Philosophical Orientation to Ethics

Introduction

Ethics are defined by various philosophers and practitioners in various ways. For some, these are “good or right conducts” where as some treat these as “science of customs and morals”. As a research practioner, you may be more concerned about research ethics, but before taking about it, you must develop a theoratical understanding about the ethics and moral judgement.

What is ethics?

The Greek word “ethos” is considered the word from which the word “Ethics” has been derived, and its meaning includes customs, usages, or habits. Sometimes, is also known as Moral Philosophy. Ethics are never universal or absolute as these are the customs decided by communities, based on approval from their members, and expected to be followed by all community members.
Ethics is often referred to as moral philosophy. The terms “ethics” and “moral philosophy” are used interchangeably to describe the branch of philosophy that deals with questions about morality, values, and principles of right and wrong conduct.
As a philosophical discipline, ethics is the study of the values and guidelines by which we live.
  • Ethics is a set of contextual moral standards and values acceptable in society.
  • Ethics guides an individual to follow the norms and customs of a society, and stop them to act the ways harmful to society.
  • Some of the ethical principles may be universal but few may be contextual also.
  • Ethics is normative or prescriptive. It deals with what ought to be.
  • Ethics serves as a guide to law by highlighting its shortcomings. When a person’s behavior is inconsistent with the prevailing values and norms, it is called unethical.
  • Ethics are an expression of a society’s attitudes and beliefs. These may differ from place to place and time to time.

Philosophy of Ethics

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that explores moral values, principles, and the concept of what is considered right or wrong. Philosophers have been central to the development of ethical theories and frameworks throughout history.

Key Philosophers in Ethics:

  1. Aristotle: Ancient Greek philosopher Aristotle contributed significantly to ethics. He emphasized the concept of virtue ethics, suggesting that moral character and virtue are essential for ethical living.
  2. Immanuel Kant: A key figure in modern philosophy, Kant proposed deontological ethics, which focuses on duty and moral obligation. According to Kant, certain actions are inherently right or wrong, regardless of their consequences.
  3. John Stuart Mill: Mill, a utilitarian philosopher, advocated for a consequentialist approach to ethics. Utilitarianism suggests that the morality of an action is determined by its overall utility or the happiness it produces.
  4. Confucius: Confucian ethics, rooted in Chinese philosophy, emphasizes virtues such as benevolence, righteousness, and filial piety. It has had a profound influence on East Asian ethical thought.

Application in Today’s World

Ethics plays a crucial role in fields such as medicine, business, law, and research. It provides a framework for making moral decisions and navigating complex ethical dilemmas. The study of ethics is ongoing, evolving with societal changes and contributing to our understanding of what it means to lead a morally upright life.

THE AREA OF ETHICS

There are four branches of Ethics namely Descriptive Ethics, Normative Ethics, Meta-Ethics, and Applied Ethics.

Descriptive Ethics

  • It is the study of people’s beliefs about morality based on empirical investigation.
  • It gives us a general pattern or a way of life of people in different types of communities.
  •  It gives a record of certain taboos, customs, or conventions.
  • It aims to find out people’s beliefs about values, which actions are right and wrong, and which characteristics of a moral agent are virtuous.
  • Descriptive Ethics is a value-free approach to ethics.
  • It is an empirical investigation of people’s moral beliefs.

Normative Ethics or prescriptive ethics

  • It is the study of ethical theories that prescribe how people ought to act.
  • It examines standards for the rightness and wrongness of actions.
  • It suggests punishment when a person deviates from the path of ideals.
  • It justifies punishing a person who disturbs social and moral order.
  • It tries to establish certain theories on the guidelines of some norms.
  • Normative Ethics offer the moral principles to use to resolve difficult moral decisions.

Meta-Ethics

  • Meta-Ethics is the study of what ethical terms and theories refer to.
  • It determines the validity of theories advanced in Normative Ethics.
  • We use certain moral concepts such as right, wrong, good, or bad to evaluate human actions.
  • Meta-Ethics analyses ethical concepts.
  • It studies the meaning of moral language and the metaphysics of moral facts.
  • Meta-Ethics seeks to understand the nature of ethical properties and evaluations.
  • Meta-Ethics deals with the questions such as ‘What is the meaning of moral terms or judgments?’, ‘What is the nature of moral judgments?’, ‘How may moral judgments be supported or defended?’

Applied Ethics

  • Applied Ethics deals with the problems confronted in our life.
  • It attempts to apply ethical theory to real-life situations.
  • It helps to use knowledge of moral principles to present dilemmas.
  • Certain issues arise due to the newly adopted lifestyle.
  • Applied Ethics deals with the questions such as, “Is getting an abortion immoral?” “Is euthanasia immoral?” “Is affirmative action right or wrong?” “What are human rights, and how do we determine them?” “Do animals have rights as well?” and “Do individuals have the right of self-determination?”
  • Applied Ethics develops into Environmental Ethics, Media Ethics, Business Ethics, Ethics of Legal Profession, and Ethics of Care.