Simone Lawson
Ethical decision-making is a complex process that involves navigating through a web of moral dilemmas, societal norms, and personal beliefs. It requires individuals to reflect on their values and make choices that align with their ethical standards. While feelings, laws, and social practices can influence our ethical choices, they are not the sole determinants of ethical behaviour. Ethical decisions require a trained sensitivity to ethical issues and a practiced method for exploring the ethical dimensions of a situation. This involves considering the potential impact on stakeholders, evaluating alternatives, and selecting the course of action that maximizes benefits and minimizes harm. Ethical relativism, which allows individuals to set their own moral standards, can be problematic as it tolerates atrocious practices. Ethical frameworks, such as universalism and the common good principle, provide guidance by emphasizing respect, fairness, and the well-being of all affected. Ultimately, ethical decision-making is a personal journey that demands constant self-reflection and a commitment to choosing the ethical path, even when it conflicts with our desires or societal norms.
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What You'll Learn
Is the decision damaging to someone or unevenly beneficial?
Ethical decision-making requires a trained sensitivity to ethical issues and a practiced method for exploring the ethical aspects of a decision. A good framework for ethical decision-making can help explore ethical dilemmas and identify ethical courses of action.
One of the key questions to ask when making an ethical decision is: "Could this decision or situation be damaging to someone or to some group, or unevenly beneficial to people?"
When considering whether a decision is damaging or unevenly beneficial, it is important to examine the potential impact on all affected individuals or "stakeholders". The underlying principle here is the Golden Rule: help when you can, and avoid harm when you can. Ethical values always take precedence over non-ethical ones, and ethical decisions should generate and sustain trust, demonstrate respect, responsibility, fairness, and caring, and be consistent with good citizenship.
In some cases, a decision may be unevenly beneficial if it produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people. This is known as the utilitarianism principle, which holds that an action is morally right if it results in the greatest benefit for the greatest number of people. However, determining what constitutes the "common good" can be challenging, as different people may have conflicting interests and values.
Additionally, it is important to consider the potential risks and costs associated with a decision. While taking no action may seem like the most ethical course of action in some situations, it is important to evaluate the potential consequences of inaction, as doing nothing could also result in harm or negative outcomes.
Furthermore, ethical decisions should not be based solely on feelings, religion, law, accepted social practice, or science. Instead, they should be based on a well-informed understanding of the relevant facts and considerations of all stakeholders. This includes reflecting on the potential short-term and long-term consequences of the decision and ensuring that it aligns with one's ethical standards and principles.
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Does it respect the moral rights of those affected?
Respecting the moral rights of those affected is a key consideration in ethical decision-making. This approach is based on the belief that humans have inherent dignity and, therefore, a set of moral rights that should be respected. These rights include the freedom to choose how to live one's life, the right to be told the truth, the right to not be harmed, and the right to privacy.
When making decisions, it is essential to consider the potential impact on all stakeholders, including individuals and groups, and to strive for the greatest good for the greatest number of people. This involves examining the broader physical, cultural, and social environment to understand how different options may affect others. It is also crucial to recognize that ethical decisions may require prioritizing certain ethical values and principles over others to create the greatest benefit and the least harm.
However, it is important to note that there may be disagreements about the specific content of moral rights and what constitutes the common good. Different individuals and groups may have varying perspectives on human and civil rights, making it challenging to reach a consensus. In such cases, ethical decision-making requires trained sensitivity and a practiced method for exploring and weighing the ethical aspects of different choices.
Additionally, ethical decisions should not be solely based on feelings, religion, law, accepted social practice, or science. While these factors may influence our values and beliefs, they do not always align with ethical standards. For example, laws can deviate from what is ethical, as seen in historical cases of slavery and apartheid. Similarly, societal norms can become ethically corrupt, as exemplified by Nazi Germany. Therefore, ethical decision-making involves a continuous effort to examine and question our own moral beliefs and the institutions that shape them.
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Does it treat people as ends in themselves?
Ethical decision-making involves evaluating and choosing among alternatives in a manner consistent with ethical principles. It is not solely based on feelings, religion, law, accepted social practice, or science. Instead, it involves considering the moral rights and dignity of those affected and treating them as ends in themselves, not merely as means to an end.
Treating people as ends in themselves implies respecting their moral rights and inherent dignity as human beings. This includes rights such as the right to make choices about one's life, to be told the truth, to privacy, and to not be harmed. In the context of ethical decision-making, treating people as ends in themselves means considering the impact of decisions on individuals and groups and ensuring that their rights and dignity are upheld.
For example, let's consider a scenario involving a business owner, Jane, who is deciding whether to spend money on employee safety equipment. Jane recognises that spending nothing on safety would violate her employees' dignity and put their lives and livelihoods at risk, which is unethical. On the other hand, spending a significant portion of her revenues on safety equipment may impact other aspects of her business. Treating her employees as ends in themselves, Jane aims to balance their well-being with other business considerations, ultimately deciding to allocate a reasonable percentage of revenues to safety while also ensuring the sustainability of her company.
In another scenario, a manager, John, needs to terminate an underperforming employee, Brook. John respects Brook's moral rights and communicates the decision calmly and respectfully, offering a reference for future job opportunities. Brook, though disappointed about losing her job, does not feel that her interpersonal justice rights have been violated, demonstrating that John treated her as an end in herself by upholding her rights and dignity throughout the process.
In both cases, treating people as ends in themselves involves recognising their moral rights and dignity and making decisions that uphold and respect those rights. It requires considering the potential impact on individuals and groups and striving to create the greatest amount of good and the least amount of harm. By doing so, ethical decision-makers can navigate complex situations and ensure that their choices align with ethical principles.
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Does it create the greatest amount of good and least harm?
Ethical decision-making involves evaluating and choosing between alternatives in a manner consistent with ethical principles. It is not solely based on feelings, religion, law, accepted social practice, or science. Instead, it involves considering the moral rights and dignity of those affected and striving to create the greatest amount of good and the least amount of harm for all stakeholders.
When making ethical decisions, it is essential to recognize that laws, feelings, and social norms can deviate from what is ethical. For instance, pre-Civil War slavery laws and apartheid laws in South Africa are examples of legal systems that deviated from ethical standards. Therefore, ethical decisions should be based on well-founded ethical principles rather than solely on legal, religious, or social norms.
To create the greatest good and least harm, one must consider the interests and well-being of all affected individuals. This involves reflecting on how a decision will impact the broader physical, cultural, and social environment in the short and long term. It is also important to recognize that different stakeholders may have conflicting interests, and a decision that benefits one group may harm another. As such, it is crucial to consult with all relevant stakeholders and consider their relationships, concerns, and feelings when making ethical decisions.
Additionally, ethical decision-making requires the ability to make distinctions between competing options. This involves clarifying short-term and long-term goals and evaluating the potential consequences and risks associated with each alternative. It is also important to recognize that sometimes there may be two "right" ways to act or no morally right option. In such cases, it may be necessary to refrain from taking immediate action unless inaction would result in worse outcomes.
By considering the impact on stakeholders, evaluating alternatives, and striving to create the greatest good and least harm, individuals can make ethical decisions that demonstrate respect, responsibility, fairness, and caring.
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Does it reflect a concern for the interests and well-being of stakeholders?
Ethical decision-making requires a concern for the interests and well-being of stakeholders. This is underpinned by the Golden Rule: "help when you can, avoid harm when you can".
The utilitarianism principle holds that an ethical decision is one that produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people. This approach weighs up the net benefits and costs for all affected individuals. However, it can be challenging to determine who deserves what, especially when both parties are "right".
The common good principle considers the broader physical, cultural, and social environment in which individuals and their communities live, breathe, and thrive. This perspective asks, "How will this decision impact our shared spaces, cultures, and societies in the short and long term?" However, a challenge arises when different parties hold conflicting views on what constitutes the common good.
The care ethics lens focuses on relationships, concerns, and feelings. It prompts decision-makers to consider how their choices can be implemented with the utmost care and attention to stakeholders' concerns. This involves reflecting on the outcome: "How did my decision turn out, and what can I learn from it?"
When navigating ethical dilemmas, it is crucial to examine the interests and well-being of all stakeholders. This includes individuals, groups, and societies who are affected by the decision. By adopting frameworks such as utilitarianism, the common good principle, and the care ethics lens, decision-makers can strive to create the greatest amount of good and the least amount of harm.
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Frequently asked questions
Ethical decisions are those that are made with a continuous effort to study and develop one's ethical standards. This involves striving to ensure that one's actions live up to standards that are reasonable and well-founded. It is important to note that laws, feelings, and social norms can deviate from what is ethical, so one should not solely rely on these factors when making ethical decisions.
There are several frameworks to help guide ethical decision-making. One framework includes asking oneself the following questions:
- Could this decision be damaging to someone or a group, or unevenly beneficial?
- Does this decision involve a choice between a good and bad alternative, or between two "goods" or "bads"?
- Is this issue about more than what is legal or efficient?
- What are the relevant facts of the case, and do I know enough to make a decision?
- Who are the stakeholders, and have they been consulted?
- Which option takes into account the relationships, concerns, and feelings of all stakeholders?
Another framework is the utilitarianism principle, which states that an action is morally right if it produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
Ethical decisions should respect the moral rights of those affected. This includes rights such as the right to privacy, to make one's own choices, and to not be injured. In the workplace, it is important to consider individual rights, such as those outlined in the U.S. Constitution's Bill of Rights, when making ethical decisions.
Effective decisions are those that accomplish what is intended and advance one's purposes. They are made by understanding the difference between immediate, short-term, and long-term goals, and choosing options that align with one's most important goals. It is important to be aware of the "false necessity trap," where one may overestimate the cost of doing the right thing and, as a result, fall into the trap of treating non-ethical tasks as moral imperatives.
