Lessons 2-1 – What is Ethics? 2-2 – Reasoning About Right and Wrong 2-3 – How is Ethics Reflected in Our Laws?

Ethics in Our Law

Chapter 2

Lessons2-1 – What is Ethics?2-2 – Reasoning About Right and Wrong2-3 – How is Ethics Reflected in Our Laws?

Lesson 2-1 – What Is Ethics

Define ethics Describe each element of the

definition Define business ethics

Lesson 2-1 What Is Ethics

HOT DEBATE – Page 18• Read the Hot Debate Paragraph• ??? – Should Julian inform the INS of

Achmed’s whereabouts? If so, why?• ??? – What are the reasons in favor of

Julian not informing the INS?


• Ethics is deciding what is right or wrong in a reasoned, impartial manner. Consider the three important elements in this definition:• Decision about a right or wrong action• Decision is reasoned• Decision is impartial

Decision About a Right or Wrong Action –to involve ethics, a decision must affect you or others in some significant way.

Reasoned Decisions - people often refer to a written authority for reason…


Impartial Decisions – impartiality is the idea that the same ethical standards are applied to everyone.

Business Ethics – are the ethical principles used in making business decisions.

Lesson 2-2 – Reasoning About Right and Wrong

Reason based on consequences

Reason using ethical rules


Consequence-based reasoning recognizes that lying usually produces bad consequences.

Rule-based ethics says that lying is always wrong.


Ethical Reasoning Based on Consequences…

Consequence-based reasoning first looks for alternative ways to alter the current situation. Then it attempts to forecast the consequences that will arise from each alternative. Finally, it evaluates those possible consequences to select the alternative that generate the greatest good.

There are two elements to the evaluation process.1. Selecting the standard for judging consequences as right or

wrong2. Counting the persons affected


Fundamental Ethical Rules – the acts themselves are judged as right or wrong. The standard for judging usually comes from one of two sources, a recognized authority or human reasoning.

Decisions Based on Authority – an authority, such as the law or a religious text, can say that stealing is wrong. When an accepted authority has a rule or an issue, the rule tells the follower of that law or religion what is right and wrong.


Decisions Based on Reasoning – human reasoning can show that some things are basically wrong. A test has been devised to determine whether an action is right or wrong. It involves picturing in your mind’s eye everyone in the world doing the action. This is called universalizing the action. As you picture everyone doing the action, then ask, “Is this irrational, illogical, or self-defeating?”

Moral rights are rightful claims on other people that flow from each person’s status as a human being.

Lesson 2-3 – How Is Ethics Expressed in Our Laws

Explain how our laws reflect ethics based on consequences and ethics based on reasoning.

Discuss why we are obligated to obey laws.


In our country, the people –directly or indirectly-determine the laws that bind them. They do this by electing representatives to lawmaking bodies, such as city councils, state legislatures, and the Congress of the United States. In these elections and in the legislative bodies, majority prevails.

The Constitution of the United States seeks to ensure that our federal lawmaking system reflects the desires of our citizens. It does this by creating a national legislature composed of two bodies – the House of Representatives and the Senate. Together, these bodies are called Congress.


The United States of America is a country that recognizes and supports human rights. Civil rights (or civil liberties) generally are personal, human rights recognized and guaranteed by our Constitution.


Your State Representative

Hon. Mike Carroll

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/house_bio.cfm?id=1111


Ethics Demands That We Obey…Both ethics based on consequences and ethical rules conclude that we are obligated to obey the law.

We Consent to Be Governed by Laws…Socrates was a philosopher who lived in Athens, Greece from 470-399 B.C. He believed that he had promised to be governed the laws of Athens. He expressed this promise by living in Athens and accepting the benefits of that society. Socrates believed that he should leave Athens, or not accept the benefits that it conferred on citizens, if he was not willing to obey all of its laws. Through this type of reasoning, Socrates concluded that it would be ethically wrong for him to violate the law of Athens. Socrates was charged with a crime and unjustly sentenced to death.


Socrates is widely regarded as a person of great integrity. Integrity is the capacity to do what is right even in the face of temptation or pressure to do otherwise.

We Want to Avoid Punishment – Some people comply with the law primarily to avoid punishment.

Employers often purchase fidelity bonds for persons who handle large sums of money, such as cashiers, managers, or supervisors. A fidelity bond is an insurance policy that pays the employer money in the case of theft by employees.


Civil disobedience is an open, peaceful, violation of a law to protest its alleges injustice. The goal of those who engage in civil disobedience is not to advance their self-interest but rather to make the legal system more just.


Dr. King believed that civil disobedience is justified only in extremely limited circumstances. He an others conclude that civil disobedience is ethical only when…• a written law is in conflict with ethical reasoning• no effective political methods are available to change the law• the civil disobedience is nonviolent• the civil disobedience does not advance one’s immediate self-

interest• the civil disobedience is public and one willingly accepts the

punishment for violating the law

In contrast of Dr. King, some persons are mere scofflaws. These are persons who do not respect the law. They simply assess the risk of being caught against the benefits they obtain by breaking the law.

End of Chapter 2 Work

• Page 30 – In a document or on paper, complete the Matching exercise by writing/typing the number and the term that matches the definition next to the number.

• Write about Legal Concepts - #17• Think Critically About Evidence – #22, 23• Analyze Cases – We will do together

Documents

Lessons 2-1 – What is Ethics? 2-2 – Reasoning About Right and Wrong 2-3 – How is Ethics Reflected in Our Laws?