There are four major ethical theories: deontology (or duty), utilitarianism, rights, and virtue. Each one of these theories looks at our ethical behavior in different ways. The theory of deontology states that when we have to make ethical decisions, our first thoughts are on our duties and obligations.
There are generally three philosophical approaches, or what may be considered the science, to ethical reasoning: utilitarian ethics; deontological ethics; virtue ethics; When people talk about these areas, they are usually discussing an area of ethics known as normative ethics, or the process of considering and determining ethical behavior.
Ethics is the branch of philosophy concerned with the meaning of all aspects of human behavior. Theoretical Ethics, sometimes called Normative Ethics, is about discovering and delineating right from wrong; it is the consideration of how we develop the rules and principles (norms) by which to judge and guide meaningful decision-making.
Ethical discussion that focuses on how a professional makes decisions, known as applied ethics, are heavily influenced by the role or purpose of the profession within society.
There are four major ethical theories: deontology (or duty), utilitarianism, rights, and virtue. Each one of these theories looks at our ethical behavior in different ways. Deontology. The theory of deontology states that when we have to make ethical decisions, our first thoughts are on our duties and obligations.
The ethical theory of virtue states that we can judge a person’s decisions based on his or her character and morality. The way someone lives his or her life can explain any ethical decision according to this theory. For example, a person who lies and cheats to get ahead in life probably makes decisions based on advancing his or her own interests according to the virtue theory.
Nonconsequential ethics is the other side of the coin to consequential ethics. It says that people base their decisions not on the result but on the values and beliefs that they hold deeply. In nonconsequential ethics , you’ll decide on a situation based on what you believe rather than what may happen. For example, you won’t lie in a situation if you believe that honesty is important.
There are two sides to this theory. Act utilitarianism says you will make decisions based on helping others, while rule utilitarianism says you will act out of fairness. Those who don’t agree with this theory believe that nobody can predict outcomes, so we can’t know what the benefits of our actions will be.
Follow Us: maia Pascual/Pixabay. Ethics is the branch of philosophy that deals with morality and how it shapes behavior. Different branches of the study of ethics look at where our views of morality come from and how they shape our everyday lives. There are four major ethical theories: deontology (or duty), utilitarianism, rights, and virtue.
The theory of utilitarianism falls into this category because the benefit of decisions is the biggest factor. The virtue theory can fit into consequential ethics because a person’s reputation can be based on the consequences of his or her decisions. Nonconsequential Ethics.
The virtue theory puts people in boxes based on their reputations at one point in time. Consequential Ethics. These four theories fall into one of two categories. The first one, consequential ethics, states that outcomes determine ethical decisions. Therefore, the result of a situation makes that decision OK.
Ethical Theories. As mentioned previously, Rae suggests that ethics are a process that is both an art and a science. There are generally three philosophical approaches, or what may be considered the science, to ethical reasoning: When people talk about these areas, they are usually discussing an area of ethics known as normative ethics, ...
These three theories of ethics (utilitarian ethics, deontological ethics, virtue ethics) form the foundation of normative ethics conversations. It is important, however, that public relations professionals also understand how to apply these concepts to the actual practice of the profession.
The first ethical system in normative ethics, utilitarianism, is often equated with the concept of “the greatest good for the greatest number.” The idea is that ethical decisions are made based on the consequences of the action, which is why it is also sometimes called consequentialism. Interestingly, Curtin, Gallicano and Matthew found that, when faced with ethical situations in public relations, “Millennials will use utilitarian reasoning to avoid confrontation and achieve consensus.” The attraction of this ethical perspective may lie in the fact that it appears to be a way to weigh out the impact of behavior and determine the greatest good for the greatest number.
Finally, a third and growing area of philosophical reasoning with ethics is known as virtue ethics, one that has gained more attention in public relations scholarship in recent years. This philosophy stems from Aristotle and is based on the virtues of the person making a decision. The consideration in virtue ethics is essentially “what makes a good person,” or, for the purpose of this discussion, “what makes a good public relations professional?” Virtue ethics require the decision-maker to understand what virtues are good for public relations and then decisions are made in light of those particular virtues. For example, if the virtue of honesty is the of utmost importance to a good public relations professional, then all decisions should be made ethically to ensure honesty is preserved.
For example, if the virtue of honesty is the of utmost importance to a good public relations professional, then all decisions should be made ethically to ensure honesty is preserved. While this theory is growing in popularity, there are several objections that can be made.
The second prominent concept, deontological ethics, is associated with the father of modern deontology, Immanuel Kant. He was known for the ‘Categorical Imperative’ that looks for transcendent principles that apply to all humans.
Using outcomes as a measurement of ethics will not, therefore, provide an accurate way for professionals to measure whether decisions are ethical.