Approaches to the Study of Ethics

Ethical issues are ones that involve the way things "should be" rather than the way things are. Ethics
involve discussions of moral obligations, but do not necessarily hinge on religious overtones.
The first step in discussing ethical issues is to get all the facts. According to Velasquez et al.,"some
moral issues create controversies simply because we do not bother to check the facts."
There are several approaches that are considered in arriving at ethical solutions to dilemmas.
Utilitarian Approach
"ethical actions are those that provide the greatest balance of good over evil"
In order to take the utilitarian approach, the problem must be analyzed from several different
perspectives, and the solutions to each must be contemplated to arrive at the one that favors the
greater good.
The Rights Approach
The rights approach is predicated on the notion that humans have the right to choose paths which
affect their destiny because they are human. Furthermore, humans are justified in their expectation
that their rights should be respected. These rights include the right to the truth, the right of privacy,
the right to not be injured, and the right to fulfillment of promises.
Fairness or Justice Approach
The fairness approach assumes that people should be treated equally regardless of their station in life,
that is, they should not be subject to discrimination.
Common Good Approach
The common good approach suggests that ethical actions are those that benefit all members of the
community.
The Virtue Approach
The virtue approach describes an assumption that there are higher orders of goodness to which man
should aspire, and that only moral actions will help us achieve that higher level.
Ethical problem solving involves accumulating all the facts surrounding an issue and considering
what the possible solutions to the problem are, and what benefits and harms result from each
and whom they affect;
what rights each of the parties to the problems has;
what solutions to the problem treat all parties equally;
what course of action promotes the common good;
and, what actions develop moral virtues.
Resource
Thinking Ethically: A Framework for Moral Decision Making. Velasquez, M., C. Andre, T. Shanks, and
M. J. Meyer. Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University.



3 Approaches to Ethics: Principles, Outcomes and Integrity
The social world is messy and ethics helps us muddle through.
Published on May 18, 2012 by Arthur Dobrin, D.S.W. in Am I Right?

All of morality aims at the same thing but there are several basic ways to get there. If you prefer,
each approach is like a different toola hammer, a nail, a level. Using the right tool for the right job
makes it easier to do your work and increases the chances that youll wind up with a quality product.
If you can grasp the basic ideas of each of the different approaches to ethics, you will be in a better
position to make a sound ethical decision. There are other ways in which moral philosophy and
philosophers can be categorized, but establishing ethical theories into their three schools is a useful
way to understand ethics.
The three schools are virtue ethics, consequentialist ethics, and deontological or duty-based ethics.
Each approach provides a different way to understanding ethics. An analogy to your personal
wellbeing is this: what is the best way to achieve a healthy life? One is through good nutrition,
another is through exercise, and a third is through a spiritual discipline, and yet another stresses
public health measures. Each is vital but inadequate by itself. It is bringing theseand other
approaches together that you can live to the fullest.

Similarly, in ethics, no school answers all the problems raised by social living. In most cases, all
three schools need to be considered in order to reach the best ethical decision. (It should also be
noted that there are divisions and sub-divisions within each of the approaches.)

Virtue Ethics: How to Live Your Life
Key Questions Informing Ethical Decisions:
What kind of person do I want to be?
What virtues bring me closer to this goal; which vices prevent me from achieving it? Is my behavior
consistent with being a moral person?
Some Main Principles
Aspiring to a set of virtues.
Avoiding a set of vices.
Integrity is a primary value.
Finding the right balance within and between values.
Philosophers
Aristotle (384-322 BCE)
Alasdair MacIntyre (1929)

Consequentialist Ethics: Is It Good?
Key Questions Informing Ethical Decisions:
What impact is my behavior having on the world?
Am I doing more good or harm by my behavior?
Is my behavior making the world a better place?

Some Main Goals
Actions aim at bringing about the greatest good for the greatest number of people.
Benevolence is a primary value.

Philosophers
David Hume (1711-1776)
Jeremy Bentham (1748-1832)
John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)

Deontological Ethics: Is It Right?
Key Questions Informing Ethical Decisions:
What are my ethical principles telling me I should do?
What does reason require of me regarding my treatment of others?
What duties do I owe?
How do I decide between conflicting duties?

Some Main Principles
Arriving at ethical principles through reason.
Reasons must be consistent and coherent.
Having a duties to others based on ethical principles.
Respecting the autonomy of others is a primary value.

Philosophers
John Locke (1632-1704)
Immanuel Kant (1724-1804)

The three schools of ethics are tools for thinking about morality. Seldom do we use one approach
exclusively. Each has its limits. You have to consider all three approaches to be a good person and
do the right thing.
As an ethical person you may reflect upon your own integrity (the virtue school), or try to do more
good than bad (the consequentialist approach), or adhere to ethical principles (the deontological
philosophy). We each are inclined to favor one approach over the other. But good ethical judgment
often requires finding the right mix for the particular circumstances at hand.
The social world is messy and ethics helps us muddle through.