For years, ethicists pretended that their work in metaethics never impacted their normative theorizing and even worse, researching metaethics was the proper business of philosophy, not prescribing moral advice as some do in applied ethics.
For instance, I would expect that someone doing work in philosophy of science, epistemology or language to know a thing or two about how some phenomenon works both within the science of the phenomenon and what such understanding might imply for philosophy. There is the usual expectation that these thinkers are informed by science in some way. Edward Hackett, Ph. Hackett received his Ph. His philosophical work has been translated in Spanish and Russian.
Recent work has paid attention to the overlap between Catholic and Methodist personalism in Scheler and Brightman, process metaphysics, the metaphysical underpinnings of Ralph Waldo Emerson, and the ethics and political philosophy of Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. The problem is that academic philosophy obsesses with the theory of ethics, but not the practice of ethics.
In fact, to discuss personal experience and advice is considered a devolution into unprofessionalism. We are not priests or counselors, some might say. Moreover, the organization for professional philosophical counseling has a terrible reputation among philosophers who just hear of it. I took some convincing, myself. I find this situation to be extremely distubrding, in part because I live an Aristotelian standpoint.
Theoretical wisdom is founded on practical wisdom, and the latter cannot be a theoretical endeavour. My own theoretical work focuses on how schisms in character becomes the basis for intellectual blindnesses.
For example, few Americans consciously will racism, but so many perpetuate it deny such acts even when brought to their attention. Philosophers tend to ignore the practical and material conditions, and when they do turn to them, theorize them into respectable discourse.
I have fond memories of close discussions with a senior professor who understood this problem; she noted that most people seem unaware and almost unable to think the material conditions and practical effects of their acts and attitudes. I am proposing, Ed, that the connection between teaching ethics and being ethical is tenuous because academic ethicists focus on theory and not practice or character, and mastery of one grants little facility with the other.
Worse, we live in a cultural environment at the academy that privileges politically correct talk and ideologies over substance: talk can be clean, easy, indicates professoriate group membership, and little more. Substance is difficult, messy, and its discussion violates the unspoken strictures. To answer your question, there is no special normativity built into thinking about value beyond the dynamics of the situation, e.
For instance, we both know a gentleman that wants to be a male feminist and ethicist, yet such a specialty is de facto forbidden by the academy.
In that space one is implicitly aware of the other, wherein we understand from the start that we need to have a dialogue. There is a difference between what I should do in an ethical dilemma, and what we should do in a moral dilemma.
But ethical decisions should recognise the context within which they are set. That is, they must recognise that duties can be ranked in a hierarchy for example, to stop at an accident to render assistance trumps the promise of meeting for coffee ; in a similar way, consequences can be ranked too.
In moral decisions, in which the importance of others and their actual situation in the world, is recognised, community decisions are based on dialogue between all those on whom the decision impacts. That dialogue should aim to be inclusive, non-coercive, self-reflective, and seek consensus among real people, rather than seek an elusive absolute moral truth.
First I collect the facts such as the pre-requisites I need in order to enrol in a course. Collecting the facts precedes any ethical or moral decision-making.
The ethical dimension of the decision leads me to think about myself and recognise, say, that I have certain talents, or that I would like to maximise my work-life balance.
The moral dimension is added when I recognise my decision affects others — my family, the community in which I live — in terms of being able to serve others, rather than simply earn an income. Who might be hurt? The answers are not always clear cut. Individual judgments can be influenced, even clouded, by a number of factors. In addition, there are times when people believe that the ends justify the means.
In other words, if the result of an action is good, then it is okay if the action itself is unethical. There is a saying that a good person is one who does good deeds when no one is looking. The same goes with ethical decisions. People who are ethical follow their beliefs even when they believe no one will find out about what they have done.
They had the opportunity to be ethical but chose not to be. How will employees working in that country handle that situation, especially if something that could be considered unethical in one place is actually thought to be important to business success in the other? For instance, in some cultures it is customary for business partners and customers to be invited to weddings, with the expectation that guests will give a cash gift to the bride and groom.
Adhering to ethical standards in such instances can be difficult. This way to ethics : Ethical decisions are not always clear-cut. American companies are often criticized for the treatment of workers who produce their products in China. However, rules concerning the rights of workers are much more relaxed in China than in the United States.
Does an American company have the right to order factory owners in China to change their way of doing business? Privacy Policy.
Skip to main content. Ethics in Business. Search for:. Ethics, an Overview. Learning Objectives Define ethics and how it applies to organizations. Key Takeaways Key Points Ethical behavior is based on written and unwritten codes of principles and values held in society. Ethical principles and values serve as a guide to behavior on a personal level, within professions, and at the organizational level.
Key Terms behavior : The way a living creature acts. Example The concept of corporate social responsibility emphasizes ethical behavior in that it requires organizations to understand, identify, and eliminate unethical economic, environmental, and social behaviors. Ethics Training Moral reasoning is the process in which an individual tries to determine what is right and what is wrong.
Learning Objectives Explain the role of ethical moral reasoning in the business environment. Key Takeaways Key Points There are four components of moral behavior: moral sensitivity, moral judgment, moral motivation, and moral character.
To make moral assessments, one must first know what an action is intended to accomplish and what its possible consequences will be on others. Studies have uncovered four skill sets that play a decisive role in the exercise of moral expertise: moral imagination, moral creativity, reasonableness, and perseverance.
Key Terms goodwill : The ability of an individual or business to exert influence within a community, club, market, or another type of group, without having to resort to the use of an asset such as money or property.
Culture and Ethics Culture reflects the moral values and ethical norms governing how people should behave and interact with others. Learning Objectives Explain the role of culture in shaping moral and ethical behavior. Key Takeaways Key Points Culture refers to the outlook, attitudes, values, goals, and practices shared by a group, organization, or society.
Interpretation of what is moral is influenced by cultural norms, and different cultures can have different beliefs about what is right and wrong. According to the theory of cultural relativism, there is no singular truth on which to base ethical or moral behavior, as our interpretations of truths are influenced by our own culture. Example The French and Americans have different views on whistle-blowing.
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