Even though same-sex marriage has recently been accepted in Washington by the Defense of Marriage Act on a Wednesday as stated in the article, right after ten in the morning, many other states in America have not yet legalized same-sex marriage. (Banco 2009). Though Washington has successfully accepted same-sex marriage, thirty-seven states still consider same sex marriage illegal (Banco 2009). Something is preventing some individuals, or states to accept same-sex marriage, and this is because of the expected framework of the society which lies upon religious and moral beliefs regarding ethnocentric fallacy. In the Article Narrative, “As Rulings Are Announced, Cheers and Tears Among Waiting Crowd”, and “Defense of Marriage Act Overturned”, Media narrative, it is now legal for same-sex marriage in Washington. After waiting for days for the Defense of Marriage Act, a decision of legalizing same-sex marriage in Washington is finally made. Even though numerous changes are adapted, many still are not. Activists are warning gay couples not to expect benefits immediately because government agencies have varied rules (Banco 2009) . Not all states will be able to receive the same rights and benefits for same sex marriage. Past moral beliefs are one of the concerns preventing...
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...Ethics Barb Butzen Ashford University PHI 208 Instructor Nicholes 11/01/2013 Ethics Ethical theories are based on questions of how humans should behave with each other. These theories give guidance and define what is right and wrong and how such behavior can aid in building a unified society. There are three major types of ethical theories; deontological, utilitarian, and virtue ethics and each theory brings with it a different set of strengths and weaknesses. While the three types of ethical theories contain great meaning, time has shown that universal ethical principles cannot be achieved because ethics is a learned behavior and cultural relativists will argue that right or wrong is decided by each individual culture. Deontological Theory Immanuel Kant is a philosopher most famous for his rationalism of the deontological theory. According to Kant, deontological theories are based on a duty that humans have a moral obligation to behave according to certain principles or laws. Kant questions what the fundamental source of morality and duty is, as well as what actions are committed by humans to justify an evaluation of those actions as right or wrong. Kant’s conclusion is that the ability we possess to rationally make decisions and our free will is the source of morality. Kant further concludes that rationality is the only action that can dictate the rules of morality (Kantian, n.d.). Kant’s categorical imperatives are certain rules that are a requirement...
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...1) January 2013 Examine the defining characteristics of Situation Ethics (21) Situation ethics is an ethical theory pioneered by Joseph Fletcher in the 1960's, a time in which society and the church were facing drastic change. It is an idealistic, teleological, consequentialist theory that resolves ethical and moral issues relative to the situation. In contrast to utilitarianism, Situation ethics is based on Christian principles and primarily the promotion of agape. Fletcher's liberal, less rule based theory is based on one absolute law, which when applied properly, handles every situation. Subsequently, Fletcher rejects the deontological view of 'right and wrong' decisions in a situation and believes that ethical decisions should follow flexible guidelines rather than absolute rules. Situation ethics developed in the 1960's, a time of social, cultural and moral change in the Western countries. After the Second World War, the post war generation threw off the shackles of paternalism, authority plus the law and government. Sexual liberation advanced as methods of contraception became freely available and more reliable. The introduction of the contraceptive pill allowed women to express their new individualism and freedom. Many people began to turn away from the church and blamed factors such as "Greater independence; more money.the weakening of family bonds and religious influences; the development of earlier maturity, physically, emotionally and mentally; the impact of modern...
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...Introduction Throughout our world, violence confronts us daily. We hear about it on the news. We read about it in newspapers and on the Internet. We experience it subtly and overtly in all cultures and across nations in incidents ranging from ethnic slurs to hate crimes to violence carried out in the name of ideology. Such incidents of violence tend to be easily seen as they fall within the public domain. Less visible, however, but often more devastating, is the domestic violence that occurs within the family and often against women. The International Council of Nurses (ICN) (2001) notes in a summary of research done on four continents that as many as 20 to 50 percent of all women in the studies reported experiencing partner violence. But what are the links among domestic violence, health care profession, nurses, and ethics? In moral philosophy, there is a long tradition of debate on whether true moral dilemmas can exist, some arguing that it will always be possible to decide which obligation should prevail. On this concept regardless of the abstract possibility of an ideal resolution and the pragmatic reality that decisions are made and people have to live with them. An ethical dilemma presents a choice that must be made between two mutually exclusive courses of action, each of which is perceived to rest on a moral obligation that carries significant weight for the actor confronting the dilemma. According to Draucker (2002} addresses intimate partner abuse as repeatable...
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...Ethical Subjectivism, also known as individual relativism, is the meta-ethical view that there are no objective truths in ethic; moral claims are true or false based upon individuals’ feelings. Ethical theory is a theory of what is right and wrong. This stance on ethics is the opposite of another ethical stance called meth ethical antirealism. Meth ethical antirealism is centered on the idea that because there is no right and wrong actions, just personal preferences there is no such thing as morality. It also states that morals are just a personal preference So, any moral claim may be translated as a reporting of one’s feelings. The best example here in this type is “Stealing things from good friends is wrong” can be rewrite as “I disapprove of stealing things from good friends.” In this case, moral right or wrong is based on the individual’s opinion. In the other word, if two people have different opinions about a same moral questions. Then they might have two opposite ideas. For instance, Katie believes that lying is wrong because when people lied to her, they expect to treat him like a thing not a person. However, Samira thinks that lying is right due to some cases that people can save innocent lives by lying to a bunch of dangerous guys. I can say that both of them are right because they have their own evidence to approve their ideas. There is no certain evidence that moral rules exist. So, moral truth exists, but is not based on universal standards. Nobody can say that...
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...THE CHALLENGE OF CULTURAL RELATIVISM by JAMES RACHELS “Morality differs in every society, and is a convenient term for socially approved habits.” Ruth Benedict, Patterns of Culture (1934) 2.1 How Different Cultures Have Different Moral Codes Darius, a king of ancient Persia, was intrigued by the variety of cultures he encountered in his travels. He had found, for example, that the Callatians (a tribe of Indians) customarily ate the bodies of their dead fathers. The Greeks, of course, did not do that—the Greeks practiced cremation and regarded the funeral pyre as the natural and fitting way to dispose of the dead. Darius thought that a sophisticated understanding of the world must include an appreciation of such differences between cultures. One day, to teach this lesson, he summoned some Greeks who happened to be present at his court and asked them what they would take to eat the bodies of their dead fathers. They were shocked, as Darius knew they would be, and replied that no amount of money could persuade them to do such a thing. Then Darius called in some Callatians, and while the Greeks listened asked them what they would take to burn their dead fathers' bodies. The Callatians were horrified and told Darius not even to mention such a dreadful thing. This story, recounted by Herodotus in his History illustrates a recurring theme in the literature of social science: Different cultures have different moral codes. What is thought right within one group may be utterly abhorrent...
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...Unit 5 Intercultural Communication Overview. This unit focuses on the role of communication in the relationships of peoples and groups with different cultural, ethnic, religious or social backgrounds. It looks at both the cultural barriers to effective communication as well as to various ways those barriers can be overcome. This unit also addresses the concept of dialogue as the use of communication to achieve harmony, mutual understanding and respect among peoples and groups. Learning Outcomes: Students who complete Unit 5 will be able to: explain the role of ethnocentrism in intercultural communication discuss guidelines for effective intercultural and interreligious communication compare Arabic and English communication patterns demonstrate intercultural aspects of inter-religious communication Key Concepts for Unit 5 Definition and conceptualization of intercultural communication and overview of guidelines Overview of ethnocentrism and prejudice in communication Definition and conceptualization of dialogue as a model of communication ► Intercultural Communication Nations and people of the world are increasingly interconnected and mutually interdependent. Globally, most cities and countries are becoming more diverse internally, with citizens and residents of varying races, religions, ethnicities and national backgrounds. Meanwhile, greater the risk is associated with economic or political aloofness and social isolation. All of these social forces are fostering increasingly...
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...'Virtue ethics offers a refreshing approach to morality but its main weakness is that it is too vague.’ Discuss Virtue ethics is it two edged blade in that it has many advantages but also some drawbacks. For example, it is important to question the exactness of its nature and want to make such clarifications. For example, we may ask what exactly constitutes a virtue, are some of the virtues to be prioritised and what are the consequences of not being virtuous. Some maybe argue that within virtue ethics there is entailed no clear guidance for specific behaviour, whether or not we should follow a role model and is being virtuous its own reward. Perhaps the virtues are gender specific, perhaps they should be relative to each situation and perhaps they help us achieve Eudemonia. These are all uncertainties that need to be dealt with when analysing virtue ethics. On the one hand virtue ethics ethics is perhaps too vague. In theory an ethical ideology should provide humans with some kind of clear moral compass for acting in a principled manner, according to a specific guideline. Since virtue ethics is so ambiguous and interpretable there may be discrepancies between people attempting to follow it. By the same token virtue ethics is also a subjective system as it gives no specific advice on how to act in certain situations, this is accentuated as it is unclear whether or not humans should follow a role model. In modern day society many issues are very contentious are whether or...
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...working principles When establishing his version of Situation Ethics, Fletcher used four key principles which he aimed to fulfil in writing his theory: 1. Pragmatism (it has to work in daily life - it must be practical) 2. Relativism (there should be no fixed rules) 3. Positivism (it must put faith before reasoning – "I am a Christian, so what should I do?") 4. Personalism (people should be at the centre of the theory) Six Fundamental Principles There are six fundamental things that underlie Fletcher's Situation Ethics: 1. Love is the only absolute (it is intrinsically good) 2. Christian decision making is based on love 3. Justice is love distributed 4. Love wants the good for anyone, whoever they are 5. Only the end justifies the means 6. Love is acted out situationally not prescriptivally Advantages of Situation Ethics The key advantage is that it uses rules to provide a framework but allows people to break rules to reflect life's complexities. Disadvantages of Situation Ethics * It does not provide a clear definition of what love actually is. * Some might say it is too subjective – because decisions have to be made from within the situation. * Humans do not have a bird’s eye view on a situation so have difficulty in seeing what the consequences will be. * Agape love is too much to aspire to and may be polluted by a...
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