Lec-4 Ethical Theories

8/9/2019 Lec-4 Ethical Theories

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And whenever there comes aSurah, some of them say, whichof youhas had his faithincreased by it? As for those whobelieve, it has increasedtheir

faith, and they rejoice.9:124


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There is no revenge socomplete as forgiveness

Josh illings
http://www.goodquotes.com/author/josh-billingshttp://www.goodquotes.com/author/josh-billingshttp://www.goodquotes.com/author/josh-billings


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The wea! can neverforgive. "orgiveness is the

attribute of the strong.#ohandas $andhi
http://www.goodquotes.com/author/mohandas-gandhihttp://www.goodquotes.com/author/mohandas-gandhi


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The only way to have a friendis to be one. %alph

&aldo 'merson
http://www.goodquotes.com/author/ralph-waldo-emersonhttp://www.goodquotes.com/author/ralph-waldo-emersonhttp://www.goodquotes.com/author/ralph-waldo-emersonhttp://www.goodquotes.com/author/ralph-waldo-emerson


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( would rather live my life as ifthere is a $od and die to )nd outthere isn*t, than live my life as ifthere isn*t and die to )nd outthere is. Albert +amus
http://www.goodquotes.com/author/albert-camushttp://www.goodquotes.com/author/albert-camushttp://www.goodquotes.com/author/albert-camushttp://www.goodquotes.com/author/albert-camus


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Absolutism vs. Relativism

Ethical Absolutism:What is right or wrong is consistent in all

places or circumstances. There are

universally valid moral principles.

Opinions alter, manners change, creeds riseand fall, but the moral law is written on the

tablets of eternity.

James A. orude


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Ethical Relativism (also called Situational Ethics)!

What is right or wrong varies according to the

individual"society"culture or set ofcircumstances. There are no universally valid

moral principles.


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Relativism As #.$. %op&in describes relativism in his article on the

sub'ect in The Encyclopedia of Religion, (views are to be

evaluated relative to the societies or culturesin which

they appear and are not to be 'udged true or false, or

good or bad, based on some overall criterionbut are to

be assessed within the conte)t in which they occur.

Thus, what is right or good or true to one person orgroup, may not be considered so by others * there are

no absolute standards* (+an is the measure of all

things -uoting the ree& philosopher %rotagoras /012

/34, 5.6.7, and * each man could be his own measure* 8#elativism9 urges suspension of 'udgment about right

and wrong.


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RelativismAs 6ardinal Joseph #at:inger said,

#elativism is (presented as a positiondefined positively by the concepts of

tolerance and &nowledge through

dialogue and freedom, concepts whichwould be limited if the e)istence of one

valid truth for all were affirmed.


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Survey

According to a recent poll of college seniors,;= agreed with the statement that (There areclear and uniform standards of right and wrongby which everyone should be 'udged.?


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Problems with Relativism

#elativism undermines moral criticism of practices of

particular individuals or in particular societieswhere

those practices conform to their own standards. or

instance, it could be used to permit slavery in a slave

society or it could be used to 'ustify trade and

investment with basically evil regimes, e.g. Apartheidgovernments.

5ut, as 6ardinal #at:inger said, (There are in'ustices

that will never turn into 'ust things for e)ample, &illing an

innocent person, denying an individual or groups theright to their dignity or to life corresponding to that

dignity7 while, on the other hand, there are 'ust things

that can never be un'ust.


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#elativists never need bother to e)amine why

something is moral or immoral, they merely

accept"tolerate alternative determinations, so that

none are held to account

(Over the years @ have found that those who call

themselves atheists actually have a strong sense ofthe absolute truth they &now e)ists. They 'ust dont

want to ac&nowledge that its true 2 because if they

did, they would have to change the way they live.

They flee on moral groundsB refusing to submitthemselves, they e)change the truth for a lie. 2

6huc& 6olson 2Being the Body, 344


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6ommenting on the idea that legal reformscan compel corporate morality, +ichael

%rowse, in the Financial Times, stated that

?The underlying problem is that we are living

in times that might aptly be called Cpost2ethical.C? %eople are now (amotivists,? who

relativi:e moral 'udgments and ?obey the law,

help others and respect customs and mores

only if they calculate that this will benefit them

personally in some way. ... The root problem

is a loss of belief in ob'ective ethical

standards.


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+ost ethicists re'ect the theory ofethical relativism. Dome claim that

while the moral practices ofsocieties may differ, thefundamental moral principles

underlying these practices do not.


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MORAL ETHICS DECISION MAKINGFRAMEWORK

1. &ho all are the people aected by theaction?

-. (s the action bene)cial to me?

. (s the action supported by my social group?

/. (s the action supported by my national laws?

0. (s the action for the greatest good of thegreatest number of people aected by it?

. Are the motives behind the action based ontruthfulness and respect2integrity towardseach sta!eholders?3 -4 , 'ach represent

one of )ve ethicaltheories


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ETHICS THEORIES


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EGOISM

5ow does the action relate

to me? (f the action furthersmy interests, it is right. (f itcon6icts with my interests itis wrong.


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Basic Post!at"s

7'ach of us is intimately familiar with our ownindividual wants and needs. #oreover, eachof us is uni8uely placed to pursue thosewants and needs eectively. At the same

time, we !now the desires and needs ofothers only imperfectly, and we are not wellsituated to pursue them. Therefore, it isreasonable to believe that if we set out to be

*our brother*s !eeper,*we would often bunglethe job and end up doing more mischief thangood.


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Basic Post!at"s

To pursue actively the interests of others isto be o9cious.&e should mind our ownbusiness and allow others to mind theirs.

To give charity to someone is to degradehim,implying as it does that he is reliant onsuch muni)cence and 8uite unable to loo!out for himself. 7That,7 rec!ons %achels, 7is

why the recipients of *charity* are so oftenresentful rather than appreciative.


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Basic Post!at"s

Altruism, ultimately, denies an individual valueand is therefore destructive both to society and itsindividual components, viewing life merely as athing to be sacri)ced. Altruism means man:s )rst

concern is not how to live his life but how tosacri)ce it. The purpose of morality is to teachyou, not to suer and die, but to enjoy yourselfand live.

All of our commonly accepted moral duties, fromdoing no harm unto others to spea!ing always thetruth to !eeping promises, are rooted in the onefundamental principle of self4interest.


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Basic Post!at"s

According to Adam Smith it is morallyacceptable theory as long as pursuit of selfinterestdoes not collapse into sel)shness.

%and says, ;the best thing for the commongood is to become an individual of highintegrity willing to pursue one:s self interestat all costs.


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C#iticis$

ed organi>ationswith scarce resources.

&hose interests matter the most when there iscon6ict?

To do what is in one*s best interests can be bothwrong and rightin ethical terms.

@rovides no moral basis for the resolution ofcon6ictsof interest.


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Socia! G#o% R"!ati&is$

5ow does the action relate to my social grouppeer, friends etc,B? (f the action conformswith the social group norms, it is right. (f it iscontrary to the social group:s norms, it is

wrong. A higherstage of moral reasoning than

egoism. Social group relativists are concerned what

their social group other managers, industrycouncils, professional associationsB thin!about an issue.


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C#iticis$

ed organi>ationswith scarce resources.

&hose interests matter the most when there iscon6ict?

To do what is in one*s best interests can be bothwrong and right in ethical terms.

@rovides no moral basis for the resolution ofcon6icts of interest.


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C!t#a! R"!ati&is$

5ow does the action relate to my nationalculture, particularly the law? (f the actionconforms with the law it is right. (f it iscontrary to the law it is wrong.

A higherstage of moral reasoning than socialgroup relativism.

+ultural relativist considers himself as amember of larger society that has some

common interests.They are more concerned about national laws.


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C#iticis$

Caws cannot ensure interests of allindividuals, social groups or cultural groups.

Caws need change2evolution.


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'ti!ita#ia(is$

How does the action relate to every one who is affected byit? If it is beneficial to the majority,then it is right. If it is

detrimental to the majority of the people then it is wrong.A higherstage of moral reasoning than cultural relativism.

Ethics of capitalismis based on utilitarianism.Everyone counts equalunder utilitarianism.in case of scarce resource,it will be given as per the best

interest of organiation.

In case of conflictvoting.!roblem will arise if some group is in majority.


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D"o(to!o)*

5ow does the action relate to my duty to treatothers in the way that ( would want to betreated. Does it treat every person truthfullyand with integrity?(f it does then it is right. (f it

does not then it is wrong. %espect all sta!eholders. =ot majority but every

person is treated fairly. 'mphasi>e motivesbehind action and individual

rights, rather than conse8uences. "ollow moral rules, such as ten commandments,

3uranic instructions and the golden rule etc.


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D"o(to!o)*

Always be honest, !eep promises, providemutual aid when needed and respectpeople and property

'mbody moral 8ualities of saint.


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C#iticis$

=ot always achievable, practical ordesirable.

"or eEample when limited resourcesemployees must choose whether to givepreferential service to largest revenuegenerating customer or give all customers ane8ual amount of inade8uate service FG2-G

ruleB


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T"( Et+ica! Ha,a#- A%%#oac+i()Si)(s

B".a#" .+"( so$"o(" sa*s (t is ethicalHH. (f it is legal and permissible (t is ethicalHH. (f it is necessary. (t is ethicalHH. (f it is just part of the job. (t is ethicalHH. (f it is all for a good cause. (t is ethicalHH. (f ( am just doing it for you (t is ethicalHH. (f ( am just )ghting )re with )re. (t is ethicalHH. (f it does not hurt anyone. (t is ethicalHH. (f every one else is doing it. (t is ethicalHH. (f ( don:t gain personally. (t is ethicalHH. (f ( have got it coming.


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you don:t have to choose just one. no onetheory wor!s in every business, or even inevery area of the same business.

'ach ethical theory has its own strengthsand wea!nesses.

Iantian theory, which demands that yourespect people as independent agents,

wor!s well when you:re dealing with humanresource issues.

C+oosi() a( Et+ica! T+"o#*/o# 0o# Bsi("ss


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tilitarianism, which promotes the greatestgood for everyone involved, wor!s well indetermining how to treat the environment.

Kirtue ethical theories are ideal fordiscussing the character of an ethical leaderor ethical employee.

C+oosi() a( Et+ica! T+"o#*/o# 0o# Bsi("ss


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P"#sa-i() Ot+"#s

All managers may not believe in one theory =eed to tal! to opposing managers in the

language of their theory (f consensus not developed, the decision

ma!er can decide unilaterally and every onewould understand the ethical reasoning


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THANK 0O' ER0M'CH FOR 0O'RPATIENT HEARINGAN0 3'ESTIONGOOD L'CK AND GOD

BLESS 0O' ALL

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Lec-4 Ethical Theories