Week 4 Assignment: Using the System of Ethical Analysis Assignment for Week 4: Using the System of Ethical Analysis

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Week 4 Assignment: Using the System of Ethical Analysis

Assignment for Week 4: Using the System of Ethical Analysis

 

Directions: Using the System of Ethical Analysis presented in the Week 4 Lecture, analyze the following three Ethical Cases (100 points).

 

  1. State the Facts of the Case

Remember that Facts are testable, verifiable, observable statements. At this point, we won’t concern ourselves with whether these Facts are important or relevant. We may find at times that even “trivial” Facts can take on an importance that may not be evident at first. So, we begin by stating the Facts of the case, regardless of how trivial they may seem at first.

 

  1. State Judgments Based on these Facts.

After stating the Facts of the case, we ask a crucial question: “What do the Facts mean?” How do we interpret these Facts? At this point, we’re making Judgments regarding the case. (At times, we consider several Facts together in order to make a Judgment. Below, we’ve listed some possibilities. Stating Judgments may also involve asking questions, to which we may not have the answer.

 

  1. State Possible Actions

Identify which person in the Case needs to take the Action. Also, identify the Group involved here, because any Action will affect the Group. Don’t be afraid to list “outrageous” Actions: you probably won’t choose them, but they may lead to saner choices that you haven’t considered.

Also, keep the Either/Or Fallacy in mind: can you come up with any other Possible Actions besides the initial Either/Or? Remember that the initial Either/Or often limits your possibilities and may not even be the best choice.

Choose the Action that seems “best.”

 

  1. Support your Choice of Action, using the Ethical Concepts we’ve talked about in this class.

We will do so in several different ways. Keep in mind that choosing a different Action will doubtless require different Support.

What is the Group involved?

Who is the (primary) person who needs to take the Action?

  1. Oppositions (Use allfour in your Analysis.)
  • Good for the Person or Good for the group?
  • Right for the Person or Right for the group?
  • Duty to self vs. Duty to Others?
  • Teleology vs. Deontology: End-justifies-the Means or Means-justify-the-End?
  1. Ethical Motivations (Choose at least one.)
  • Threat of punishment; Promise of reward.
  • Practical (“It works”).
  • Group influence/Peer pressure.
  • Maintain legal order.
  • Maintain social order.
  1. Ethical/Moral Systems (Choose at least one.)
  • Egoism: Do what’s in my self-interest.
  • Natural Law: Do what’s consistent with human nature.
  • Utilitarianism: Do what would accomplish the greatest good for the greatest number.
  • Respect/Rights: Do whatever most shows respect for people’s dignity.
  • Virtue: Do what shows the best character.

(By the way, all of these Ethical/Moral systems are “legitimate.” Choose which one best describes your Action.)

 

  1. Positives vs. Negatives

Any choice of Ethical Action will have both positive and negative consequences. We need to keep these consequences in mind, since we’re attempting to determine the BEST choice (not the “correct” choice). In any case, the Action will have a “cost.” But do the benefits outweigh the costs?

  • State the Positive outcomes of this chosen Action.
  • State the Negative outcomes of this chosen Action.

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