Dimensions of ethics

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Dimensions of ethics

Dimensions of ethics is a set of questions that arise when considering how one ought to act, morally speaking. Normative ethics is distinct from meta-ethics because it examines standards for the rightness and wrongness of actions. There are various approach to this.

These are the important dimensions of ethics:

  • Meta ethics
  • Normative ethics
  • Virtue ethics
  • Descriptive ethics
  • Hedonism
  • Applied ethics

Meta ethics

Meta-ethics asks how we understand, know about, and what we mean when we talk about what is right and what is wrong. An ethical question fixed on some particular practical question—such as, “Should I eat this particular piece of chocolate cake?”—cannot be a meta-ethical question. A meta-ethical question is abstract and relates to a wide range of more specific practical questions. For example, “Is it ever possible to have secure knowledge of what is right and wrong?” would be a meta-ethical question.  Meta-ethics has always accompanied philosophical ethics. For example, Aristotle implies that less precise knowledge is possible in ethics than in other spheres of inquiry, and he regards ethical knowledge as depending upon habit and acculturation in a way that makes it distinctive from other kinds of knowledge. Meta-ethics is also important in G.E. Moore’s Principia Ethica from 1903. In it he first wrote about what he called the naturalistic fallacy. Moore was seen to reject naturalism in ethics, in his Open Question Argument. This made thinkers look again at second order questions about ethics. Earlier, the Scottish philosopher David Hume had put forward a similar view on the difference between facts and values.

Normative ethics

It includes following approaches:      

Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that argues the proper course of action is one that maximizes a positive effect, such as “happiness”, “welfare”, or the ability to live according to personal preferences. Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill are influential proponents of this school of thought. In A Fragment on Government Bentham says ‘it is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong’ and describes this as a fundamental axiom. In An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation he talks of ‘the principle of utility’ but later prefers “the greatest happiness principle”.

Utilitarianism is the paradigmatic example of a consequentialist moral theory. This form of utilitarianism holds that the morally correct action is the one that produces the best outcome for all people affected by the action. John Stuart Mill, in his exposition of utilitarianism, proposed a hierarchy of pleasures, meaning that the pursuit of certain kinds of pleasure is more highly valued than the pursuit of other pleasures. Other noteworthy proponents of utilitarianism are neuroscientist Sam Harris, author of The Moral Landscape, and moral philosopher Peter Singer, author of, amongst other works, Practical Ethics.

There are two types of utilitarianism, act utilitarianism and rule utilitarianism. In act utilitarianism, the principle of utility applies directly to each alternative act in a situation of choice. The right act is the one that brings about the best results (or the least amount of bad results). In rule utilitarianism, the principle of utility determines the validity of rules of conduct (moral principles). A rule like promise-keeping is established by looking at the consequences of a world in which people break promises at will and a world in which promises are binding. Right and wrong are the following or breaking of rules that are sanctioned by their utilitarian value.

Virtue ethics

Virtue ethics describes the character of a moral agent as a driving force for ethical behavior, and is used to describe the ethics of Socrates, Aristotle, and other early Greek philosophers. Socrates (469–399  BC) was one of the first Greek philosophers to encourage both scholars and the common citizen to turn their attention from the outside world to the condition of humankind. In this view, knowledge bearing on human life was placed highest, while all other knowledge was secondary. Self-knowledge was considered necessary for success and inherently an essential good. A self-aware person will act completely within his capabilities to his pinnacle, while an ignorant person will flounder and encounter difficulty. To Socrates, a person must become aware of every fact (and its context) relevant to his existence, if he wishes to attain self-knowledge. He posited that people will naturally do what is good, if they know what is right. Evil or bad actions are the results of ignorance. If a criminal was truly aware of the intellectual and spiritual consequences of his actions, he would neither commit nor even consider committing those actions. Any person who knows what is truly right will automatically do it, according to Socrates. While he correlated knowledge with virtue, he similarly equated virtue with joy. The truly wise man will know what is right, do what is good, and therefore be happy.

Aristotle (384–323 BC) posited an ethical system that may be termed “self-realizationism”. In Aristotle’s view, when a person acts in accordance with his nature and realizes his full potential, he will do good and be content. At birth, a baby is not a person, but a potential person. To become a “real” person, the child’s inherent potential must be realized. Unhappiness and frustration are caused by the unrealized potential of a person, leading to failed goals and a poor life. Aristotle said, “Nature does nothing in vain.” Therefore, it is imperative for people to act in accordance with their nature and develop their latent talents in order to be content and complete. Happiness was held to be the ultimate goal. All other things, such as civic life or wealth, are merely means to the end. Self-realization, the awareness of one’s nature and the development of one’s talents, is the surest path to happiness.

Aristotle asserted that man had three natures: body (physical/Metabolism), animal (emotional/appetite) and rational (mental/conceptual). Physical nature can be assuaged through exercise and care, emotional nature through indulgence of instinct and urges, and mental through human reason and developed potential. Rational development was considered the most important, as essential to philosophical self-awareness and as uniquely human. Moderation was encouraged, with the extremes seen as degraded and immoral. For example, courage is the moderate virtue between the extremes of cowardice and recklessness. Man should not simply live, but live well with conduct governed by moderate virtue. This is regarded as difficult, as virtue denotes doing the right thing, to the right person, at the right time, to the proper extent, in the correct fashion, for the right reason.

Deontological approach

Deontology (or Deontological Ethics) is an approach to Ethics that focuses on the rightness or wrongness of actions themselves, as opposed to the rightness or wrongness of the consequences of those actions (Consequentialism) or to the character and habits of the actor (Virtue Ethics).  Thus, to a Deontologist, whether a situation is good or bad depends on whether the action that brought it about was right or wrong. What makes a choice “right” is its conformity with a moral norm: Right takes priority over Good. For example, if someone proposed to kill everyone currently living on land that could not support agriculture in order to bring about a world without starvation, a Deontologist would argue that this world without starvation was a bad state of affairs because of the way in which it was brought about. A Consequentialist would (or could) argue that the final state of affairs justified the drastic action. A Virtue Ethicist would concern himself with neither, but would look at whether the perpetrator acted in accordance with worthy virtues.  Deontology may sometimes be consistent with Moral Absolutism (the belief that some actions are wrong no matter what consequences follow from them), but not necessarily. For instance, Immanuel Kant famously argued that it is always wrong to lie, even if a murderer is asking for the location of a potential victim. But others, such as W.D. Ross (1877 – 1971), hold that the consequences of an action such as lying may sometimes make lying the right thing to do (Moral Relativism).  It is sometimes described as “duty-based” or “obligation-based” ethics, because Deontologists believe that ethical rules bind people to their duty. The term “deontology” derives from the Greek “deon” meaning “obligation” or “duty”, and “logos” meaning “speaking” or “study.

Pragmatic ethics

Associated with the pragmatists, Charles Sanders Peirce, William James, and especially John Dewey, pragmatic ethics holds that moral correctness evolves similarly to scientific knowledge: socially over the course of many lifetimes. Thus, we should prioritize social reform over attempts to account for consequences, individual virtue or duty (although these may be worthwhile attempts, if social reform is provided for).

Ethics of care

Care ethics contrasts with more well-known ethical models, such as consequentialist theories (e.g. utilitarianism) and deontological theories (e.g., Kantian ethics) in that it seeks to incorporate traditionally feminized virtues and values that—proponents of care ethics contend—are absent in such traditional models of ethics. These values include the importance of empathetic relationships and compassion.  Care-focused feminism is a branch of feminist thought, informed primarily by ethics of care as developed by Carol Gilligan and Nel Noddings. This body of theory is critical of how caring is socially assigned to Women, and consequently devalued. They write, “Care-focused feminists regard women’s capacity for care as a human strength,” that should be taught to and expected of men as well as women. Noddings proposes that ethical caring has the potential to be a more concrete evaluative model of moral dilemma than an ethic of Justice. Noddings’ care-focused feminism requires practical application of relational ethics, predicated on an ethic of care.

Hedonism

Hedonism posits that the principal ethic is maximizing pleasure and minimizing pain. There are several schools of Hedonist thought ranging from those advocating the indulgence of even momentary desires to those teaching a pursuit of spiritual bliss. In their consideration of consequences, they range from those advocating self-gratification regardless of the pain and expense to others, to those stating that the most ethical pursuit maximizes pleasure and happiness for the most people.

Applied ethics

Applied ethics is a discipline of philosophy that attempts to apply ethical theory to real-life situations. The discipline has many specialized fields, such as engineering ethics, bioethics, geoethics, Public Service ethics and business ethics.

Applied ethics is used in some aspects of determining public policy, as well as by individuals facing difficult decisions. The sort of questions addressed by applied ethics include: “Is getting an abortion immoral?” “Is euthanasia immoral?” “Is affirmative action right or wrong?” “What are Human Rights, and how do we determine them?” “Do animals have rights as well?” and “Do individuals have the right of self-determination?”

A more specific question could be: “If someone else can make better out of his/her life than I can, is it then moral to sacrifice myself for them if needed?” Without these questions, there is no clear fulcrum on which to balance law, politics, and the practice of arbitration—in fact, no common assumptions of all participants—so the ability to formulate the questions are prior to rights balancing. But not all questions studied in applied ethics concern public policy. For example, making ethical judgments regarding questions such as, “Is lying always wrong?” and, “If not, when is it permissible?” is prior to any etiquette.  People, in general, are more comfortable with dichotomies (two opposites). However, in ethics, the issues are most often multifaceted and the best-proposed actions address many different areas concurrently. In ethical decisions, the answer is almost never a “yes or no”, “right or wrong” statement. Many buttons are pushed so that the overall condition is improved and not to the benefit of any particular faction.

Some of the important fields of applied ethics are as follows:

Business ethics

Business ethics (also corporate ethics) is a form of applied ethics or professional ethics that examines ethical principles and moral or ethical problems that arise in a business Environment, including fields like medical ethics. It applies to all aspects of business conduct and is relevant to the conduct of individuals and entire organizations.

Bioethics

Bioethics is the study of controversial ethics brought about by advances in biology and medicine. Bioethicists are concerned with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, Biotechnology, medicine, politics, law, and philosophy. It also includes the study of the more commonplace questions of values (“the ethics of the ordinary”) that arise in primary care and other branches of medicine.

Military ethics

Military ethics are concerned with questions regarding the application of force and the ethos of the soldier and are often understood as applied professional ethics. Just war theory is generally seen to set the background terms of military ethics. However individual countries and traditions have different fields of attention.

Public sector ethics

Public sector ethics is a set of principles that guide public officials in their service to their constituents, including their decision-making on behalf of their constituents. Fundamental to the concept of public sector ethics is the notion that decisions and actions are based on what best serves the public’s interests, as opposed to the official’s personal interests (including financial interests) or self-serving political interests.

Relational ethics

Relational ethics are related to an ethics of care. They are used in qualitative research, especially ethnography and autoethnography. Researchers who employ relational ethics value and respect the connection between themselves and the people they study, and “…between researchers and the communities in which they live and work.”  Relational ethics also help researchers understand difficult issues such as conducting research on intimate others that have died and developing friendships with their participants. Relational ethics in close personal relationships form a central concept of contextual therapy.

Animal ethics

Animal ethics is a term used in academia to describe human-animal relationships and how animals ought to be treated. The subject matter includes animal rights, animal welfare, animal law, speciesism, animal Cognition, wildlife conservation, the moral status of nonhuman animals, the concept of nonhuman personhood, human exceptionalism, the history of animal use, and theories of justice.

Descriptive ethics

Descriptive ethics is on the less philosophical end of the spectrum since it seeks to gather particular information about how people live and draw general conclusions based on observed patterns. Abstract and theoretical questions that are more clearly philosophical—such as, “Is ethical knowledge possible?”—are not central to descriptive ethics. Descriptive ethics offers a value-free approach to ethics, which defines it as a social science rather than a humanity. Its examination of ethics doesn’t start with a preconceived theory but rather investigates observations of actual choices made by moral agents in practice. Some philosophers rely on descriptive ethics and choices made and unchallenged by a Society or culture to derive categories, which typically vary by context. This can lead to situational ethics and situated ethics. These philosophers often view aesthetics, etiquette, and arbitration as more fundamental, percolating “bottom up” to imply the existence of, rather than explicitly prescribe, theories of value or of conduct.

The study of descriptive ethics may include examinations of the following:

  • Ethical codes applied by various groups. Some consider aesthetics itself the basis of ethics—and a personal moral core developed through art and storytelling as very influential in one’s later ethical choices.
  • Informal theories of etiquette that tend to be less rigorous and more situational. Some consider etiquette a simple negative ethics, i.e., where can one evade an uncomfortable truth without doing wrong? One notable advocate of this view is Judith Martin (“Miss Manners”). According to this view, ethics is more a summary of common sense social decisions.
  • Practices in arbitration and law, e.g., the claim that ethics itself is a matter of balancing “right versus right”, i.e., putting priorities on two things that are both right, but that must be traded off carefully in each situation.
  • Observed choices made by ordinary people, without expert aid or advice, who vote, buy, and decide what is worth valuing. This is a major concern of Sociology, political science, and economics

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Ethics is a branch of philosophy that deals with morality and the principles of right and wrong. It is a complex and multifaceted subject, and there are many different theories and approaches to ethics.

One way to think about ethics is in terms of dimensions. These dimensions are not mutually exclusive, and they can overlap in different ways. Some of the most important dimensions of ethics include:

  • Autonomy: This is the principle that individuals have the right to make their own decisions and to control their own lives. It is often associated with the idea of free will.
  • Benevolence: This is the principle of doing good to others. It is often associated with the idea of charity and compassion.
  • Consequentialism: This is the view that the morality of an action is determined by its consequences. Actions that have good consequences are considered to be right, while actions that have bad consequences are considered to be wrong.
  • Deontology: This is the view that the morality of an action is determined by its adherence to a set of rules or principles. Actions that follow these rules or principles are considered to be right, while actions that do not follow them are considered to be wrong.
  • Egoism: This is the view that the only thing that is truly good is one’s own happiness. Actions that promote one’s own happiness are considered to be right, while actions that do not promote one’s own happiness are considered to be wrong.
  • Ethics of care: This is a feminist approach to ethics that emphasizes the importance of caring relationships. It is often associated with the idea of Empathy and compassion.
  • Ethics of virtue: This is an approach to ethics that emphasizes the importance of developing good character traits. It is often associated with the idea of living a good life.
  • Fairness: This is the principle of treating people equally and fairly. It is often associated with the idea of justice.
  • Justice: This is the principle of giving people what they deserve. It is often associated with the idea of fairness.
  • Non-maleficence: This is the principle of avoiding harm to others. It is often associated with the idea of doing no harm.
  • Principlism: This is an approach to ethics that emphasizes the importance of following a set of moral principles. These principles are often derived from religious or philosophical traditions.
  • Relativism: This is the view that there is no objective standard of morality, and that what is right and wrong is determined by culture or individual opinion.
  • Rights: This is the idea that individuals have certain Fundamental Rights that should be respected. These rights are often associated with the idea of freedom and Equality.
  • Virtue ethics: This is an approach to ethics that emphasizes the importance of developing good character traits. It is often associated with the idea of living a good life.
  • Utilitarianism: This is a consequentialist theory that holds that the right action is the one that produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
  • Values: These are beliefs about what is important in life. They can be personal values, such as honesty or courage, or Social Values, such as justice or equality.

These are just some of the most important dimensions of ethics. There are many other theories and approaches to ethics, and the field is constantly evolving.

What is ethics?

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that deals with morality and the principles of right and wrong. It is concerned with what is good and bad, and with how we should live our lives.

What are the different dimensions of ethics?

There are many different ways to think about the dimensions of ethics. One way is to think about them in terms of the different types of ethical theories. There are consequentialist theories, which focus on the consequences of our actions, and deontological theories, which focus on the duties and obligations that we have. There are also virtue ethics, which focus on the development of good character, and feminist ethics, which focus on the experiences and perspectives of women.

Another way to think about the dimensions of ethics is in terms of the different levels of ethical analysis. There is individual ethics, which deals with the moral choices that we make as individuals. There is also social ethics, which deals with the moral choices that we make as members of society. And there is global ethics, which deals with the moral choices that we make as members of the global community.

What are some common ethical dilemmas?

There are many common ethical dilemmas that we face in our lives. Some of these dilemmas include:

  • Should we tell the truth, even when it is difficult or painful?
  • Should we help others, even when it is inconvenient or costly?
  • Should we obey the law, even when we disagree with it?
  • Should we stand up for what we believe in, even when it is unpopular?

How do we make ethical decisions?

There is no one right way to make ethical decisions. However, there are some steps that we can take to help us make better decisions. These steps include:

  • Identifying the ethical issue at stake.
  • Gathering information about the issue.
  • Considering all of the Options available to us.
  • Weighing the pros and cons of each option.
  • Making a decision and taking action.
  • Reflecting on our decision and Learning from it.

What are the consequences of unethical behavior?

There are many negative consequences of unethical behavior. Some of these consequences include:

  • Personal harm: Unethical behavior can harm us both physically and emotionally.
  • Social harm: Unethical behavior can harm our relationships with others and our reputation in the community.
  • Legal harm: Unethical behavior can lead to legal problems, such as fines or imprisonment.
  • Economic harm: Unethical behavior can lead to financial losses, such as job loss or damage to our business.

What are some ways to promote ethical behavior?

There are many things that we can do to promote ethical behavior. Some of these things include:

  • Setting a good example: We can set a good example for others by behaving ethically ourselves.
  • Talking about ethics: We can talk about ethics with our friends, family, and colleagues.
  • Creating ethical codes of conduct: We can create ethical codes of conduct for our organizations and businesses.
  • Providing training on ethics: We can provide training on ethics to our employees and students.
  • Rewarding ethical behavior: We can reward ethical behavior with praise, recognition, and promotions.
  • Sanctioning unethical behavior: We can sanction unethical behavior with discipline, such as demotion or termination.

What is the role of ethics in business?

Ethics plays an important role in business. Businesses need to make ethical decisions in order to be successful. Ethical businesses are more likely to attract and retain customers and employees. They are also less likely to be sued or fined. Ethical businesses are also more likely to be successful in the long run.

What is the role of ethics in government?

Ethics plays an important role in government. Governments need to make ethical decisions in order to be effective. Ethical governments are more likely to be trusted by their citizens. They are also less likely to be corrupt. Ethical governments are also more likely to be successful in the long run.

What is the role of ethics in Education?

Ethics plays an important role in education. Schools need to teach students about ethics in order to prepare them for life. Ethical students are more likely to make good decisions in their personal and professional lives. They are also less likely to engage in criminal or unethical behavior. Ethical students are also more likely to be successful in school and in life.

1. Which of the following is not a dimension of ethics?
(A) Deontology
(B) Teleology
(C) Virtue ethics
(D) Utilitarianism

2. Which of the following is an example of a deontological ethical theory?
(A) The Golden Rule
(B) The Categorical Imperative
(C) The Principle of Utility
(D) The Principle of Respect for Persons

3. Which of the following is an example of a teleological ethical theory?
(A) The Golden Rule
(B) The Categorical Imperative
(C) The Principle of Utility
(D) The Principle of Respect for Persons

4. Which of the following is an example of a virtue ethical theory?
(A) The Golden Rule
(B) The Categorical Imperative
(C) The Principle of Utility
(D) The Principle of Respect for Persons

5. Which of the following is not a type of ethical dilemma?
(A) A moral dilemma
(B) A legal dilemma
(C) A prudential dilemma
(D) A philosophical dilemma

6. Which of the following is an example of a moral dilemma?
(A) Should I tell the truth, even if it hurts someone’s feelings?
(B) Should I steal food to feed my family?
(C) Should I cheat on my exam to get a better grade?
(D) Should I drive over the speed limit to get to work on time?

7. Which of the following is an example of a legal dilemma?
(A) Should I report a crime I witnessed?
(B) Should I refuse to testify in court?
(C) Should I break the law to save a life?
(D) Should I obey an unjust law?

8. Which of the following is an example of a prudential dilemma?
(A) Should I take a risky job that could pay me a lot of Money?
(B) Should I invest in a risky stock?
(C) Should I get married?
(D) Should I have children?

9. Which of the following is not a type of ethical theory?
(A) Deontology
(B) Teleology
(C) Virtue ethics
(D) Moral relativism

10. Which of the following is an example of a moral relativist?
(A) Someone who believes that there are no absolute moral truths
(B) Someone who believes that morality is relative to culture
(C) Someone who believes that morality is relative to the individual
(D) Someone who believes that morality is relative to the situation

11. Which of the following is not a type of ethical argument?
(A) Deontological argument
(B) Teleological argument
(C) Virtue ethical argument
(D) Moral relativist argument

12. Which of the following is an example of a deontological argument?
(A) “We should not kill because it is wrong to kill.”
(B) “We should not steal because it is wrong to take what does not belong to us.”
(C) “We should be honest because it is the right thing to do.”
(D) “We should help others because it is our duty to do so.”

13. Which of the following is an example of a teleological argument?
(A) “We should not kill because it will lead to more suffering.”
(B) “We should not steal because it will lead to more POVERTY.”
(C) “We should be honest because it will lead to more trust.”
(D) “We should help others because it will lead to a better world.”

14. Which of the following is an example of a virtue ethical argument?
(A) “We should not kill because it is a vice.”
(B) “We should not steal because it is a vice.”
(C) “We should be honest because it is a virtue.”
(D) “We should help others because it is a virtue.”

15. Which of the following is not a type of ethical decision-making model?
(A) The deontological model
(B) The teleological model
(C) The virtue ethical model
(D) The ethical dilemma model

16. Which of the following is an example of the deontological model of ethical decision-making?
(A) Consider the consequences of your actions.
(B) Consider the duties and obligations involved in the situation.
(C) Consider the virtues that are relevant to the situation.
(D) Consider the rights