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    7 Ethical Theories

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    Wena Udtohan Florida
    The document discusses several theories of ethics: 1) Utilitarianism focuses on producing the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people, regardless of the means to achieve that end. 2) Deontology emphasizes that the morality of an act is based on whether it violates rational and universal rules of conduct, duty, or law. 3) Virtue ethics focuses on good character traits and responding morally when faced with challenging situations. 4) Divine command ethics holds that morality is defined by God's commands. However, it has been criticized for being unfair. The document then provides an example scenario and asks how one would respond based on different ethical theories.

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    7 Ethical Theories

    Uploaded by

    Wena Udtohan Florida
    83 views11 pages
    The document discusses several theories of ethics: 1) Utilitarianism focuses on producing the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people, regardless of the means to achieve that end. 2) Deontology emphasizes that the morality of an act is based on whether it violates rational and universal rules of conduct, duty, or law. 3) Virtue ethics focuses on good character traits and responding morally when faced with challenging situations. 4) Divine command ethics holds that morality is defined by God's commands. However, it has been criticized for being unfair. The document then provides an example scenario and asks how one would respond based on different ethical theories.

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    The document discusses several theories of ethics: 1) Utilitarianism focuses on producing the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people, regardless of the means to achieve that end. 2) Deontology emphasizes that the morality of an act is based on whether it violates rational and universal rules of conduct, duty, or law. 3) Virtue ethics focuses on good character traits and responding morally when faced with challenging situations. 4) Divine command ethics holds that morality is defined by God's commands. However, it has been criticized for being unfair. The document then provides an example scenario and asks how one would respond based on different ethical theories.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    83 views11 pages

    7 Ethical Theories

    Uploaded by

    Wena Udtohan Florida
    The document discusses several theories of ethics: 1) Utilitarianism focuses on producing the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people, regardless of the means to achieve that end. 2) Deontology emphasizes that the morality of an act is based on whether it violates rational and universal rules of conduct, duty, or law. 3) Virtue ethics focuses on good character traits and responding morally when faced with challenging situations. 4) Divine command ethics holds that morality is defined by God's commands. However, it has been criticized for being unfair. The document then provides an example scenario and asks how one would respond based on different ethical theories.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 11

    Ethical Theories

    Theories of Ethics

    • Utilitarianism- right action is that


    which has the greatest utility and
    no action is in itself either good
    or bad
    “the end justifies the means”-
    sometimes it is possible to do
    wrong to achieve “right”
    The only right action are those
    that produce the greatest
    happiness to all concerned
    Theories of Ethics

    • Deontology- rationalist view that Example:


    the rightness or wrongness of an
    act depends upon the nature of the If the client asks the
    act rather than the consequences nurse to promise to tell the
    that occur as a result of it truth regarding her diagnosis
    and prognosis, the nurse is
    • A person’s action is wrong, without duty bound to keep this
    exception, if it violates these rules promise.
    Sources of Ethics and Morality
    • A. Human reason- primary
    source, acquisition and
    application of the knowledge of
    ethics
    • B. Contemporary and historical
    experiences
    Personal experience
    Experience of others
    Theory of Ethics

    • Virtue Ethics- Refers to the moral Example:


    practice or action in conformity to A health care provider harassing your
    a standard of right (as divine law co-worker. What will you do?
    or the highest good).Good
    character traits Will you report it because it is
    morally good to stand up for other
    • When confronted with a situation people who cant? (Virtue Ethics)
    where your moral compass is
    challenged, how will you
    response?
    Theory of Ethics
    • Divine Command Ethics- The
    religious idea that there is a
    divine being (God, Allah), a
    series of rules or
    commandments that believers
    claim can provide moral
    guidance to all
    Criticism of Divine
    Command Ethics
    What should you do?
    Unfair Nurse Manager

    You are a new staff nurse in your unit and


    you noticed that your head nurse is
    playing favorites with some senior nurses,
    allocating level 1 patients to them every
    shift and giving them weekend rest days at
    the expense of junior nurses
    What will you do?
    Get a paper and write down your answers
    Virtue Ethics
    • Is this your answer? – I will report
    my manager because I like to help
    my co workers
    “Are acquired good habits that are
    used to regulate emotions”
    In virtue ethics it is said that when Then you act based on virtue ethics.
    we human being are confronted I do it because it is morally right to
    with complex dilemmas and in a help my co worker.
    situation where our moral or ethics
    is challenge, we are to choose the
    right course of action because doing
    the right thing comes from a
    virtuous person’s fundamental
    character
    Duty/Deontological/Nonconsequential
    Theories
    • Base morality on principles of • Is this your answer? I will report
    obligation/duty arising from his my manager to human resources
    profession regardless of the because it is my duty as a staff
    consequences nurse to report any untoward
    incidence, they mentioned that
    during orientation and it is
    stated in the handbook.
    Consequentialist/Teleological/Utilitarianism
    Theories
    Based morality on the • Is this your answer? – I will
    consequences of human action. report my manager because all
    An action is morally right if the of the employees will benefit
    consequences of such action are from it. The unit will be more
    more favorable than unfavorable. harmonious and new staff
    nurses will be happy and
    satisfied.

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