prescriptive approaches to ethics.ppt

7/26/2019 Prescriptive Approaches to Ethics.ppt

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Prescriptive ApproachesPrescriptive Approaches

to Ethicsto EthicsGeofrey G. Bell, PhD, CAGeofrey G. Bell, PhD, CA

University o MinnesotaUniversity o MinnesotaDuluthDuluth

October 200October 200


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Sources for LectureSources for Lecture

Our te!tOur te!t "ant,"ant, Foundations of the Metaphysics ofFoundations of the Metaphysics of

MoralsMorals#$any e%itions$any e%itions&

Mill, '.(.,Mill, '.(., UtilitarianismUtilitarianism#$any e%itions$any e%itions& )a*ls, '. #+-+&.)a*ls, '. #+-+&.A Theory of JusticeA Theory of Justice,,

Belna/ Press, Ca$bri%e, MA.Belna/ Press, Ca$bri%e, MA. Cavanah, G.1., D.'. Mober, an% M.Cavanah, G.1., D.'. Mober, an% M.

elas3ue4 #+5+&. 67he ethics oelas3ue4 #+5+&. 67he ethics oorani4ational /olitics,8orani4ational /olitics,8Academy ofAcademy ofManagement ReviewManagement Review, 9#:&; :9:


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Problems with PrescriptiveProblems with Prescriptive

ApproachesApproaches

Peo/le ten% to be a 6blen%,8 notPeo/le ten% to be a 6blen%,8 not

6/urely8 Utilitarian or "antian or6/urely8 Utilitarian or "antian or

*hatever.*hatever.

Prescri/tive a//roaches ivePrescri/tive a//roaches ive

con=ictin a%vice, or no a%vice at all.con=ictin a%vice, or no a%vice at all.


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Who gets the heart transplant?Who gets the heart transplant?

)e>ean is ?? years ol%, recently retire%, an% covere% ully by)e>ean is ?? years ol%, recently retire%, an% covere% ully byhealth care. @e is $arrie%, an% his chil%ren are a%ults *ithhealth care. @e is $arrie%, an% his chil%ren are a%ults *ithchil%ren o their o*n. @istorically, )e>ean has been active, butchil%ren o their o*n. @istorically, )e>ean has been active, but*ith his recent heart attac, he has beco$e be%


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Consequentialist TheoryConsequentialist Theory

Also calle% 6teleoloical.8Also calle% 6teleoloical.8

Concerne% *ith outco$es or conse3uencesConcerne% *ith outco$es or conse3uences

o action, an% hence the na$e.o action, an% hence the na$e.

Utilitarianis$ is *ell


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eontological theory !"antianism#eontological theory !"antianism#

1ocuse% on ethics as %uty #*hat1ocuse% on ethics as %uty #*hat oughtoughttotobe %one&.be %one&.

66Pure8 "antianis$ has no rear% orPure8 "antianis$ has no rear% oroutco$es o %ecision.outco$es o %ecision.

Can the %ecision rule be turne% into aCan the %ecision rule be turne% into auniversal ruleE not, then its unethical.universal ruleE not, then its unethical. #e.., /ro$ise


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An $ntro%uction to &usticeAn $ntro%uction to &ustice

'ustice is oten use% to reer to *hat is'ustice is oten use% to reer to *hat is fairfair.. 'ustice concerns ivin /eo/le *hat they'ustice concerns ivin /eo/le *hat they

%eserve.%eserve.

Oten arises in 3uestions o %istribution;Oten arises in 3uestions o %istribution; there are a !e% nu$ber o orans to be there are a !e% nu$ber o orans to be

%onate%, *hat is a >ust *ay to allocate the$E%onate%, *hat is a >ust *ay to allocate the$E there is a shortall o state revenue, *hat is a there is a shortall o state revenue, *hat is a

>ust *ay to allocate the cutsE>ust *ay to allocate the cutsE

ta!es $ust be raise%, *hat is a >ust ta!es $ust be raise%, *hat is a >usta//ortion$ent o the raisesEa//ortion$ent o the raisesE Business is concerne% *ith *ealthBusiness is concerne% *ith *ealth

allocation, so >ustice is a relevant conce/t.allocation, so >ustice is a relevant conce/t.


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'awls( Theory of &ustice'awls( Theory of &ustice

)a*ls ass /eo/le to i$aine a situation)a*ls ass /eo/le to i$aine a situationin *hich ree an% e3ual selorinstitutions o society.institutions o society. )a*ls /reustice *ithout no*in about the$selves an%their /osition #se!, race, class, natural ability,their /osition #se!, race, class, natural ability,intellience, etc.&.intellience, etc.&.


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'awls( Principles of &ustice'awls( Principles of &ustice

+.+. Hach /erson is to have an e3ual rihtHach /erson is to have an e3ual rihtto the $ost e!tensive total syste$ oto the $ost e!tensive total syste$ obasic liberties co$/atible *ith abasic liberties co$/atible *ith a

si$ilar syste$ o liberty or all.si$ilar syste$ o liberty or all.2.2. (ocial an% econo$ic ine3ualities are to(ocial an% econo$ic ine3ualities are to

be arrane% so that they are both;be arrane% so that they are both;A. to the reatest benet o the least a%vantae%,A. to the reatest benet o the least a%vantae%,

an%an%

B. attache% to oFces an% /ositions o/en to allB. attache% to oFces an% /ositions o/en to allun%er con%itions o air e3uality o o//ortunity.un%er con%itions o air e3uality o o//ortunity.


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'awls( )irst Principle'awls( )irst Principle

)easonin I an e3ual share o *hatever is)easonin I an e3ual share o *hatever is

available is the $ost any /erson coul%available is the $ost any /erson coul%

reasonably e!/ect, iven his re3uire$entreasonably e!/ect, iven his re3uire$ent

o unani$ous consent.o unani$ous consent. Jo one *oul% voluntarily tae less than anJo one *oul% voluntarily tae less than an

e3ual share because to %o so *oul% $aee3ual share because to %o so *oul% $ae

that /erson co$/aratively *orse of.that /erson co$/aratively *orse of.

Base% on the i%ea that 6he *ho cuts theBase% on the i%ea that 6he *ho cuts thecae ets the last /iece.8cae ets the last /iece.8


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'awls( ifference Principle !*a#'awls( ifference Principle !*a#

Persons in the oriinalPersons in the oriinal/osition *oul% acce/t/osition *oul% acce/tine3uality *hen the leastine3uality *hen the leasta%vantae% /erson isa%vantae% /erson isbetter of.better of.

Assu$es that there is aAssu$es that there is a6*orst of8 /erson,6*orst of8 /erson,althouh *e %ont no*althouh *e %ont no**ho in a%vance.*ho in a%vance.

(ituation is /reerre% to (ituation is /reerre% to as the *orst of isas the *orst of isa%vantaes, but isa%vantaes, but is notnot

/reerre% to ./reerre% to . Base% on a 6$a!i$in8Base% on a 6$a!i$in8

stratey I a rationalstratey I a rational/erson *ill $a!i$i4e the/erson *ill $a!i$i4e the$ini$u$ outco$e.$ini$u$ outco$e.

AA ++

99AA ++

AA ++

??

BB BB ++++

BB ++22

CC -- CC ++

++

CC ++

00::

22::

99::

--


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'awls( Principle of Equal'awls( Principle of Equal

+pportunity !*b#+pportunity !*b#

hether a /erson ets a certain >obhether a /erson ets a certain >ob

#or *hatever& shoul% be %eter$ine%#or *hatever& shoul% be %eter$ine%

by co$/etence rather than anyby co$/etence rather than any

irrelevant characteristic.irrelevant characteristic. n a >ust society, every atte$/tn a >ust society, every atte$/t

shoul% be $a%e to eli$inateshoul% be $a%e to eli$inate

%iferences that result ro$ acci%ents%iferences that result ro$ acci%entso birth an% social con%ition.o birth an% social con%ition.


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Putting it together,Putting it together,

Cavanagh et alCavanagh et al

Does the %ecision$a!i$i4e econo$iceFciencyE

Does the %ecisionres/ect rihts o allinvolve%E

Does the %ecision

res/ect the canons o>usticeE

Acce/t %ecision

Kes

Kes

Kes

Are thereover*hel$in actors>ustiyinsubo/ti$i4ationE

Jo

Are thereover*hel$in actors>ustiyin abroationo rihtsE

Are thereover*hel$in actors

>ustiyin violation ocanons o >usticeE

Kes

Kes

Kes

Jo

Jo

)e>ect %ecision

Jo

Jo

Jo


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-otes re, Cavanagh et al-otes re, Cavanagh et al

Arue you can start *ith any o theArue you can start *ith any o the3uestions.3uestions.

1or any %ecision to be 6ethical,8 it1or any %ecision to be 6ethical,8 it

$ust nor$ally accor% *ith all three$ust nor$ally accor% *ith all three$a>or ethical ra$e*ors$a>or ethical ra$e*ors#utilitarianis$, rihts, >ustice&.#utilitarianis$, rihts, >ustice&.

any %ecision violates any o the any %ecision violates any o thethree, there $ust be an 6over*hel$inthree, there $ust be an 6over*hel$inreason8 to $ae it 6ethical.8reason8 to $ae it 6ethical.8


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Trevino an% -elsonTrevino an% -elson

Steps to ma.ing ethical %ecisionsSteps to ma.ing ethical %ecisions

+.+. Gather the acts.Gather the acts.

2.2. Dene the ethical issues.Dene the ethical issues.

:.:. %entiy afecte% /arties.%entiy afecte% /arties.

.. %entiy the conse3uences.%entiy the conse3uences.

?.?. %entiy the obliations.%entiy the obliations.

9.9. Consi%er your character an% interity.Consi%er your character an% interity.

-.-. 7hin creatively about /otential7hin creatively about /otentialactions.actions.

5.5. Chec your ut.Chec your ut.


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o your homewor./o your homewor./

1in% out in a%vantae *hats e!/ecte%1in% out in a%vantae *hats e!/ecte%

ethically at your orani4ation.ethically at your orani4ation. )ea% relevant $aterial.)ea% relevant $aterial.

As your boss L co


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Avoi% snap %ecisionsAvoi% snap %ecisions

+.+. Dont un%eresti$ate the i$/ortanceDont un%eresti$ate the i$/ortanceo a 6hunch8 to alert you to theo a 6hunch8 to alert you to the/ossibility o an ethical %ile$$a./ossibility o an ethical %ile$$a.

2.2. As or ti$e.As or ti$e.:.:. Does the orani4ation have a or$alDoes the orani4ation have a or$al

/olicyE/olicyE

.. As or a%vice #%ont oret rien%s LAs or a%vice #%ont oret rien%s La$ily&.a$ily&.

?.?. Use the 6test o the 9 ocloc ne*s.8Use the 6test o the 9 ocloc ne*s.8


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ConclusionsConclusions

7here are several /rescri/tive7here are several /rescri/tive

a//roaches to ethics.a//roaches to ethics.

7he /roble$ *ith the$ is they oten7he /roble$ *ith the$ is they oten

either /rovi%e no a%vice or /rovi%eeither /rovi%e no a%vice or /rovi%econ=ictin a%vice to /racticincon=ictin a%vice to /racticin

$anaers.$anaers.

Cavanah et al souht to overco$e thisCavanah et al souht to overco$e this/roble$ by /rovi%in a =o*chart to/roble$ by /rovi%in a =o*chart to

hel/ assess the ethicality o a %ecision.hel/ assess the ethicality o a %ecision.

prescriptive approaches to ethics.ppt

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