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Ethical Theories

Ethical Theories. What is Ethics? A few years ago, I asked the smartest people I knew in law school…. "What does ethics mean to you?". Among their replies were the following:. "Ethics has to do with what my feelings tell me is right or wrong.“ "Ethics has to do with my religious beliefs.“

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Ethical Theories

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  1. Ethical Theories

  2. What is Ethics? A few years ago, I asked the smartest people I knew in law school…. "What does ethics mean to you?"

  3. Among their replies were the following: • "Ethics has to do with what my feelings tell me is right or wrong.“ • "Ethics has to do with my religious beliefs.“ • "Being ethical is doing what the law requires.“ • "Ethics consists of the standards of behavior our society accepts.“ • "I don't know what the word means." • As you can see, the meaning of "ethics" is hard to pin down, and the views many people have about ethics are shaky at best.

  4. Many people tend to equate ethics with their feelings. • But being ethical is clearly not a matter of following one's feelings. • A person following his or her feelings may recoil from doing what is right. • Why? It might get you into trouble. • Nor should one identify ethics with religion. • Yes, most religions advocate high ethical standards. • But , if ethics were confined to religion, then ethics would apply only to religious people. • Do you have to believe in God to be ethical?

  5. What then is ethics? • Ethics refer to well based standards of right and wrong explaining what humans ought to do. • Usually in terms of • Rights • Obligations • Benefits to society • Fairness • Equality

  6. What is Ethics? • Ethos (Greek) • Term having to do with “custom morals” • Therefore, Ethics is the study of morality. • So, what is morality?

  7. What is Morality? • Morality can be defined as: a system of rules for guiding human conduct, and principles for evaluating those rules.

  8. Summary • Ethics: • Study of morality • Explaining what people think is right and wrong. • Morality: • System of Rules • Keeps people doing what is right. • Called morals

  9. So…….. • Why do we do wrong things? • Why do we disagree on what is right? • How do we justify doing wrong things?

  10. Is this why I judge others? YES!!! • You have morals • You make judgments based on those morals • You condemn those who don’t do what you would have done. • Therefore, you judge.

  11. Can you do anything to keep yourself from judging others? • Answers:

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