LESSON 8.2.
Ethical Approaches to Decision-Making
LESSON OBJECTIVES:
At the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:
1. discuss the utilitarian approach to ethics;
2. explain how you make decisions based on the rights-based approach;
3. elaborate on the fairness or justice approach or the social justice
approach;
4. elucidate ethical decision-making using the common good approach;
and
5. discuss the virtue approach to ethical decision-making
This shows the importance of ethics not only in business, but also in life.
There are different ethical approaches that may help someone make the
most ethical decision. These approaches are the following (saylor.org
2021):
1. Utilitarian approach – which action results in the most good and
least harm.
2. Rights-based approach – which action respects the rights of
everyone involved
3. Fairness or justice approach – which action treats people fairly
4. Common good approach – which action contributes most to the
quality of life of the people affected
5. Virtue approach – which action embodies the character that
strengthens value
Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that determines right from wrong by
focusing on outcomes, It is a form of consequentialism. The theory was
conceived in the nineteenth century by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart
Mill to help legislators determine which laws were morally best. Both
Bentham and Mill suggested that ethical actions are those that provide
the greatest balance of good over evil, the greatest benefits and the least
harm, and the greatest good for the greatest number. It is the most
common approach to moral reasoning used in business because of the
way in which it accounts for costs and benefits
(ethicsunwrapped.utexas.edu 2021). Utilitarianism posits that ethical
actions favors the greater good.
The second important approach to ethics is the rights-based approach,
which has its roots in the philosophy of the eighteenth-century thinker
Immanuel Kant who focused on the individual’s right to choose for himself
or herself. According to Kant, what makes human beings different from
mere things is that people have dignity based on their free will and they
have the right to make choices and they have a fundamental moral right
to have these choices respected. Humans have the ability to choose freely
how they live their lives, and they have a moral right for these choices to
be respected as free, equal, and rational people, and they also have a
moral duty to respect others in the same way. People have the right to
truth, the right to privacy, the right not be injured, and the right to what
has been agreed upon or the right to fulfillment of promises. What is
important is that the moral rights of everyone is respected. If we violate
the rights of people, then that is unethical and totally wrong.
This approach asks us to identify the legitimate rights of ourselves and
others, in a given situation, as well as our duties and obligations. How well
the moral, legal, and contractual rights of everyone are respected and/or
protected by the action and how well those affected are treated as fully
informed, sentient (able to perceive or feel things) beings with the right to
free consent instead of just as a means to an end is focal to the decision-
making. As such, the ethical action would be the one we have a moral
obligation to perform that does not infringe on the rights of others
(Johnston 2021, ukcen.net)
The fairness or justice approach or the social justice approach to ethics
has its roots in the teachings of Aristotle, Plato, and Cicero. The theory
hypothesizes that everybody should be treated fairly or in the same way
and not showing favoritism and discrimination. Favoritism gives benefits
to some people without a justifiable reason for singling them out;
discrimination imposes burdens on people who are no different from those
on whom the burdens are not imposed. Both favoritism and discrimination
are unjust and wrong (coursehero.com 2021). The fairness approach
assumes that people should be treated equally regardless of their
situation in life.
The common good approach to ethics assumes a society comprising
individuals whose own good is inextricably linked to the good of the
community. Community members are bound by the pursuit of common
values and goals more recently, contemporary ethicist John Rawis defined
the common good as “certain general conditions that are...equally to
everyone’s advantage.” The common good approach refers to actions that
are taken or policies that are put into place in order to benefit not only a
certain group ot individuals, but the society as a whole. In this approach,
we focus on ensuring that the social policies, social systems, institutions,
and environments on which we depend are beneficial to all. Most
governments adopt affordable health care, effective public safety, peace
among nations, a just legal system, and an unpolluted environment.
Appeals to the common good urge us to view ourselves as members of
the same community, reflecting on broad questions concerning the kind of
society we want to become and how we are to achieve that society. While
respecting and valuing the freedom of individuals to pursue their own
goals, the common good approach challenges us also to recognize and
further those goals we share in common (rampages.us/sultanil/2017). The
common good approach suggests that ethical actions are those that
benefit all members of the community. This approach is reflected in
protecting the environment for the good of the people.
Virtue ethics (or virtue theory) is an approach to ethics which emphasizes
the character of the moral agent, rather than rules or consequences, as
the key element of ethical thinking. It is an approach to ethics that
emphasizes an individual’s character as the key element of ethical
thinking, rather than rules about the acts themselves (deontology) or their
consequences (consequentialism). It teaches that an action is only right if
it is an action that a virtuous person would carry out in the same
circumstances. A virtuous person is a person who acts virtuously. A person
acts virtuously if they “possess and live the virtues.” Virtue ethics is a
philosophy developed by Aristotle and other ancient Greeks. It is the quest
to understand and live a life of moral character. According to Aristotle. By
honing virtuous habits, people will likely make the right choice when faced
with ethical challenges (Davis 2021, mvorganizing.org).
The virtue approach to ethics assumes that there are certain ideals toward
which people, as human beings, should strive for the full development of
our humanity. Virtues are attitudes or character traits that enable us to be
and to act in ways that develop our highest potential. Honesty, courage,
compassion, generosity, fidelity, integrity, fairness, self-control, and
prudence are all examples of virtues. Virtues are like habits, that is, once
acquired, they become ingrained and become characteristic of a person. A
virtuous person will be naturally disposed to act in ways consistent with
moral principles. The virtuous person is the ethical person.
LESSON SUMMARY
1. The different ethical approaches in making ethical decisions are the
utilitarian approach, rights-based approach, fairness or justice or
social justice approach, common good approach, and virtue
approach.
2. Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that determines right from wrong
by focusing on outcomes, a form of consequentialism. The theory
was conceived in the nineteenth century by Jeremy Bentham and
John Stuart Mill. They suggested that ethical actions are those that
provide the greatest balance of good over evil, the greatest benefits
and the least harm, and the greatest good for the greatest number.
3. The second important approach to ethics is the rights-based
approach, which has its roots in the philosophy of the eighteenth-
century thinker Immanuel Kant who focused on the individual’s right
to choose for himself or herself. According to Kant, what makes
human beings different from mere things is that people have dignity
based on their free will and they have the right to make choices and
they have a fundamental moral right to have these choices
respected.
4. The fairness or justice approach or the social justice approach to
ethics has its roots in the teachings of Aristotle, Plato, and Cicero.
The theory hypothesizes that everybody should be treated fairly or
in the same way and not showing favoritism and discrimination.
5. Favoritism gives benefits to some people without a justifiable reason
for singling them out; discrimination imposes burdens on people
who are no different from those on whom the burdens are not
imposed.
6. More recently, contemporary ethicist John Rawis defined the
common good as “certain general conditions that are... equally to
everyone’s advantage.” The common good approach refers to
actions that are taken or policies that are put into place in order to
benefit not only a certain group of individuals, but the society as a
whole
7. Virtue ethics (or virtue theory) is an approach that emphasizes an
individual’s character as the key element of ethical thinking, rather
than rules about the acts themselves (deontology) or their
consequences (consequentialism). Virtue ethics is a philosophy
developed by Aristotle and other ancient Greeks. It is the quest to
understand and live a life of moral character.
8. Virtues are attitudes or character traits that enable us to be and to
act in ways that develop our highest potential. Virtues are like
habits, that is, once acquired, they become ingrained and become
characteristic of a person. A virtuous person will be naturally
disposed to act in ways consistent with moral principles. The
virtuous person is the ethical person.
KEY TAKEAWAYS
1. Utilitarianism is an ethical theory that determines right from
wrong by focusing on outcomes, a form of consequentialism.
2. Utilitarianism was conceived in the nineteenth century by Jeremy
Bentham and John Stuart Mill.
3. Utilitarianism suggests that ethical actions are those that provide
the greatest balance of good over evil, the greatest benefits and the
least harm, and the greatest good for the greatest number.
4. The rights-based approach has its roots in the philosophy of the
eighteenth-century thinker Immanuel Kant
5. According to Kant, what makes human beings different from mere
things is
that people have dignity based on their free will and they have the
right to make choices and they have a fundamental moral right to
have these choices respected.
6. The fairness or justice approach or the social justice approach to
ethics has its roots in the teachings o Aristotle, Plato, and Cicero.
7 . The fairness or justice approach or the social justice approach
hypothesizes that everybody should be treated fairly or in the same
way.
8. Favoritism gives benefits to some people without a justifiable
reason for
singling them out.
9. Discrimination imposes burdens on people who are no different
from those on whom the burdens are not imposed.
10. Contemporary ethicist John Rawis defined the common good as
"certain general conditions that are.. equally to everyone's
advantage.
11. The common good approach refers to actions that are taken or
policies that are put into place in order to benefit not only a certain
group of individuals, but the society as a whole.
12. Virtue ethics (or virtue theory) is an approach that emphasizes
an individual's character as the key element of ethical thinking,
rather than rules about the acts themselves (deontology) or their
consequences (consequentialism).
13. Virtue ethics is a philosophy developed by Aristotle and other
ancient Greeks. It is the quest to understand and live a life of moral
character.
14. Virtues are attitudes or character traits that enable us to be and
to act in ways
that develop our highest potential. Virtues are like habits, that is,
once acquired,
they become ingrained and become characteristic of a person.
15. The virtuous person is the ethical person.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Instruction: Answer the following questions comprehensively.
1. Discuss the utilitarian approach to ethics.
2. Explain how you make decisions based on the rights-based
approach.
3. Elaborate on the fairness or justice approach or the social justice
approach.
4 . Elucidate ethical decision-making using the common good
approach
5. Discuss the virtue approach to ethical decision-making.
