Ethics Flashcards
Ethics
the ways we understand and examine moral life
Morality
widely shared norms of right and wrong
Normative ethics
concerned with establishing standards of correctness by identifying and prescribing rules and principles of conduct, and developing theories justifying the norms
Applied ethics
involves the use of ethical theories and methods of analysis to examine moral problems, practices, and policies.
Professional ethics
ethical theories that articulate the formalized, public, universal sets of values of a professional group
Bioethics
systematic study of the moral dimensions of the life sciences and health care and involves the use of ethical methodologies in an interdisciplinary setting
Values
standards or qualities that are esteemed, desirable, or worthy of merit
Principles
standards for action, underpin rules of conduct
a fundamental truth or proposition that serves as the foundation for a system of belief or behavior or for a chain of reasoning.
Virtues
defining traits, strengths of character, standards for conduct that lead to consistent excellence of intent and human performance
ethical pluralism
idea that there are many theories about what is “right” and “wrong” (moral norms) which may be incompatible and/or incommensurable with your own personal moral norms
- Moral diversity, culturally diverse societies have various moral standards that may be in conflict.
- Divergence in values and moral standards have led to the evolution or moral thinking.
- Strives for understanding difference vs uniformity
Ethical Relativism
- Ethical Relativism
Moral judgments can be viewed as right or wrong according to the norms of a culture or society. - Different societies have different moral codes
- No direction or guidance when cultures conflict
moral diversity
an empirical reality in democratic societies where all people are free to have their own beliefs, values, and principles.
Deontology
- “the study (or science) of duty”
- The rightness or wrongness exists within the action taken, or the rule followed, regardless of the consequences of the action
- do their duty or abide by a certain prescribed set of rules, without any analysis of potential consequences of abiding by the rule.
- concerned about the ‘means’; rights and duties based on unconditioned respect for persons; doing right regardless of consequences
Kantianism
- deontology – morality ensured by following rules, using good intentions; unconditional respect
ethical theory of Immanuel Kant - Rules are based on respect for persons and action is based on moral duty or good will
- Morality is based on rules which should be followed, not on the results of actions
Deontology Criticisms
Criticisms: May ethics neglect important aspects of the moral experience of health care professionals, including moral judgments, emotions, and the relational nature of professional practice
Consequentialism
- or teleologic ethics
- focused on the benefit or harm caused by actions.
Teleology
concerned about the ‘ends’; goals, purposes and outcomes; consequences
Utilitarianism
- part of Consequentialism
- Morality is determined based on the outcomes of actions
- Actions that produce “good” outcomes are moral
the goal of achieving the greatest good for the greatest number of people - Act utilitarianism
- Rule utilitarianism
Act utilitarianism
is focused on the consequences of individual actions.
Rule utilitarianism
is concerned with classes or types of acts. In rule utilitarianism, if people decide that the consequences of certain types of acts are morally good, it can be assumed that similar acts will also lead to morally good outcomes.
Criticism Consequentialism
Accused of benefiting the elite, privileged social classes
Principlism
- is based on the application of ethical principles (standards of moral behaviour) to situations
8 key ethical principles: “very Big Juice Straws Are Finicky Near Rum”
* Autonomy: right to self-determination, independence, and individual freedom.
* Beneficence: entreaty to “do good
* Nonmaleficence: no harm be committed
J* ustice: based on obligations of fairness regarding treatment of individuals and groups within society, the distribution of potential benefits and potential burdens (distributive justice), and the ways that those who have been unfairly burdened or harmed are compensated
* Respect for persons: based on the belief that human beings have worth and moral dignity
* Sanctity of life
* Fidelity: faithfulness and focuses on maintaining loyalty, keeping promises, and being faithful in relationships
* Veracity: duty to tell the truth and be honest
Critiques Principlism
Critiques:
Deciding which principles to apply can be difficult
Resolving conflicts between different principles can also be a challenge
Virtue Ethics
- Virtues are defining traits, strengths of character, and standards for noble conduct that predispose the possessor to consistent excellence of intent and performance.
- Agent-based virtue ethics are focused on the characteristics of the moral agent
- The main criteria to determine “virtue” involve the type of person one should strive to be and the sort of life one ought to live
- Virtue ethics are often evident in professional codes of ethics
- 5 C’s of Caring” – compassion, competence, confidence, conscience, and commitment
Criticisms Virtue Ethics
The primary critique is that the virtues that may apply and are being considered are not always compatible
Feminist ethics
- Human connectedness and interpersonal relationships
initially was used to address the imbalance of power between men and women, - Designing alternative ways to restructure relationships, social practices, and institutions
- Social transformation to empower all to live freer, fuller lives
- Social practices that underlie and contribute to ethical problem or situation
- Ways these social practices may contribute to oppression
Relational account of justice reveals the harm done to the oppressed group - Unique insights of people who have been marginalized
- New ways to restructure or resist oppressive practices
Ethics of Care
- women speak with a different voice than men and espoused a feminine ethic of care that considers responsibility to care and relationships between people as opposed to a masculine ethic of justise
- women “weave” their interests together with the interests of others
- Moral decisions are made within the context of caring and empathetic relationships with others
Criticisms Feminist ethics
Most criticism comes from those practitioners who believe the application of ethical principles should be done in a rational manner, without the complication of emotions or concern for relationships
Seven concepts are foundational in public health and community practice
- Inclusion: the act of being included, means being accepted and able to participate fully within the family, the community, and the society
- Diversity: condition of being diverse, differing from one another, or composed of distinct or unlike elements or qualities
- Public participation: Engaging people in determining the ways a society guides its actions, makes decisions on public policy, and delivers programs and services
- Empowerment: both a process and an outcome. development of knowledge and skills that increase one’s mastery over decisions that affect one’s life. As an outcome, empowerment is the achievement of mastery
- Social Justice: the just distribution of resources and opportunity within a society
- Advocacy: the act of disseminating information to influence opinion, conduct, public policy, or legislation.
- Interdependence: relates to the interdependence among human beings and also the interdependence of people with the world in which they live—their social, economic, and physical environments
