Approaches to the Study of Ethics

Ethical issues are ones that involve the way things "should be" rather than the way things are. Ethics involve discussions of moral obligations, but do not necessarily hinge on religious overtones.

The first step in discussing ethical issues is to get all the facts. According to Velasquez et al., "some moral issues create controversies simply because we do not bother to check the facts."

There are several approaches that are considered in arriving at ethical solutions to dilemmas.

Utilitarian Approach
"ethical actions are those that provide the greatest balance of good over evil"
In order to take the utilitarian approach, the problem must be analyzed from several different perspectives, and the solutions to each must be contemplated to arrive at the one that favors the greater good.

The Rights Approach
The rights approach is predicated on the notion that humans have the right to choose paths which affect their destiny because they are human. Furthermore, humans are justified in their expectation that their rights should be respected. These rights include the right to the truth, the right of privacy, the right to not be injured, and the right to fulfillment of promises.

Fairness or Justice Approach
The fairness approach assumes that people should be treated equally regardless of their station in life, that is, they should not be subject to discrimination.

Common Good Approach
The common good approach suggests that ethical actions are those that benefit all members of the community.

The Virtue Approach
The virtue approach describes an assumption that there are higher orders of goodness to which man should aspire, and that only moral actions will help us achieve that higher level.

Ethical problem solving involves accumulating all the facts surrounding an issue and considering

what the possible solutions to the problem are, and what benefits and harms result from each and whom they affect;
what rights each of the parties to the problems has;
what solutions to the problem treat all parties equally;
what course of action promotes the common good;
and, what actions develop moral virtues.

Resource
Thinking Ethically: A Framework for Moral Decision Making. Velasquez, M., C. Andre, T. Shanks, and M. J. Meyer. Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University.

Aggie Horticulture | Texas A&M AgriLife | Texas A&M University | State of Texas