Premium Essay

Ethics Theories

In: Philosophy and Psychology

Submitted By protoje
Words 886
Pages 4
Non-Consequentialist Ethical Theories
Initially, the non-consequentialist theories have their roots from the normative ethical theories. As such, “normative ethical theories are methodologies or systems to good thought and choice making. They are used as guidance by explaining both the past and the future” (Wku.edu, 2003, para. 1). From a future perspective, they show us the line path to follow when making choices. On the other, from a past viewpoint, they give criteria to the assessment of decisions or choices officially made. Additionally, every normative theory usually incorporates a particular philosophical support, worked out by its scholars, together with reactions of substitute methodologies for being somehow insufficient.
From a non-consequentialist point of view, it is important to understand that the theory does not ignore or underestimate the impacts of a decision. For instance, if one looks at William Ross’ (a non-consequentialist) principles, one can see that some of the principles such as prima facie duties and non-injury are intended to maximize the good while minimize what is considered wrong: This is in contrast with other principles such as fidelity or justice.
Likewise, from a deontological ethics approach, non-consequentialism alludes to a class of morals in which the standard of commitment is the premise of good choice making. Rather than Consequentialism, it doesn't consider the connection or result of the activity, yet the way one thinks when they settle on decisions, for example, to a higher law, obligation, or principle (Helpwithbiblestudy.org, n.d., para. 3). Right decisions are made when one comprehends what their ethical law, duty, or principle is and acts as per the relating recommended conduct. At the point when one takes after the law, obligation, or guideline, they are acting ethically.
Divine Command Theory holds on to the notion

Similar Documents

Free Essay

Ethics Theory

...Ethical Treatment of Prisoners Name SOC120: Introduction to Ethics & Social Responsibility Instructor: November 20, 2012 The life of prisoners some may never know. There are those who care not to know what goes on behind that wired fence. We find that some people that are convicted of crimes that they did not commit. Some people would rather turn their heads to what actually happens in a prison institution, because they feel it is no concern of theirs. Innocent women and men face a disaster in life when they find their selves incarcerated in such facility as these. The treatment in prison facilities toward prisoners with health issues or those who develop health concerns that head officials should take control over. Prisoners receive neglect in many different ways that may end their lives. In my essay, I will share with you the life of a man in prison and the treatment that he received from correctional officers. Every prison environment makes it hard to assure minimal standards for ethical research and voluntary informed consent and privacy. Privacy for those who are in these facilities has many concerns to family members who are looking in from the outside. Health issues and concerns for inmates and neglect that occurs in correctional facilities have been concerns that continue to go unnoticed. The state seems to under staff in some areas of managing inmate’s health problems. There are many who may go unattended...

Words: 1642 - Pages: 7

Free Essay

Ethics Theory Table

...------------------------------------------------- University Of Phoenix Faculty Material ETHICS THEORIES TABLE Directions: Fill in the brief definitions and sub-theories of each ethical theory, and match the real-world examples listed below the table to the corresponding theories. Finally, come up with your own workplace example that fits each theory. Ethical Theory | Brief Definition | Sub-theories | Real-world Example | Workplace Example | Duty-based Ethics | A moral obligation or commitment to act in a certain manner | deontological, (add more)utilitarianism | C | If a Marines always follows orders, he will become a great leader. | Goal-based Ethics | There is an intricate design to the universe, and their goal is to achieve the most perfect society possible. | telelogical, (add more)Consequentialism,utilitarianism | B | Becoming a colonael in the Marines. | Rights-based Ethics | Certain things are acceptable in a community because most people in the community agree the behavior is acceptable. | justice, equality, (add more)Contractarianism, | A | If I worked at an abortion clinic, I would assume that it is the right thing for the individual that walks in. | Human Nature Ethics | Beliefs based on extremes of human behavior—both good and bad | egoism, hedonism, (add more)virtue | D | Every time a women walks by me, I look at her bottom. | Real-world Examples: a. I believe people should be able to eat...

Words: 279 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Theory & Practice of Ethics

...THEORY AND PRACTICE OF ETHICS CHAPTER 1 PHILOSOPHY & ETHICS REACTION PAPTER Ethics is the study of morality, also known as moral philosophy, a branch of philosophy that involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior. Chapter 1 gives the overview of the course, from definition to example, areas and the important terminologies needed in order understand the whole concept in practicing ethics. Like of those, Epistemology, the study of knowledge, Metaphysics, the study of nature of reality and so on so forth that has something to do with the issue of morality and how we are going to apply it in the concept of belief “religious belief” as well as in the world of Christianity today. This chapter gives also the approach on how to study morality, could be like Scientific, Philosophical or Synthesis approach, not only limited to that area but also its applications that points to directly to the original Moral Law of God, the ten commandments, its nature and how are we going to apply it to our fellow men or we called that Social Morality. This chapter also gives the idea how & where morality starts, accordingly it has 3 possibilities where and how does exist or came from. It explains here every possible theory to explain the subject matter, can be subjective or objective. However, the explanation tells also that culture may give man’s contribution when it comes to moral issues. Customs and traditions are effective and helpful...

Words: 261 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Ethical Theory Of Ethics

...INTRODUCTION As ethics is the philosophical treatment of the moral order, its history does not consist in narrating the views of morality entertained by different nations at different times; this is properly the scope of the history of civilization, and of ethnology. The history of ethics is concerned solely with the various philosophical systems which in the course of time have been elaborated with reference to the moral order. Hence the opinions advanced by the wise men of antiquity, such as Pythagoras (582-500 B.C.), Heraclitus (535-475 B.C.), Confucius (558-479 B.C.), scarcely belong to the history of ethics; for, though they proposed various moral truths and principles, they do so in a dogmatic and didactic way, not in a philosophically...

Words: 1304 - Pages: 6

Premium Essay

A Review of Ethics Concepts & Theories

...A Review of Ethics Concepts & Theories Educational Objectives: 1. Explain the type of problem that is addressed by philosophers. 2. Explain how ethical norms help address ethical issues that arise in accountancy. 3. Contrast the views of Mills, Machiavelli and Kant. 4. Describe what is meant by a social contract. 5. Analyze a given situation and tell why it would be appropriate or inappropriate to lie. 6. Explain the views of Kierkegaard and contrast him from other existentialists. 7. Discuss the concept that ethics cannot be based on religion. 8. Explain the use of ethical reasoning and how it can be used in your professional life. Introduction The major ethical principles accepted in the western world follow guidelines and rules that must be universally applied in all situations. These ethical principles are established primarily on the basis of teachings set forth by philosophers throughout the ages, starting with the great Greek thinkers Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle. As you might expect, there have been many alterations 修改 to these moral principles throughout the years. What was considered ethically correct by some was rejected by others and replaced with their own concept of what constituted moral or ethical behavior. A Comment about Philosophy: Philosophy, unlike science, addresses issues that cannot be solved. In fact, some philosophers state that if a problem can be solved, philosophers will not even...

Words: 2657 - Pages: 11

Premium Essay

Ethics Essay: Virtue, Utilitarianism Theories, and Deontological Ethics

...paragraphs the three ethical theories virtue, utilitarianism theories, and deontological ethics will described relating factors to ethics and morality. Definitions for each will be given followed by how they relate in comparison to ethics and morals. Conclude by explaining the relationship between virtue, values, and moral concepts as they relate to ethics. Comparing morals and ethical theories helps one to understand a person’s guidance method, which helps or aides a person through their decision making process. Each theory will emphasize the different points including predicting the outcome or end results. To compare the similarities and differences between virtue, utilitarianism theories, and deontological ethics, you will see the breakdown what is meant by virtue and utilitarianism concepts and how they are defined. Stemming from my research, we understand ethics is the study of the person’s action and how that person determines right and wrong. And morals are our ability to determine right from wrong influenced by our upbringing in a religious environment. According to Merriam Webster Dictionary (n.d.), virtues are “conformity to a standard of right” and “a commendable quality or trait”. When I think about virtues, I imagine a person who does what is right no matter what the situation. This person must possess a quality trait that makes him or her believe that there is a higher power they have to eventually have to answer to in the end. “Virtue ethics is also sometimes called...

Words: 923 - Pages: 4

Premium Essay

Virtue Theory, Utilitarianism, and Deontological Ethics

...Virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontological ethics In this composition, I will equate the relationships and variances between virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontological ethics. I will examine the disparities in how each principle tackles principles and virtues, and finally illuminate an individual experience concerning virtue, values, and moral concepts, and how they relate to one of the three theories. Individually ethics has elements that are the similar and different. Virtue Theory is a method to ethics that highlights a person's character as the main component of moral thinking, rather than guidelines about the actions themselves or their costs. Utilitarianism is the examination we should do is justly generating the highest conceivable value for the highest achievable amount of people. Deontological ethics is in observance of the Scriptures, accepted ethical rule and perceptions from common logic. The similarities between the three are that they define moral and immoral characteristics about an individual, and with the determination of their activities, it also governs the quality of the person that is virtue ethics. Utilitarianism is comparable that finds the decency in an individual. A subject it avoids is finding the immoral in an individual. Per deontological ethics, the outcome of the act is moral not immoral. It holds actions that are ethically necessary for penalties made by individual activities. The differences amongst the three ethics are...

Words: 624 - Pages: 3

Free Essay

Social Contract Theory in Ethics

...Of the many moral and ethical codes presented by philosophers throughout history, few have remained intact for any long period of time. As years pass, old ideas are debated, revised, or discarded to make way for new avenues of thinking. What is important, then, is to seek out the partial truths in any given philosophical position and use them for what they are, instead of either accepting or rejecting the entirety of the belief set as objectively true or false. Even those theories that seem to be completely refuted serve an important purpose by the arguments used therein. A perfect example of this lies in Social Contract Theory, as presented by John Rawls and others. Social contract theory presents the belief that morality is an agreement made amongst humanity. Each of us has, by being part of society, “signed” this unwritten contract that compels us to behave in a certain way. Those who violate the contract are shunned by society in some way, while those who abide by it gain the benefits of being an accepted member. This is not to imply that morality is entirely relative; moral codes are changed only when there is some significant event that actually affects society itself in some way. Instead, Rawls presents the idea that the code we agreed to abide by should be created by an impartial observer operating from what he terms the Original Position. This perspective is that of a person who has no perception of their own place in society. They have no idea of their gender, economic...

Words: 1270 - Pages: 6

Free Essay

Natural Law Theory and Virtue Ethics

...Moral reasoning using natural law theory and virtue ethics One of the primary debates in ethics is not whether a certain action is right or wrong, as most can agree that acts such as murder are not ethically right, but in what specific situations that these actions become permissible. There are certain absolutist views that determine an action is right or wrong, despite any extraneous circumstances; however, many moral reasoning ethics fall into a grey area where certain acts that would normally be considered wrong are justified in certain conditions. The natural law theory, along with its doctrine of double effect, and Aristotle’s virtue ethics both fall into the aforementioned category of moral ethics. Natural law theory originated from the religious view that a human’s ability to reason sets them apart as higher beings, and with such reasoning we have the responsibility to follow the righteous path set forth for our lives, “to do good and avoid evil”.1 In this manner, a certain act cannot be justified or viewed as “good” because it leads to the satisfaction of desire, setting natural law theory far apart from utilitarianism ethics. The principals laid out by the natural law theory gave birth to the doctrine of double effect, which is the belief that many acts may have both a good and a bad effect. The Catholic Church defends that some acts that would normally be considered immoral may be justified under three distinct conditions: the act itself is not intrinsically wrong...

Words: 1014 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Kate's Virtue Ethics Theory Essay

...virtue ethics perspective. The virtue ethics theory focuses on the motivation aspect of the decision making process. In this theory Kate’s motives are good; she doesn’t want her child to suffer from the same abuse that she has experienced in a foster home. She doesn’t have the support from family or the child’s father to help raise the child. If Kate were to be persuaded to not abort the baby she would not be doing it because she wanted to and that would make the action wrong according to the virtues theory. In this decision Kate has accomplished the golden mean by having the right amount of courage and caring enough about the infant’s quality of life. 2. Analyze Kate’s decision from a Kantian perspective....

Words: 412 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

The Ethics of Respect for Persons as a Moral Theory

...Evaluating The Ethics Of Respect For Persons As A Moral Theory 1. Criterion 1: Consistency and Coherence Consistency Description: The logical compatibility of predictions or judgments, we want a theory that gives consistent instructions Coherence Description: a theory is coherent if it does not contain logically incompatible parts, such as standards, principles, rules, or concepts ► The utilitarianism act had one principle (the greatest happiness principle) which made consistency and coherence fairly simple. ► The ethics of respect for persons, however, uses two principles, which might cause problems. ▪ Kant thinks both principles are just versions of the same idea, the categorical imperative, but we’ve seen it’s not that easy. ► But it doesn’t seem like these two principles will ever conflict with one another, so consistency isn’t an issue. ▪ And since the basic idea is the same for both, all people are equal and deserve to be treated as such, coherence isn’t much of an issue either. 2. Justification Justification Description: Calculation of reasons for believing a moral standard. What certifies or justifies our belief in one moral standard over another? ► The universalization principle can be seen as an extension of the basic requirement of equality that lies at the very heart of morality. ▪ If morality means anything it means that everyone has to play by the same rules. This is what universalization is all about...

Words: 447 - Pages: 2

Premium Essay

Business Ethics: Appreciation and Criticism for Ethical Theories

...Business Ethics: Appreciation & Criticism for Ethical Theories Danielle Bouchal Chesapeake College November 10, 2013 Abstract In this essay, one will be educated on the four ethical theories discussed in “Business Law: the Ethical, Global, and E-Commerce Environments”. According to the text, these theories include the rights theory, justice theory, utilitarianism, and profit maximization (2013). Not only does appreciation for these fundamental theories exist, but criticisms of each theory are also present. As they are theories, they can neither be considered accurate or inaccurate; therefore, as opinions among the population differ, agreements on these theories may or may not be made (Mallor et al, 2013). Rights Theory Rights Theory can be explained as a moral theory, one based on the fundamental idea that each individual has their rights, which creates the “justifying basis of obligations” (Beauchamp and Bowie, 2009). A person’s rights are closely tied to the morality that his or her society permits, ensuring social liberty and all other benefits an individual with rights is allowed. According to the two authors of “Ethical Theory and Business”, rights have in a sense evolved from what human beings are granted as “natural rights”. These belong to everyone simply because they...

Words: 1070 - Pages: 5

Premium Essay

Virtue Theory, Utilitarianism, and Deontological Ethics Paper

...Virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontological ethics are all examples of morals and ethics and have their similarities and differences. In this paper the similarities and differences will be explored a personal experience shared. Virtue theory is how a person acts and does not take into consideration particular acts, rules, or consequences, the only consideration is if the person is acting morally or unmorally. Virtue theory is composed of three main ideas eudemonism, agent-based theories, and the ethics of care. Eudemonism is based in reasoning, agent-based theories are based in common sense and intuition, and ethics of care is solely based on justice and it should be noted as a primarily feminist idea. Utilitarianism is maximizing pleasure over pain not for only oneself but for the greatest number of people possible. Utilitarianism is often seen in a religious sense and can be attributed to the Christian teaching of Jesus Christ or the Buddhist teaching of the Buddha. Utilitarianism can also be seen as a hedonist as written about by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, since the act does not cause a negative effect for others. Utilitarianism’s main lesson is maximizing pleasure over pain, but can be interpreted in more than one way. Deontological ethics is basically making the correct moral choices; this can be seen through a religious spectrum as following the rules of the (Christian) church and doing the Lord God’s will. The person committing an act may...

Words: 576 - Pages: 3

Premium Essay

Similarities Between Consequentalist and Non Consequential Theory of Ethics

...Course name | Ethics in Administration | Course code | ADS452 | Credit hours | 4 | Resource person / contact no. / email | Nadrawina Isnin (082-678200 (O)nadrawin@sarawak.uitm.edu.my | Course outcomes | CO1 - Explain the concept of ethics, role, importance and various theories and thought of ethics in administration; | | CO2 - Identify the implications arising out of the ethical issues; and | | CO3 - Apply the concept, skills and methods used for evaluating ethical issues in case analysis and recommend strategies for improvement. | WEEK | HOUR | TOPICS | Teaching & Learning Activities | References | 1 | 2 | Overview of the course * Scheme of work * Assessment * Mid semester examination * Final examination | * Ice breaking * Entrance Survey * Blended Learning Requirement * Coursework requirement * Lecture & discussion (F2F) | Main text - Thiroux, Jacques P (2008) Ethics: Theory and Practice. 9thed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. | 1 | 4 | Topic 1: Introduction to Ethics * The Concept of Ethics * Ethics & Morality * Sources of Morality * Ethics & Reason * The Importance of Study Ethics | * Lecture & tutorial(F2F) | Thiroux, Jacques P (2008) Ethics: Theory and Practice. 9thed. New Jersey: Prentice Hall. | 2 | 4 | Topic 2: Ethical Theories * Consequentialism & Non-Consequentialism * Ethical Egoism * Utilitarianism | * Lecture & tutorial(F2F) | Thiroux, Jacques P (2008) Ethics: Theory and Practice...

Words: 2956 - Pages: 12

Premium Essay

Moral Responses and Moral Theory: Socially-Based Externalist Ethics

...from an extended treatment of emotion, which supplies a somewhat different moral- psychological basis.2 The view is meant to contrast with noncognitivist accounts of ethics in terms of emotion (emotivism and more recent versions of expressivism), but I shall not review in detail the arguments that the basis it assigns to ethics allows for moral realism.3 Instead I want mainly to present the view here and to recommend it for further attention, first in more or less the form in which it emerged, as a way of explaining the special motivational force of moral judgments (Section II), and then recast in somewhat artificial terms, for comparison with another (at least arguably) realist approach to metaethics known as "response-dependency" (Section III).4 My own view can be seen as a social or two-level version of response-dependency, but with a less rigid account of motivational force introduced by the move to the social level. I shall go on to acknowledge some difficulties but also to cite further advantages of my suggested approach on issues of justification (Section IV) and on the question of the relevance of emotion to moral judgment (Section V). In a nutshell: A response-dependent account explains a concept in terms of a disposition to respond in some way under standard conditions. The paradigm case outside ethics is the definition of color concepts--of red, say, as applying to things that would look red to normal observers under normal conditions of color perception. As currently...

Words: 9001 - Pages: 37