Chapter 1

Defining Ethics

Question

How are ethical decisions made? Feelings & Opinions The Greater Good The Golden Rule Character Traits

Unethical & Illegal Unethical & legal

How do we decide what is right or wrong?

Morality & Ethics Morality – society’s attitude Ethics – what ought to be right or wrong.

Feelings & Opinions If someone has more $ than you, does it

make it ethical to steal from them?

If there was no law against theft, how would you determine if someone’s actions were ethical? How it hurt or helped the people who were

affected by it.

The Greatest Good The more good that results the more ethical

the action. 10 out of the 20 students in class cheated

only one was caught. You decide to keep quiet because this will ensure the greatest good for the greatest # of people.

How was the greatest good misapplied?

What does ethics mean?

1. Lisa found a $20 bill in the girl’s restroom at school. She bought her sister a gift with part of the money and put the rest of the money in her savings.

2. Joey found $20 in the girl’s restroom. She knew whoever lost the money would probably need it, so she turned the money in to the office.

Who is displaying more ethical behavior, Lisa or Joey?

What would you do if you found $20 in the restroom?

Is it Ethical?Is it ethical not to report it?

What are the Consequences if we don’t tell?

Who is affected?

If you hit someone's car and don’t report it.

If you break a desk or locker at school & no one sees you.

BILLY MADISON CLIP

INTRO Look at the character traits on page11. WHAT CHARACTER TRAIT DO MOST

PEOPLE HAVE THAT MAKES THEM ETHICAL?

ETHICAL CHARACTER TRAITS HONESTY JUSTICE COMPASSION INTEGRITY- The capacity to do

what is right even in the face of temptation or pressure to do otherwise.

Business Ethics Principles used in making business

decisions. Write down some examples of unethical

business practices. Is it okay to make unethical business decisions if

a lot of money is to be made?

UniversalizingPractice universalizing

Ask the questions: Is this irrational, illogical? About the following

Cheating Bribery Failure to pay bills murder

Study the photo on page 23

Write a response as to why we look to religious authorities to set the rules for what is ethically right or wrong.

What is integrity?Give examples of times when

you have faced dilemmas that made you question whether to follow your integrity.

Why is Law Necessary? What is the relationship between ethics &

law? Ethics tells us what we ought to do. Laws are created because people do not

always do what they should do.

Ethical goals reflected in law

Laws Need to have

A consistent rule Fair Communicated in advance Applied consistently

Problems with law Made by people

who bring their personal views on ethics to the law making process.

Can Ethics & the Law Conflict? Clarks is the editor fo the Bagpiper. Rita

tells Clark that another student is selling drugs on school grounds, but asks Clark not to reveal her identity in his news article or to the police. Clark Agrees. When the article appears and the student is arrested, Clark has to testify at the trial. He refuses to identify his source and is held in contempt of court.

Laws can’t always make people obey, but it does have the power to punish them

Fines, Jail, or deathBarred from jobs

Background checks required