2: The Importance of Ethical Thinking and PACE

Question 1

What is ethics?

Answer 1

Branch of philosophy exploring what ought to be decent and appropriate human behaviour.
- how we should live and act

Question 2

What is normative ethics?

Answer 2

How we OUGHT to BEHAVE, what are right and wrong actions –> studying ethical actions

Includes:
- consequentialism
- deontological ethics
- virtue ethics

Question 3

Normative ethics –> Consequentialism

Answer 3

Consequentialism / Utilitarianism
- focus on the consequence of our actions
- believing that we will make good ethical decisions when we have good intention and when aiming to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people

Critiques
- unintended consequences with no good outcomes
- what about the people who are left out by this decision making –> e.g. should Simon spend the day with his mother or volunteer with counselling recently arrived refugees?

Question 4

Normative Ethics - Deontological Ethics

Answer 4

Kant!
- we have a DUTY to behave in a way that is aligned with our rationality and that leads to universalizable actions (is it acceptable for everyone to do it) and that are based on humanist principles (dignity / integrity)
- categorical imperatives and duty

Critique: removes personal agency, ignores emotions / feeling (by prioritizing duty) and that people have conflicting duties (duty to family vs duty to employer)

E.g. challenging approach
- Peter is an organisation supporting unhoused individuals, and someone he has bene supporting has been lying on his application form to get into public housing. He doesn’t tell his superiors.

Question 5

Normative ethics - Virtue Ethics

Answer 5

Aristotle!
Ethical behaviour is from developing good ‘character’ through virtues (courage, benevolence, compassion)

But these virtues can be conflicting - and virtuous character may not lead to good actions.

Question 6

Differences between the theories of normative ethics:

Answer 6

Utilitarianism: actions that we engage in and decisions that we make
Deontological ethics: codes of conduct and duty
Virtue: individual traits we should develop as human beings

Others include:
- ethics of care (duty of care)
- non-anthropocentric ethical theories (that extend beyond humans - to plants, animals)

Question 7

What is a major criticism of the big 3 ethical theories?

Answer 7

They don’t take into consideration the non-human world! What or who belongs in our moral community?

Questions of:
- capacities (rationality, sentience, consciousness)
- relationships
- biodiversity
- beauty `

Question 8

What is a global citizen?

Answer 8

A relationship we can have with others, situations and our environment.
- aware of the wider world
- respects and values diversity
- outraged by social injustice
- participates in the community
- is willing to act to make the world more equitable and sustainable
- takes responsibility for their actions

Question 9

What are the ethical principles in PACE and how are they ensured?

Answer 9

• Reciprocity
• Mutual benefit (to the student, organisation, university)

Ensured by
- understanding the value and contribution of your activity, the value and ethics of your organisation, the community it serves

Question 9

What is included in ‘human research’

Answer 9

• surveys, interviews, focus groups
• psychological, physiological, medical testing, treatment
• observation by researchers
• access to personal documents
• body organs, tissues
• personal information (either identifiable, re-identifiable, non-identifiable)

Question 10

Principles of ethical research:

Answer 10

Merit and integrity
- purpose of research
- dissemination of results
- trained researcher

Justice
- fairness to participants in recruitment and effort requested

Benevolence
- benefits will outweigh the costs

Respect
- voluntary nature, privacy, confidentiality