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Copyright 2008 by Philip H. Troutman. The right of the author to be recognized as creator of this
presentation is fully reserved under all applicable international law.
Why Study Ethics?
Guidance for our Decisions. Through a study of
ethics, we learn to make moral decisions based
on values, principles, rather than on personal
preference alone or ─ at random!
Aid to Self-evaluation ─ Studying ethics helps us
see our own virtues and vices, and to evaluate
our own behavior more objectively.
Protects us from deception, exploitation ─ The
best protection against being deceived by others
is knowing what you believe, and why you
believe it.
Etymologies, Definitions
Ethics ─ fr. Greek ēthikós “moral, ethical.”
Ethics ─ n. ─ “the discipline dealing with
what is good and bad or right and wrong or
with moral duty and obligation” (MW).
Moral, morality ─ fr. Latin, moralis
“customary”
Moral ─ adj. ─ “of or relating to principles or
considerations of right and wrong action or
good and bad character” (MW).
Definitions
Norms ─ standards of conduct, principles of
right action, “ought” statements.
Values ─ principles, qualities, behaviors, etc.,
we view as intrinsically worthy, desirable,
important, or useful.
Values => Norms ─ Ethical norms express our
fundamental values in concrete prescriptions
for morally acceptable behavior.
Thoughts to ponder:
Do we always behave in consonance with our
fundamental values?