5- INTRO TO ETHICS Flashcards
_____ can be defined broadly as a set of moral principles or values that govem the actions and decisions of an individual or group. While personal ethics vary from individual to individual at any point in time, most people within a society are able to agree about what is considered ethical and unethical behavior. In fact, a society passes laws that define what its citizens consider to be the more extreme forms of unethical behavior.
Ethics
T or F?
Ethics is a topic that is receiving a great deal of attention throughout our society today.
T
This attention is an indication of both the importance of _____ to maintaining a civil society, and a significant number of notable instances of _____ . Much of what is considered unethical in a particular society is not specifically prohibited
ethical behavior, unethical behavior
T or F?
It is not common for people to differ in their moral principles or values. Even if two people agree on the eflical principles that detemine ethical belavior, It is unlikely that they will agree on the relative importance of each principle.
False. It is common for people to differ in their moral principles or values
Where does the differences in moral principles or values came from?
These differences result from all of our life experiences.
CHARACTERISTICS AND VALUES ASSOCIATED WITH ETHICAL BEHAVIOR
What values is this?
Be principled, honorable, upright, courageous and act on convictions; do not be ofaced or unscrupulous, or adopt an end-justifies-the means philosophy that ignores principle.
Integrity
What values is this?
Be truthful, sincere, forthright. straightforward, frank, candid; do not cheat, stcal, lie, deceive or act deviously.
Honesty
What values is this?
Be worthy of trust, keep promises, full commitments, abide by the spirit as well as the letter of an agreement: do not interpret agreements in an unreasonably technical or legalistic
manner rationalize noncompliance or create excuses and justification for breaking commitments.
Trustworthiness and Promise Keeping
What values is this?
Be faithful and loyal to family, friends, employers, client and country; do not use or disclose information learned in confidence; in a professional context, safeguard the influences and conflicts of interest.
Loyalty (Fidelity) and Confidentiality
What values is this?
Be fair and open-minded, be willing to admit error and, where appropriate, change positions and beliefs. demonstrate a commitment to justice, the equal treatment of individuals, and tolerance for acceptance of diversity; do not overreach or take advantage of another’s mistakes or diversities.
Fairness and Openness
What values is this?
Be caring, kind, and compassionate: share, be giving, be of service to others; help those in need and avoid harming others.
Caring for Others
What values is this?
Demonstrate respect for human dignity, privacy, and the right to self-determination of all people; be courteous, prompt, and decent; provide others with the information they need to make informed decisions about their own lives; do not patronize, embarrass, or demean.
Respect for Others
What values is this?
Obey just laws; if all law unjust, openly protest it; exercise all democratic rights and privileged responsibly by participation (voting and expressing informed views), social consciousness, and public service; when in a position of leadership or authority, openly respect and honor democratic processes of decision making, avoid unnecessary secrecy or concealment of information, and assure that others have all the information they need to make intelligent choices and exereise their rights.
Responsible Citizenship
What values is this?
Pursue excellence in all matters; in meeting your personal and professional responsibilities, be diligent, reliable, industrious and committed; perform all tasks to the best of your ability, develop and maintain a high degree of competence, be well informed and well prepared; do not be content with mediocrity; do not “win at any cost”.
Pursuit of Excellence
What values is this?
Be accountable, accept responsibility for decisions, for the foreseeable consequences of actions and inactions, and for setting an example of others.
Parents, teachers, employers, many professionals and public officials have a special obligation to lead by example, to safeguard and advance the integrity
and reputation of their families, companies, professions and the government an ethically sensitive individual avoids even the appearance of impropriety, and takes whatever actions are necessary to correct or prevent inappropriate conduct of others.
Accountability
WHY IS ETHICAL BEHAVIOR NECESSARY?
Ethical behavior is necessary for a society to function in an orderly manner. It can be angued that cthies is the glue that holds a society together, What would happen if for example we could not depend on the poople we deal with to be honcst. If parents.
teachers, employees, siblings, co-workers and friends all
consistently lied, it would be almost impossible for effective communication to occur
WHY DO PEOPLE ACT UNETHICALLY?
There are two primary reasons why people act unethically:
I. the person’s ethical standards are different from those of society as a whole, or
2. the person chooses to act selfishly
CATEGORIES OF ETHICAL PRINCIPLES
Principles of Personal Ethics include among others
• Basic justice, fairness
• Respect for the right of others
• Concern for the right of others
• Concern for the well-being on welfare of others
• Benevolence, trustworthiness, honesty
• Compliance with the law
Professional Ethics include among others
•Integrity, impartiality, objectivity
•Professional competence
•Confidentiality
•Professional behavior
• Avoidance of potential or apparent conflict of interest
Professional Ethics
•Integrity, impartiality, objectivity
•Professional competence
•Confidentiality
•Professional behavior
• Avoidance of potential or apparent conflict of interest
Business Ethics include among others
• Fair competition
• Global as well as domestic justice
Social responsibility
• Concern for environment
• Basic justice, fairness
• Respect for the right of others
• Concern for the right of others
• Concern for the well-being on welfare of others
• Benevolence, trustworthiness, honesty
• Compliance with the law
Principles of Personal Ethics l
•Integrity, impartiality, objectivity
•Professional competence
•Confidentiality
•Professional behavior
• Avoidance of potential or apparent conflict of interest
Professional Ethics
• Fair competition
• Global as well as domestic justice
Social responsibility
• Concern for environment
Business Ethics
