Ethical Frameworks
Engineering 185EW
Winter 2011
Herrick Chang
Slides extracted from Prof.
Weltman’s
Slides
2
Ethical Philosophies
•
Historical Ethical Theories
–
Rights Ethics
–
Duty Ethics
–
Virtue Ethics
–
Utilitarianism
–
Pragmatism
•
Alternative Ethical Theories
Attempts to systematize, rationalize and prescribe societal and
personal ethical choices.
3
Rights Ethics
•
Fundamental Concepts
–
Human rights are basic
–
Rights are a fundamental human authority
–
Respect for rights is obligatory
•
Types of Rights
–
Liberty Rights:
•
Related primarily to individuals
•
Concern non
-
interference and property protection
–
Welfare Rights
•
Related primarily to collections of people
•
Concern for others within a moral community
•
Rights include benefits under contracts and promises
•
Examples
–
Declaration of Independence
–
Constitution and Bill of Rights
–
Modern Rights: Privacy, education, safety, health care, etc.
4
Duty Ethics
•
Fundamental Concepts
–
Duties are basic
–
Mirror image of rights
--
for every right, a duty
–
Emphasis on what we owe to others
•
Related Issues
–
Unification principles
•
Autonomy
–
Governing one’s own life morally
•
Universality
–
Principles apply equally to all people
•
Respect
--
Other peoples’ desires, needs, efforts
–
Lists of basic duties (Kant and others)
•
Examples
–
The Decalogue
–
Code of Chivalry
–
Cadet Honor Code
–
Professional Codes (Engineering, Medicine & Others)
5
Virtue Ethics
•
Fundamental Concepts
–
Essential virtues are desirable as
•
Attitudes, emotions &
motives
•
Guides to conduct
–
Being a virtuous person
•
Related Issues
–
Evolution of virtues
–
Association with societal classes
6
Utilitarianism
•
Fundamental Concepts
–
Most good for the most people
–
Balance of good vs. bad consequences
–
Maximization of net good
•
Related Principles
–
Rule
-
Utilitarianism
•
Rules determine acts
•
Act on those rules that produce most good, etc.
–
Act
-
Utilitarianism
•
Actions supercede rules
•
Chose action that produce most good, etc.
•
Use rules as guidelines and not as absolutes
•
Examples
–
Cars: Speed & Convenience vs. Safety & Economy
–
Air and Water Pollution: Public Health vs. Industrial Costs
–
Genetic Engineering: Medical Benefits vs. Risks & Morality
7
Pragmatism
•
Fundamental Concepts
–
Context
–
In which facts and values must be balanced
–
Flexibility
–
In integrating and harmonizing competing values
–
Analysis
--
Ethical reasoning vs. fixed rules or ideals
•
Related Principles
–
Guidance in methods of analytical thought
–
Warnings of negative consequences
•
Case Solutions
–
Cases are concrete dilemmas
–
with differing moral/ethical opinions
–
Emphasizing
principles
often leads to accentuation of differences
–
Emphasizing
particulars
over
principles
often leads to pragmatic reconciliation of
differences
–
Didn’t we earlier say the opposite with regard to the Golden Rule?
“A
foolish
consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds.”
Ralph Waldo Emerson
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