What is ethics?

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that seeks to understand the nature, justification, and founding principles of mural rules and the systems they compromise.

Micro-ethics

Individuals view of right and wrong = personal ethics.

Macro-ethics

"Global" view of right and wrong laws, religion, norms, morals, codes of conduct.

Philosophical ethics

Injury about ways of life and rules of conduct, general pattern or way of life.

Religious ethics

Religion provides a moral code for appropriate behavior, prospect of divine justice helps us tolerate the injustices in life.

Situational ethics

Refers to a particular view of ethics, in which absolute standards are considered less important than the requirements of a particular situation.

Two ancients philosophers helped shape the early development of ethics.

Socrates and Confucius

Socrates

The father of ethics. Socrates taught Plato who taught Aristotle.

Confucius

Influenced by the political conditions of his region. Initiated Confucianism.

Normative ethics (2 types)

Virtue and nonconsequential

Virtue ethics

Consequential theories, utilitarian ethics, ethical egoism

Nonconseguntial theories

Duty-based ethics, denotological ethics

Alternative approaches

Aristotle's virtues, natural law ethics, ethical relativism

Meta-ethics

Ethics of ethics. Considers general issues such as, the meaning of "right/wrong" or "good/bad" the origins of morals, whether moralityshould vary for different people, etc.

Normative ethics

Involves the standards which right and wrong are determined within or guided by a society. 3 different approaches: virtue-based, consequential, duty-based

Virtue - Based Ethics

Individual values determine ethical issues, encouraging the practice of virtuein habits.

Consequential Ethics

This balances good over bad consequences. Utilitarianism una egoism.

Utilitarianism

The most widely known approach to this area, resolves ethical dilemmas maintains that what is best for the majority is the best solution.

Egoism

Decisions are made for a persons own self-interest.

Duty - based ethics

Deontology or rights- based ethics. Kant's ethics

Deontology

Does not permit the greater good to override an individual's right.

Kant

Consequences are irrelevant.

Maxims

Are rules of action that guide behavior and can become universal laws. Maxims are objective and based on rational thought.

Natural law ethics

Thomas Aquinas. What is good and is proper to human nature. Humans naturally inclined toward moral codes.

Applied ethics

The issue must be controversial in the sense that there is more than one viewpoint. The issue must be classified as a moral

Ethical relativism

Not one ethical theory that covers every situation, it's all relative.

Virtue ethics

Highest good for people. Right actions evolve from character, and the virtuous person has the type of character that does the right thing.

Ethical decision making

The entire healthcare profession and services are based on decisions. Professional knowledge combined with skill plus a caring attitude make for the best patient care knowledge.

Three-step ethical decision-making model

Is it legal? It is balanced? How does it make me feel?