Ethical Behavior

A Personal & Professional Matter

FCS 140 Bradley University G. K. Randall, Ph.D.

Ethics: Doing the Right Thing

Journal of Family & Consumer Sciences (2005) Volume 97(3)

A core value of the American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences (AAFCS) is that it Exemplifies integrity and ethical behavior.
How do we uphold and perpetuate these values where we live, where we work, and within our families?
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OSU AD Andy Geiger said Maurice Clarett was guilty of 14 violations of the ethical-conduct bylaw.
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The Clarett Saga Is A Wake-Up Call for Us All By Michael Wilbon Thursday, August 10, 2006
Items found on the passenger seat of Maurice Clarett's SUV after an incident include a loaded assault rifle, a handgun and a bottle of vodka.
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"An unwashable blemish on the whole scientific community as well as our country"
Chung Un-chan, head of Seoul National University

"I, as the president of the university, sincerely apologize to the public," Chung Un-chan, the head of the state-run Seoul National University, told a nationally televised news conference. The apology came a day after a university investigative panel confirmed that Hwang faked all of his human stem cell research, including his landmark 2004 claim in the journal Science that he cloned a human embryo and extracted stem cells from it.

Don McCabes Research on Cheating in Colleges

(www.academicintegrity.org)

* 75,000 students at 125 institutions over several years * 75% of students surveyed admitted to at least one instance of serious cheating or academic dishonesty on written assignments (McCabe & Drinan, 1999)
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What is Regarded as Cheating

Students Faculty

Test copying and crib notes Plagiarism Unauthorized collaboration Written cut and paste Internet cut and paste Use of paper mills

90% 91 29 55 56 91

98% 98 82 79 81 98

44% of faculty say they have ignored cheating. 52% of students have never reported cheating to anyone else. 8

In the past year, engaged in cheating one to three times:

1. Serious Test Cheating

(copying, crib sheets, etc.)

2. Serious Written Cheating (not ones paper, cut and paste

23%

from Internet, etc.)

3. Serious Cheating (items 1 and 2 combined) 4. All Cheating (item 3 plus three lesser types of cheating, such as copying homework)

50%
56%

73%

The Trajectory & Price of Unethical Behavior

Students who engaged in dishonest behavior in college are more likely to engage in dishonest behavior in the future

Students who cheated in college went on to engage in unethical business practices later in life American businesses lose more than $50 billion annually to employee-related crimes
Humbarger, M. & DeVaney, S. A. (2005). Journal of Family & Consumer Sciences, 97, 40-47.

An Ethical Dilemma?
(Arcus, 1999) Faculty have little or no preparation in ethics or ethics education While faculty members report that they have been raising ethical questions for years, they may be doing little more than raising questions. They may NOT be guiding student analysis and discussion.

What is called ethics education in higher education, may in fact reflect a superficial 11 approach to the topic

Ethics as a Field of Study

(Arcus, 1999)

Ethics defined:
Philosophical inquiry into the principles of morality, of right and wrong conduct, of virtue and vice, and of good and evil as they relate to conduct Moral philosophy or philosophical thinking about morality, moral problems, and moral judgments
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Ethics Defined
The domain of ethics is centrally concerned with human CHARACTER (the kind of people we are) and CONDUCT (how we relate to others) Three key questions comprise the focus of this domain: 1. What is good or bad for humans? 2. What constitutes right or wrong conduct? 3. How ought we to live and treat others?
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ETHICS: DEONTOLOGICAL & TELEOLOGICAL THEORIES

Deontology - branch of ethical theory dealing with duty (deon), moral obligation, and right action. Follow your duty and you behave morally.
Also, with deontological systems, moral principles are divorced from their consequences. If you have a moral duty not to lie, then lying is ALWAYS WRONG.
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ETHICS: DEONTOLOGICAL & TELEOLOGICAL THEORIES

Examples of Deontological Ethical Theories:
Divine Command moral ogbligations derived from a deitys prescribed rules/duties

Duty Theories action is morally right if it is in accord with some list of duties/obligations
Contractarianism or Contractualism action is morally right if in accordance with rules made by rationale moral agents as they enter into a social relationship/contract
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ETHICS: DEONTOLOGICAL & TELEOLOGICAL THEORIES

Key questions asked of deontological ethical systems:

What is my moral duty?

What are my moral obligations? How do I weigh one moral duty against another?
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ETHICS: DEONTOLOGICAL DIFFICULTIES

No answer to conflict between moral duties (e.g., no lie and no harm)
Only applicable to absolute principles/conclusions Which duties qualify as those all should follow, regardless of consequences?

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ETHICS: DEONTOLOGICAL & TELEOLOGICAL THEORIES

Teleology branch of ethical theory whose focus is on the consequences or ends (telos) any action might produce. Thus, often referred to as consequentialist moral systems.
In order to make a moral choice we must consider/know that will result. When making choices that result in correct consequences, we act morally.
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ETHICS: DEONTOLOGICAL & TELEOLOGICAL THEORIES

What correct consequences are is often based upon what is most beneficial for

humanity. They may promote human

happiness, human pleasure, human satisfaction, human survival, or simply

the general welfare of all humans.

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ETHICS: DEONTOLOGICAL & TELEOLOGICAL THEORIES

Examples of Teleological Ethical Theories:
Ethical Egoism action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favorable for the moral agent performing the action. Ethical Altruism action is morally right if the consequences of that action are more favorable to everyone except the moral agent.
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ETHICS: DEONTOLOGICAL & TELEOLOGICAL THEORIES

Key questions asked by teleological ethical systems: What will be the consequences of this action? What will be the consequences of inaction? How do I weigh the harm against the benefits of this action?
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ETHICS: TELEOLOGICAL DIFFICULTIES

It is virtually impossible to predetermine the full range of consequences any action will have. Often it is difficult to quantify moral equations: how much good is necessary to outweigh some evil?

Is this not simply the ends justify the means? Thus, torturing & murdering an innocent child if it leads to curing cancer . .22.

Five Basic Ethical Principles

by Thiroux (1986) Value of Life the preserving and protecting of life (self-defense & war). Not life at all costs rather no life should be ended without very strong justification . . . Thus it is morally wrong to take peoples lives against their will without great rationale and it is also wrong to interfere with their death/dying against their will without similar justification.
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Five Basic Ethical Principles

by Thiroux (1986) Goodness or Rightness humans should attempt three things: 1) promote goodness over badness; 2) cause no harm or badness; and 3) prevent badness or harm. Despite theoretical differences regarding good and right, a number of goods appear in common: life, happiness, truth, knowledge, and freedom. Often, these are seen as essential to have a good life.
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Five Basic Ethical Principles

by Thiroux (1986) Justice or Fairness because most do not live/act in isolation, peoples actions affect one or more others. Two aspects of justice include: 1) treat others fairly and 2) distribute goodness and badness fairly. In order to be moral toward others it is not enough to try and be good and do right; one must also attempt to distribute the benefits from being good and doing right.
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Five Basic Ethical Principles

by Thiroux (1986)
Truth-telling/honesty moral/ethical systems are relevant for all within the group to which the system applies. Thus, the systems are dependent upon agreement among those within the group to be truthful and honest. This allows meaningful communication and development of trust. Exceptions may be justified to this principle (i.e., lesser of two evils).
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Five Basic Ethical Principles

by Thiroux (1986) the first four are near absolutes but the fifth provides for individual diversity Individual Freedom individuals have rights and personal autonomy in determining their own ethical character and conduct, albeit limited by the other four principles. Applying Hamms (1985) public/social morality and private/personal morality dichotomy allows for Principles 1-4 as public/social and Principle 5 as private. Thus, personal morality must give way to social morality.
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Ethics, Ethical Behavior, & Ethical Reasoning

(group activity) Follow your handout (key reference sources are listed at the bottom).

Assign a group scribe who will list group members and record your thoughts (keep it simple ) using Group Worksheet provided. Choose an ethical dilemma & work through the 6 steps in
3. Ethical Reasoning: Determining the Right Things

Ethical Behavior A Personal & Professional Matter

Sow a thought and reap an action; Sow an action and reap a habit; Sow a habit and reap a character; Sow a character and reap a destiny!

What will my legacy be? (personally & professionally)

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