Ethics Background Jeanne Chowning, MS

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Ethics BackgroundJeanne Chowning, MS
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What is Ethics?

• Ethics is an interdisciplinary field of inquiry
  that plays an important role in our society.

Science
History
Law
Ethics
Philosophy
Sociology
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Ethics...

• helps us understand
• ? what we should/ought to do,
• ? what kind of people we want to be,
• ? and what kind of society we want to live in.

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Values, Morals, and Ethics

• ? Values
• ? Morals
• ? Ethics

Values signify what is important, worthwhile or
good, e.g. honesty.
Morals are codes of conduct based on values I
should be honest in my personal and professional
life.
Ethics is a field of study that examines the
moral basis of human behavior and attempts to
determine the best course of action in the face
of conflicting choices. ("Should I be honest if
it will hurt my best friend?")
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Values

• ? Values are inner standards from which you
  receive the motivation to act as you do.
• ? Values are also the standards by which you
  judge behavior (both yours and others).
• ? Differences among solutions proposed by
  individuals to ethical dilemmas are often based
  on differences in values.

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Ethical Questions and Dilemmas
? Ought or should ? More than one
justifiable response/action is possible - a
choice must be made. ? Values of stakeholders
are in conflict
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• What is the relationship
• between science and ethics?

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Ethical Relativism and Absolutism

• ? Ethical Relativism "It's just my opinion vs.
  your opinion"In this position, since ethical
  analysis is based on one's own values, opinions
  or cultural context, different analyses are no
  more than different points of view.   
• ? Ethical Absolutism"There is always only one
  right way"
• Ethical absolutism refers to the insistence that
  there are moral rules or ethical principles which
  are always compulsory no matter what the
  circumstances.
•  

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Avoiding Absolutism/Relativism in the Classroom

• ? Extreme versions of either ethical relativism
  and ethical absolutism can limit students'
  experience with ethical analysis. 
• ? Ethical relativism prevents students from
  understanding that even though values and
  opinions vary, some arguments are better reasoned
  and presented than others. 
• ? Ethical absolutism prevents students from
  opening their frame of understanding to other
  positions and perspectives. 

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How Does Ethics Relate to Science and Science
Education?

• ? Ethics impacts what science is done, how
  science is conducted, and how scientific
  discoveries are used.
• ? Like science, ethics relies on well-justified
  and careful reasoning.
•  

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How Does Ethics Relate to Science and Science
Education?

• ? We need to draw on both sound science and
  ethics in formulating our decisions.
• ? We need to be prepared for a future in which
  science and technology will play an
  ever-increasing role.
• ? Ethics should have a role in science education,
  as indicated by national standards.
•  

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Ethical Discussion
Content Delivery Strategies (case studies, news
articles)
Decision Making Model (structured reasoning)
Ethical Perspectives / Theories
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Ethical Perspectives

• ? Outcome-Based perspectives
• (Teleological/Utilitarian/Consequentialist)
• ? Duty-Based perspectives
• (Deontological/Moral Rules/Rights)
• ? Principle-based perspectives
• ? Virtue ethics
• ? Care/feminist ethics

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Introducing Ethical Theories

• ? Lifeboat
• ? Cheating
• ? Heinz Dilemma
• ? Trolley Dilemma

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Lifeboat Example

• The ship is sinking and the seas are rough. All
  but one lifeboat has been destroyed. The lifeboat
  holds a maximum of six people. There are ten
  people that want to board the lifeboat. The four
  individuals who do not board the boat will
  certainly die.
• Come to a decision about who should board the
  boat.
• Woman who thinks she is six weeks pregnant
• Lifeguard
• Two young adults who recently married
• Senior citizen who has fifteen grandchildren
• Elementary school teacher
• Thirteen year old twins
• Veteran nurse
• Captain of the ship

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Familiar ExampleCheating
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Heinz Dilemma

• ? Mr. Heinz is ordinarily a law-abiding man. One
  day, his wife becomes gravely ill. Heinz takes
  her to the doctor, who prescribes a medication
  for her.
• ? She does quite well on this medication and
  begins to recover. However, Heinz has no
  insurance and runs out of money quickly paying
  for this expensive medication.
• ? After a few months, he can no longer purchase
  the medication and his wife begins to take a turn
  for the worse. One day, he is in the pharmacy
  and notices that no one is behind the counter.
  The medication is in plain view.
• ? Should he steal the medication to help his
  sick wife?

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Range of Perspectives

• ? Strongly Agree (4)
• ? Agree (3)
• ? Disagree (2)
• ? Strongly Disagree (1)
• Groups of 2-3 discuss reasons for stance

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Why?

• ? Outcomes - He might be punished, she needs the
  medicine to survive, the benefit outweighs the
  risk
• ? Duties - He has special duties to his wife or
  He has duties to society
• ? Principles - Justice - Is it fair for the
  medicine to cost so much?
• ? Care/Feminist - What is it about our health
  care system that creates such situations?

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Outcome-Based PerspectivesBentham/Mills

• ? Focus is on the CONSEQUENCES of actions
• ? The morally appropriate act is the one that
  brings the greatest good to the greatest number

Jeremy Bentham (1748 - 1832)   "the insipid,
pedantic, leather-lipped oracle of the
commonplace bourgeois intelligence of the
nineteenth century Karl Marx http//www.utilitari
anism.com/benthampic.htm Mummified at University
College, London
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Duty-Based PerspectivesKant

• ? Focus is on the ACT ITSELF
• ? The morally appropriate act is the one that
  aligns with moral duties and provides respect for
  individuals
• ? Categorical imperative
• -Act in ways that would be acceptable if
  everyone else did the same thing
• -Dont treat people as a means to an end only

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Principle-based Bioethics

• ? Do good/Do no harm
• (Beneficence/Nonmaleficence)
• Maximize benefit, Minimize harm
• ? Respect for persons (autonomy)
• Acknowledge an individuals rights to make
  choices
• Consider special protections for vulnerable
  populations
• ?Justice (acting fairly)
• Treat a person fairly in light of what is due or
  owed him/her

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Virtue Ethics

• ? Character of Person
• ? Life of integrity, striving for balance
• ? Enacting one's core purpose

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Care/Feminist ethics

• ? Focus Relationships, power and justice
• ? Protect the vulnerable, look at underlying
  structures
• ? Who is benefiting? At whose expense?

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Kohlberg Why do the right thing?
Blended Ethical Theories
INTERNAL

• Gilligan
• Care
• Community
• Relationship

• 6. Universal Ethical Principles Conscience
• 5. Societal ObligationRules for the Sake of
  Agreement
• 4. Law Legal SystemDuty to Authority
• 3. Social Conformity Good Person
• 2. RewardsSelfish Gain
• 1. Fear of PunishmentTrouble Avoiding

EXTERNAL
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Trolley Dilemma

• ? A trolley is running out of control down a
  track. In its path are 5 people who have been
  tied to the track by a mad philosopher.
• ? Fortunately, you can flip a switch which will
  lead the trolley down a different track.
  Unfortunately, there is a single person tied to
  that track. Should you flip the switch? Why?

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Trolley Dilemma 2

• ? As before, a trolley is hurtling down a track
  towards five people. You are on a bridge under
  which it will pass, and you can stop it by
  dropping a heavy weight in front of it.
• ? As it happens, there is a man next to you -
  your only way to stop the trolley is to push him
  over the bridge and onto the track, killing him
  to save five. Should you proceed? Why? How is
  this case different from the first?

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The Process of Ethical Inquiry
2
2
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Ethical Reasoning

• ? Importance of well-reasoned arguments, logic
• ? Value of understanding different perspectives
• ? Hook and Glue Motivates students to learn
  content in a context
• ? Different ethical perspectives and theories
  help us ask different questions

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Why?

• if we decide that we do not have time to stop
  and think about right and wrong, then we do not
  have time to figure out right from wrong, which
  means that we do not have time to live according
  to our model of right and wrong, which means,
  simply put, we dont have time for lives of
  integrity
• - Stephen Carter

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Talking About Ethics
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Thank You!