Purtilo & Doherty (2011)

Chapter 1

Morality and Ethics:

What Are They And Why Do They Matter?

Slides by W. Rose, C. Polek, P. Butler, H. Brock.

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and

College of Arts and Sciences

University of Delaware

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I. Morality and Moral ValuesII. Subgroups of MoralityIII. Dimensions of Ethics

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I. Morality and Moral ValuesA. Dimensions of morality

1. A society’s morality is the set of “guidelines designed to protect the very fabric of that society” (P&D)

2. “Morality is relational”3. “The goal of morality is to protect a high quality of life

for an individual or a community”. The Code4. Context dependent

B. Moral Judgment: involves particulars of a specific situationC. Values: “intrinsic things a person, group, or community

holds dear” (P&D)Joe Biden on values

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I. Morality and Moral Values (continued)D. Moral duty: actions in response to claims placed on a

person or society (can be on individual level or a community)

E. Moral character or virtue: traits and dispositions or attitudes needed to be able to trust each other and to provide for the flourishing of humankind such as compassion, courage, honesty, faithfulness, respectfulness and humility

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II. Subgroups of MoralityA. Personal morality: “collage of values, duties, actions, and

character trait each person adopts as relevant for his or her life” (Purtilo)1. Integrity: acting in accordance with personal morality

(integrity=oneness, wholeness, unity) (tells the truth weather painful or not)

2. Ethical integrity: doing the morally right thing (issue is: not everyone will agree what is the right thing to be done)

**everyone has a personal morality and is a part of a societal morality….no man is an island**

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II. Subgroups of Morality (cont.)B. Societal Morality: Values and ideas of duty that derive

from deep religious, philosophical, and anthropological beliefs about human beings and their relationships with higher power(s), with each other, and with the natural world.

C. Group Morality: Moral guidelines adopted by a group1. Professional codes of ethics2. Customs, policies, practices of an institution

College or Department name here

Group discussions1.Do you agree with the statements about morality on P&B p.6, and this talk slide 3?2.P&B p.8 reflection13.P&B p.8 reflection24.P&B p.9 reflection5.P&B p.16 reflection6.Find and present to the class online codes of conduct for two professional groups.

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III.Dimensions of Ethics: Study of and Reflection on MoralityA. Traditional branches of philosophy (love of wisdom)

1. Axiology: The study of valuea. Aesthetics: The study of artistic value and beautyb. Ethics : The study of moral values.

2. Metaphysics: The study of what is real3. Epistemology: The study of what “knowing” is

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III.Dimensions of Ethics: Study of and Reflection on MoralityA. 1. b. Ethics

1) The study of moral values. 2) “Systematic study of, and reflection on, morality.” (Purtilo)3) “The study of the concepts involved in practical reasoning:

good, right, duty, obligation, virtue, freedom, rationality, choice.” (Blackburn, Oxford Dictionary of Philosophy. London: OUP, 1994, p.126.)

Morals versus ethics:Sometimes different moral values conflict (moral . Ethical analysis is the process of resolving such Lying is immoral, but sometimes lying is the ethical thing to do.

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III.Dimensions of Ethics: Study of and Reflection on Morality

Morals Versus EthicsMorals (moral values) sometimes conflict: a moral dilemma.Ethics gives us a method to analyze and resolve moral dilemmas.Examples of moral dilemmas:

Trolley problem Lifeboat dilemmaLes Miserables Sophie’s ChoiceWaterboarding

“Lying is immoral, but sometimes lying is the ethical thing to do.”

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III.Dimensions of Ethics: Study of and Reflection on MoralityB. Ethicists and ethics committees

1. Hospital: At least one ethicist in the group CCHS E.C.2. University: Human Subjects Protection UD IRB3. Not just humans: Animal care & use committee UD IACUC

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III.Dimensions of Ethics: Study of and Reflection on MoralityC. Traditional “branches” of ethics

1) Meta-ethics: Study of the origin and meaning of ethical principles

2) Normative ethics: Development of moral standards (ethical norms) to regulate behavior

3) Applied ethics: The application of ethical norms (morals) to specific situations, such as abortion, euthanasia, etc.

Health care providers must be applied ethicists. This course is designed to prepare you for that responsibility.

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III.Dimensions of Ethics: Study of and Reflection on MoralityD. Ethics and Law • Laws are designed to encourage and require moral and ethical

behavior.• Laws tell us what our duties are.• Lawful = Ethical: usually but not always. • Legal system designed for stability, predictability, continuity,

with great respect for precedents.• Thus laws are difficult to change. • Laws often lag behind scientific & technological development. • What are health care examples of discrepancies between what

is legal and what is ethical?

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III.Dimensions of Ethics: Study of and Reflection on MoralityD. Ethics and Law, continued

Laws protect the professional (usually)1. State interests: responsibility to intervene on behalf of

personsa. To save a lifeb. To prevent a suicidec. To protect an innocent person from harmd. To protect a professional as a bearer of the integrity of

his or her professions2. Licensing laws3. Moral repugnance: Professional not required to participate

in an act which is (to them) morally repugnant.

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III.Dimensions of Ethics: Study of and Reflection on MoralityD. Ethics and Law, continued

Limits of protection•You may be in a situation where morality and legality (or professional standards) conflict.•Know your values•Example: ACOG says ob-gyn can’t treat menACOG changes its stance