Ethics , Professional Ethics and Healthcare Ethics

What is Ethics What is Morality Applied Ethics Professional Ethics

A generic term covering different ways of

examining and understanding the moral life. Is relationalas it attempts to answer the question : How should I conduct myself in the presence of others.

Normative Attempts to resolve which moral norms to be used for guidance and/ the evaluation of

conduct(ought)

Non-normative Ethics-Descriptive

Evaluates factual accounts of moral norms

(exists)- culturally specific

Norms of right and wrong so extensively shared they form stable social agreements Includes many stds of conduct and character traits:
Dont lie Dont kill etc Tell the truth Honesty

Personal morality
Common Morality

Individual notion of wrong and right. Speaks upbringing and personal values Shared by all committed to morality All persons in all places ( universally shared)

Particular Morality

Professional Moralities Moral ideals

Non-universal e.g. religious traditions, Institutional expectations Form of particular morality Includes moral codes, stds.of practice

Morally praiseworthy actions not required

Philosophy love of Knowledge

Ethics Branch of Philosophy

Applied Ethics

*Real

or

not Real *True or false

How human actions may be judged right or wrong

A discussion of basic ethical positions with nature of profession and conditions under which profession operates.

Although law is an important expression of social judgment with regards to the wrongness or rightness of actions that impact public good it is not the same as ethics However it is influenced by ethical discussions and conclusions

The discussion juxtaposes:

Ethical theories Expert opinions Public opinions Creating a sense of community to eventually form a consensus (may be expressed in Law or societal mores)

Law Concerned with: Public good Individual rights

Ethics

Includes the aforementioned Plus the obligations of individuals to self , others and society

Ethical Behavior
1. Moral reasoning ( theoretical underpinning that guides behavior) 2. Character: action (doing the right thing)

Ethical theories state ways of evaluating actions that cannot be reduced to each other. i.e. Evaluating an action by its result is different from by it rational characteristics*

Are the means good?

The end justifies the means

If means are not good

Should theory be abandoned?

Consequentialism Kantian Deontologism Natural Law Virtue Principlism

Consequentialist Approach

Principles Approach/Kantian Deontologism

Moral Rules and Duties Eg. Kantian Ethics ( Immanuel Kant)

Focuses on Outcome Eg.Utilitarianism: Jeremy Bentham, John Stuart Mills ( greatest good for the greatest number)

Should one act to achieve the best consequence? or Should one do the right thing regardless of consequence?