Application of Ethical Principles
Richard L. Wilson
Applied Ethics
To engage in Applied Ethics is to attempt to identify problems that will arise in a discipline such as Bioethics, Business Ethics, Engineering Ethics or Computer Science Ethics.
Once an Ethical issue or problem has been identified the next step is to apply an ethical principle to the problem or issue.
What is accomplished in this analysis is an exploration of what an ethical principle will say about the application of the ethical principle to a subject matter or to the details of a specific case.
BDI model of Agency
Beliefs
intention action outcome
Desires
Moral Agency and Application of Ethical Principles
Moral agency is concerned with determining how according to moral systems and theories, rational and practical agents can be held morally responsible and accountable.
The problem that we have to confront is what is referred to by James Rachel's as the problem of definition. ( see James Rachel's the elements of moral philosophy McGraw-Hill, 7ed., 2012. P. 1)
“Moral philosophy is the study of what morality is and what it requires of us. As Socrates said, it's about’ how we ought to live’ – and why. it would be helpful if we could begin with a simple uncontroversial definition of what morality is, but that turns out to be impossible there are many rival theories….”
https://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1066&context=computersci_fac
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Ethics and Moral Agency
In order to understand the ethical issues involved with situations and cases we need to have an additional understanding of ethics and moral responsibility.
Ethics in a basic definition relates to agents who perform actions. Dwight Furrow identifies the focus of ethical analysis as involving a series of factors.
As Furrow states, ethics is related to evaluating actions and actions are performed by those capable of being moral agents.
Furrow continues by stating, “When we evaluate an action, we can focus on various dimensions of the action. We can evaluate the person who is acting, the intention or motive of the person acting, the nature of the act itself, or the consequences.” (Ethics: Key Concepts in Philosophy, Dwight Furrow, Continuum, New York, NY. p. 44.)
https://digitalcommons.sacredheart.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?referer=&httpsredir=1&article=1066&context=computersci_fac
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BDI model and Ethics
Beliefs
Goals
Character Traits Intentions Actions Outcomes
Virtue Ends Ethics
Desires
Deontology Consequentialism
Aristotle Kant and Ross Mill
Definition: Ethical Principles
Ethical principles do not provide a straightforward guide that guarantees the making of an ethically correct decision, nor can they offer guidance about ranking when the principles appear to conflict with one another.
Instead, they point only to considerations that should be weighed when making decisions.
Ethical principles provide a generalized framework within which particular ethical dilemmas may be analyzed, these principles can provide guidance in resolving ethical issues that arise about topics in general and specific cases.
Examples of Philosophical Ethical Principles
Virtue Ethics (Aristotle)
Deontology (Kant)
Utilitarianism/Consequentialism (Mill)
Rights based Ethical Principles
Honest Work
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How to Apply Ethical Principles
Look at any of the Ethical principles and think about how the rule you pick applies to your subject matter and/or the specifics of your case.
You also need to consider how the principle your select, from the perspective of Medicine, Business, Computer Science applies to your subject.
For example: How does Consequentialism apply to a stakeholder concerned with your topic or involved in your case such as Autonomous Cars?
Look at any of the Ethical principles and think about how the principle you select applies to your subject matter or the details of your case.
You also need to consider how the principle you select, from the perspective of Medicine, Business, Computer Science applies to your subject or case.
For example: How does Character Traits apply to the individuals concerned with your topic or to specific stakeholders in the case you are analyzing?
State – Define – Apply
Principle Stated: Positive Rights
Principle Defined: Beauchamp and Childress, authors and ethical theorists, have defined the term “right” to be a “justified claim that individuals and groups can make upon other individuals or upon society; to have a right is to be in a position to determine by one's choices, what others should do or need not do.”
Principle Applied: Each individual has the positive right not to be vaccinated.
https://examples.yourdictionary.com/examples-of-rights-based-ethics.html
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Applying Virtue Ethics
Step 1: State the Principle: Virtue Ethics
Virtues are admirable traits of Character (Hoppe, p. 21)
Step 2: Define Virtue Ethics: A truthful person speaks truthfully to others, a compassionate person acts with compassion towards others, a justice person acts fairly towards others.
Step 3: Describe how a virtue or virtues apply to a stakeholder in your subject or Case.
Applying Deontological Ethics
Step 1: State the Principle: Categorical Imperative 1
An unconditional moral obligation which is binding in all circumstances and is not dependent on a person's inclination or purpose.
Step 2: Define CI 1: “So act as if the maxim of your action (that is the principle of conduct underlying the action) were to become through your will a universal law of nature.” Honest Work, p. 6
Step 3: Describe how Categorical Imperative 1 applies to a stakeholder in your subject or Case.
Applying Consequentialist Ethics
Step 1: State the Principle: Act Consequentialism
An unconditional moral obligation which is binding in all circumstances and is not dependent on a person's inclination or purpose.
Step 2: Define CI 1: Act consequentialism is the claim that an act is morally right if and only if that act maximizes the good, that is, if and only if the total amount of good for all minus the total amount of bad for all is greater than this net amount for any incompatible act available to the agent on that occasion.
Step 3: Describe how Act Consequentialism applies to a stakeholder in your subject or Case.
https://www.bing.com/search?q=act+consequentialism+definition&form=PRUSEN&mkt=en-us&httpsmsn=1&msnews=1&rec_search=1&refig=374c201d9833452998030af0039eef30&sp=5&qs=AS&pq=act+consequentialism&sk=AS4&sc=7-20&cvid=374c201d9833452998030af0039eef30
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A Working Definition of “Moral Responsibility.”
We use “moral responsibility” to indicate that people are answerable for their behavior (virtues, intentions, duties, actions and outcomes of actions when they are involved in a case or when they assessing a case or topic.
“Moral responsibility” includes an obligation to adhere to reasonable standards of behavior, and to respect others who could be affected by the behavior.
This involves being able to defend suggested courses of action using ethical principles.
Sources
Bratman, Michael
Cuilla Honest Work
Furrow,Dwight
Hoppe
Rachels
Seay and Nucetelli
Tavani
