This document discusses the concepts of ethics and morality. It defines ethics as dealing with principles of ethical behavior at the level of individuals, society, and the environment. Morality pertains to standards of right and wrong originally learned from a community. The course teaches ethical behavior and decision making using moral frameworks and a seven-step model to analyze dilemmas. It differentiates between moral standards driven by beliefs and values versus non-moral rules. Examples of each are provided, as well as the definition of a moral dilemma as a conflict between the morality of a decision and its consequences. Historic examples of moral dilemmas involving difficult choices are described.

1. GE 108 Ethics

2. Ethics
Ethics: deals with principles of ethical behavior in modern society at the level of
the person, society and in interaction with the environment and other shared
resources. Morality pertains to the standards of right and wrong that an individual
originally picks up for the community. The course discusses the context and
principles of ethical behavior in modern society at the level of the individual,
society, and in interaction with the environment and other shared resources. The
course also teaches students to make moral decisions by using dominant moral
frameworks and by applying a seven-step moral reasoning model to analyze and
solve moral dilemmas.

3. Moral & Non-Moral Standards
• Moral Standards: morals tend to be
driven by personal beliefs and
values, there are certainly some
common morals that most people
agree on.
• Non-Moral Standards: refer to rules
that are unrelated to moral or
ethical considerations. Either these
standards are not necessarily linked
to morality or by nature lack
ethical sense.

4. Moral & Non-moral Standard Examples
• Always tell the truth.
• Do not destroy property.
• Have courage.
• Keep your promises.
• Do not cheat.
• Etiquette
• Fashion standards
• Rules in games
• Various house rules

5. Moral Dilemmas
• Definition
• A moral dilemma is defined as any situation in which the person making the
decision experiences a conflict between the moral rightness of a decision and
the quality of the results it produces. Many times, these dilemmas involve a
morally wrong decision that produces a desirable result, or vice versa. Other
times, moral dilemmas involve a decision in which the person is forced to
choose only one of two good things.

6. Historic Example of Moral Dilemmas
• One classic example of a moral dilemma is the famous 1842 shipwreck in which
the captain was forced to choose between throwing the weak passengers
overboard or letting all the passengers drown. The 1982 movie “Sophie’s
Choice” portrays another moral dilemma, in which a mother is forced to choose
which of her two children would be executed in a concentration camp.