Ethics and values Flashcards
Values are:
– concepts or ideals that give meaning to an individual’s life and provide a framework for decisions and actions
Morals are:
– the standards of right and wrong associated with individuals, groups, and society in general
– Practical application
Ethics are:
– the branch of philosophy that deals with the moral dimensions of human life;
– what should we do and why should we do it
– Science of morals in human conduct
What is moral accountability?
- Accountability is the readiness or preparedness to give an explanation or justification to relevant others for one’s judgements, intentions, acts and omissions.
- Individuals are accountable for the effects of their actions in so far as they are reasonably foreseeable
- The same principles apply to large organisations, employers and governments
Moral accountability of organisations/government:
- To articulate and communicate clearly with workers the moral values and principles which it believes to be embedded in its accountability relationships
- To develop procedures and advice to support and guide the applications of these values and principles
- To search out and review inconsistencies between explicit values and organisational practice
- To develop the competence of all its workers in the application of those values, principles and procedures which are relevant to their jobs
Occupational values are:
- Occupational standards – principles of pharmacy ethics
* Codes of ethics & Standards of conduct
Individual, personal values:
- Based on sense of right and wrong
* May be based on political or religious beliefs
Legal framework:
- Values in common and contractual law
- Generally explicit
- Interpretations may be necessary
Ethical dilemmas occur when
- Moral values have been disregarded
- There are difficulties in deciding how to apply moral/ethical values
- Moral/ethical values come into conflict with each other
Ethical theory – Utilitarianism:
• Concerned with the ends not the means
• A person should always act in such a way that will produce more good or benefit than disadvantages
• Therefore consider the consequences of one’s actions
• But can it justify doing harm or injustice to a few, if society as a whole benefits e.g.
– smoking ban in public places
– Insider trading to raise m money for charity
– Killing one person to harvest their organs for many others
Ethical theory – Deontology
- Concerned with the actions not the outcomes
- Universal moral rules that it is our duty to follow, regardless of the consequences
- Always treat human beings as ‘ends in themselves’ and never merely as ‘means to someone else’s end’
Ethical principles:
• From principlism – a widely applied bio-ethical approach based on fundamental moral principles developed in the 1970s by the American philosophers Beauchamp and Childress
– Autonomy
– Beneficence
– Non-maleficence
– Justice
• There are other principles that can also be considered:
– Fidelity
What is autonomy?
• Freedom to exist, to think, to act and to communicate • If you respect a person’s autonomy, then you respect the decisions that they make • Do we all have autonomy? – Young children – Prisoners – Mentally ill – Old people – etc……???
Ignoring autonomy can be considered as Paternalism
What is Beneficence?
• Principle of doing what is best for the patient
– Protect and defend the rights of others
– Prevent harm from occurring to others
– Remove conditions that will cause harm to others
– Help people with disabilities
– Rescue people in danger
• Promotion of patient’s best wishes
Non-maleficence:
- One ought not to inflict evil or harm (to the patient)
* In other words, do not do something that you know will cause harm to the patients
