Ethical Essays

Ethics in Science Essay
What do you think of when you hear or see the word "science"; test tubes, Einstein, Space?
Science is "generally taken as meaning either (a) the exact sciences, such as chemistry, physics,
etc., or (b) a method of thought which obtains verifiable results by reasoning logically from
observed fact" (Orwell). Scientists are those who study science by scientific method. These "men of
science", which Orwell describes as "a biologist, and astronomer, perhaps a psychologist or a
mathematician", "work by means of induction and deduction, and that by the help of these
operations, they, in a sort of sense, wring from Nature certain other things, which are called natural
laws, and causes, and that out of these, by some cunning skill of their own,...show more content...
This undoubtedly demonstrations the pros and cons of inventions made through science. There
are people who abuse medicine, and other creations from science, for numerous different reasons.
Things like guns and nuclear weapons were formed to protect, but with the downside of killing
others. With all of this this being said, should there be a limit to things we make? More
importantly, does science have an ethical responsibility to humanity? I think to answer that
question, we need to start with deciding if scientists have an ethical responsibility to humanity. As
the saying goes, with knowledge comes power and with power comes responsibility. However,
there can be no limitation on the knowledge obtained from science. Instead, we must limit what
arises from knowledge and power. What are some responsibilities of scientists and the rest of the
population? Well, to start on the broadest sense, science should only be used for the absolute
necessary improvement of humanity. It is our ethical responsibility to not take advantage of
science to further the advancement of military power, as we have done with the creation of atomic
and nuclear bombs. Is it responsible to use science for fame, fortune and glory? No, and it is not
acceptable, but it is common for people to do so. If, for some reason, we had the option to save 80%
of endangered wildlife through scientific means, but with the consequence of harming the
atmosphere, would it be ethical to continue on? We would have
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Four Ethical Principles
The four principles of medical ethics are universalization, impartiality, reasonableness and civility.
Each one holds weight in medical ethics. I believe that all carry the same weight. Being civil to
others, whether the patients or the staff, is undervalued. I believe that being able to treat humans as
such despite opposing views; for example, a doctor may not believe in having cosmetic surgery
however they still should treat the patient seeking it with the same respect as a patient who shares
their view. As such I believe that that doctor has a responsibility to educate their patient on the risks
but they also have a responsibility to refer them to a cosmetic surgeon if the patient wishes. This also
ties in with being reasonable. Placing

Philosophy of Ethics Essay
The word "ethics" comes from Greek ethikas meaning character. Today, we use ethics to describe the
normative standard of behavior. The history of philosophical ethics has been broken up into five
rational methods: Virtue, Traditional, Modern, and Post–Modern Ethics. Within these periods, the
philosophy of ethics changed along with the changes being made within society. The first rational
method is Virtue Ethics. The major philosophers during this period were materialists such as Plato,
Aristotle, Epicurus, and Plutarch. Greek were concerned with finding eudaimonia meaning the good
life, but what is the good life? Known as the greatest Western philosopher, Plato developed the
Cardinal Virtues: Justice, Courage, Moderation, and...show more content...
One of the last major philosophers of Virtue Ethics was Plutarch who advocated virtue but disagreed
with Epicurus because he believed there was no true pleasure. At this same time, between 400 B.C.–
40 B.C. Stoic philosophers such Cicero, who combined the philosophies of Aristotle and Plato,
developed his idea on ethics and how everyone has a duty and should imitate virtue for others. He
said duty has two points which are to achieve the Supreme Good, and follow the rules for daily
living. Cicero was a strong believer in rationality incorporated Plato's Cardinal Virtues into his three
rules of conduct: master desires through reason, know true value of goals and be moderate in
actions and lifestyle. Following Virtue Ethics, a major shift occurred in thinking. The philosophers
of Virtue Ethics were materialists and believed we only have what we have and after death, we have
nothing. Traditional Ethics shifted the focus on religion once it began to spread. Also known as
Biblical Ethics, philosophers started a systematic study of Biblical themes and principles surrounding
ethics and morality. St. Augustine was trained as a philosopher and combines his understanding of
the Bible to ethics by answering the same question as Plato and Aristotle did, "What is the highest
good?" He answered this question with happiness just like Aristotle but since Aristotle

Ethics In Nursing Essay
The topic of ethics is prevalent in health care and addresses a broad range of topics in nursing. In
almost every interaction with a patient there could be a situation that may bring up the question of
ethics. Fortunately, there is the realization that placing the nurse in the care of a patient, may put the
medical personnel in an environment where the ethics are questioned. There are whole departments
dedicated to advising nurses in these situations. There are also ethic committees to help guide you
when you find yourself in a situation that may question your practice or circumstances. As a nurse, I
strive to maintain an ethical practice. Providing care without judgment, instructing the patient
appropriately and to their level of understanding, maintaining a safe environment under my care, and
doing no physical, mental, or emotional harm. I also have a duty to my employer to provide
excellent care and uphold the policies of the organization. While these things are all good intentions,
at times there are ethical situation that present for the nurse. At times the policies of the organization
or providing outstanding care seem to be contrary to...show more content...
Being able to grasp the patient's views, habits, and behaviors gives me the knowledge to assist the
patient in making better choices. I have noticed in my workplace, how some nurses are better at
conveying information to a patient and presenting it in a way that assist the patient in understanding
the complexities of the issues. They do this with humor, challenging the patient's reasoning,
confidence, and solid examples of the matter. Observing these interactions has allowed me to
intercede into my patient's reasoning. There are times when I have been successful and moments
when other nurses ask me to come and speak with their patient to assist in these difficult

Ethical Dilemma Essay
An ethical dilemma is an incident that causes us to question how we should react based on our
beliefs. A decision needs to be made between right and wrong. I have experienced many ethical
dilemmas in my lifetime, so I know that there is no such thing as an ethical dilemma that only
affects one person. I also know that some ethical dilemmas are easier to resolve than others are.
The easy ones are the ones in which we can make decisions on the spot. For example, if a cashier
gives me too much change, I can immediately make a decision to either return the money or keep it.
Based on Kant's, categorical imperative there are two criteria for determining moral right and wrong.
First, there is universalizability, which states, "the person's...show more content...
My moral character was being tested and because it could have a negative effect on other people's
lives, I wrestled with my own beliefs. I needed a 2 plan that worked best for all involved, and one
that would not cause me to compromise my morals. I will discuss the dilemma, how it affected me,
and how I made a decision I could live with.
In my profession as a technology consultant one of my responsibilities were to work with the sales
team to assist in the architecture of Information Technology solutions to solve customer
problems. I worked with the salespeople throughout the sales process to ensure that customers
purchased all products necessary for a successful implementation. One of my responsibilities was
to make a final review of sales quotes to verify no mistakes were made. When I traveled outside of
my territory to work with customers, the sales quotes were reviewed by consultants from that
area. The dilemma occurred at a customer site outside of my territory. I had never met the
salesperson or the customer. The only information I had was a scope of work for the
implementation. When I arrived at the customer site, I was given a copy of the purchase order and
directed to the computer room. I performed an inventory to verify that all products on the purchase
order were onsite. As I reviewed the scope of work, I noticed there were quite a few items on the
purchase order that were not necessary for this implementation. To

Ethics In The Workplace Essay
Ethics in the Workplace
What is ethics? Is ethics an ability that grows in us from a child or does our parents teaches us
ethics? According to dictionary.com, states that the word ethics means, "the code of good conducts
for an individual or group." Ethics also means, simply stated, that ethics refers to standards of
behavior that tell us how human beings ought to act in the many situations in which they find
themselves–as friends, parents, children, citizens, businesspeople, teachers, professionals, and so on.
There are many characteristics of ethics. There are good and bad ethics. But when sociologist
Raymond Baumhart ask business people "What does ethics means to you?" According to him, the
replies he received were: "ethics has...show more content...
What does workplace ethics and ethics in general have to do with each other.
Workplace Ethics is a subject that we have all heard of. In fact, the subject of Ethics in general is
something that most people are familiar with, and what is commonly understood about ethics is
there are ethics and then there are workplace ethics. What most people don't realize, however, is
that there is no such thing as workplace ethics; ethics are the same, (or, should be) whether in the
workplace or in your personal life.
Ethics are about making choices that may not always feel good or seem like they benefit you, but
are the "right" choices to make. They are the choices that are examples of "model citizens" and
examples of the golden rules. We've all heard the golden rules: Don't hurt, don't steal, don't lie, or
one of the most famous: "Do unto others as you would have them done unto you." "These are not
just catchy phrases; these are words of wisdom that any productive member of society should
strive to live by. In our personal lives, most people try to do exactly that." ( Wallace, 1985) Ethics
are thought of by many people as something that is related to the private side of life and not to the
business side. In

Ethics and Education Essay
Ethics and Education
Ethics and Morals are two important words everyone knows, but which very few truly understand.
Ethics is defined, in Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary, as the discipline dealing with what
is good and what is bad. Morals are defined, in the same dictionary, as those principles of right and
wrong in behavior. For Kozol in The Night Is Dark and I Am Far From Home, ethics and morals
have similar definitions but extend to include a sense of compassion for others. I agree with his
argument that the purpose of schooling is to educate an ethical human being: a person who not only
lives his life by facts and knowledge but also by ethics and morals.
The need for schools to address ethics and morals is important...show more content...
Since in school are where children interact most often with any adult, it should be standard for
schools to have ethics and morals in their curricula.
However, the decision of what ethics and whose morals to include in curricula poses a problem for
many schools. With so many different ways of thought and senses of morality, the ability to decide
on one standardized set of ethics and morality proves to be almost impossible. The decision is
also difficult since morality at times is synonymous with religion and deciding on a particular set
of morality can be interpreted as favoring a certain religion within a school. Other problems with
this system are a teacher's possible conflict with certain ethical and moral issues they may have to
convey to their students. What if a teacher does not believe in a certain ethical guideline in the
curriculum or what if they do not believe an ethical decision is required for a certain discipline? A
system of ethics which encompasses many beliefs, yet does not isolate one exactly, is the only
useful method in a school.
The system of ethics that Kozol proposes does not seem to corner any particular religion and is
merely a law–abiding way of life with a concern for the welfare of others. This idea of compassion
in education will cause students to be ethical and moral not only outside of the classroom

What Does Ethics Mean? Essay
Ethically Speaking
Years ago, sociologist Raymond Baumhart was researching ethics; he asked a test group of business
people, "What does ethics mean to you?" The group had several different answers:
"Ethics has to do with my religious beliefs."
"Ethics has to do with what my feelings tell me is right or wrong."
"Being ethical is doing what the law requires."
"Ethics consist of the standards of behavior our society accepts."
"I don't know what the word means."
The answers of the test group may be representative of how most Americans would respond to this
question on ethics. The truth is, most people in general don't understand ethics, or their view is
limited at best.
Ethics is a term that most people find boring and many misunderstand. Ethics is a branch of
philosophy that arranges, defends, and recommends concepts of acceptable and unacceptable
conduct. Deriving from the Ancient Greek word "ethos", translated means habit or custom.
"Educating the mind without educating the heart is no education at all." – Aristotle
Ethics asks two basic questions:
1. "What is the best way for people to live?"
2. "What actions are right and what actions are wrong for every possible circumstance?"
Ethics involves human morality as it defines concepts of pairs such as good and evil, right and
wrong, justice and crime, and virtue and vice. There are three major areas within ethics: Meta,
Normative, and Applied.
1. Meta: Theoretical meaning and

My Personal Ethics Essay
According to the New Oxford American Dictionary, ethics is defined as "moral principles that
govern a person's or group's behavior." Therefore, in an ideal world, ethics should play the ultimate
role when making a decision. If ethics are the principles which guides one's behavior then, ideally,
all decisions should be made entirely based on ethics. Unfortunately, such is not always the case.
A few problems arise when one tries to make an ethical decision, especially as a leader. First, ethics
may mean different things to different people. For example, my religious and spiritual beliefs are
the foundation for what I deem ethical. However, for someone else, ethics might be based on laws
or their own personal understanding of what is...show more content...
Recognizing that not all decisions are ethical, one's moral principles acts as a guide for their
behavior and decision making. Therefore, ethics do (and should) play a major role in decision
making.
As previously mentioned, my religious and spiritual beliefs shape my personal ethics. I grew up
in a very Christian family (one grandfather was a pastor and the other is a deacon), so from a
young age, I was instilled with a belief in God and His teachings, according to the Bible. As I get
older, I am learning that a spiritual journey and relationship with God is one that is personal and
cannot be easily taught or given by others. Therefore, I will admit that as I continue on my
personal journey with God, my personal ethics are still being developed and shaped. Some
behaviors that I may have thought were acceptable in the past, I no longer view the same. For
example, I have a lot of passion for the organizations I am involved with, especially S.M.A.R.T,
which is great as a leader. It is my passion which keeps me dedicated to the organization. However,
because of this passion, when things are not going as I want them to, it might cause me to
communicate in a way that is considered disrespectful to others. Either my tone, the loudness of my
voice, or the things that I say have made others feel disrespected. Personally, I find disrespecting
others to be unethical. Although I may not consciously decide to disrespect them, it is a result of my
behavior. While, at one point, I

Ethical Definition Essay
A person's idea of ethics guides them through difficult life concepts such as right and wrong, or
good and evil. This allows a person to define set principles and standards that they have conducted
based on these beliefs. This decision can be founded on religion, culture, or their own general
beliefs. In our postmodern society, it is not anything out of the ordinary to have these different
options that help us define morality. C. S. Lewis, explains in his book, Mere Christianity, that even
with all the many options, the only clear way for a person to derive a set of rules for themselves is
to base it off the words in the Bible.
Even though we have a universal definition of morality, the belief of where it comes from can be
debated. When Christians look to decide what is moral they turn to the Bible. The Bible says that
man was created in God's image. This means that when we make decisions...show more content...
We all trust in our conscience to tell us if our actions are immoral. The only catch is that a
person's conscience is only as good as their standards. Which can be a great tool for a person to
use in difficult situations. A confusing concept for people to grasp. Especially in dangerous
situations, a person's morals can change. For example, if a person does something that is
unethical to save someone innocent it does not go against God's law. C.S. Lewis (1952) claims
that "If we ask: 'Why ought I to be unselfish?' and you reply 'Because it is good for society,' we may
then ask, 'Why should I care what's good for society except when it happens to pay me personally?'
and then you will have to say, 'Because you ought to be unselfish'–which simply brings us back to
where we started." (p. 15) Unless they use the Bible, people tend to use their surroundings to base a
set of beliefs. People are flawed, only God is perfect. Therefore, beliefs made by man are bound to
be flawed and beliefs made by God are

Ethics in Research Essay
Ethics in Research
Research is one of the most successful means of obtaining a wide variety of information concerning
limited or broad topics. However, abundant as this information may be, it is important to maintain an
ethical outlook to all research topics. As research and its subsequent experimentations advance in
light of new generations, the idea of ethics becomes a more prominent issue. Researchers must be
aware of the conflicts that their research may bring about. They must know how to address their
findings in a moral way appealing to the pro and cons. Researchers can not simply accumulate data.
Coupled with data is the process of analysis, where researchers manipulate their findings...show more
content...
According to the National Institute of Health, stem cells are unique cells created from embryos for
infertility purposes usually through the process of in vitro fertilization (Institute on Health). Stems
cells have two important characteristics that differentiate them from other types of cells. One is that
they are unspecialized cells that rejuvenate themselves through cell division. The other is that, under
certain conditions, they can be induced to become certain specialized cells (Institute on Health).
For certain people this is life saving news. Now that cells can be specialized under these
unspecialized stem cells, a patient can receive new heart cells for a diseased heart or many other life
threatening diseases (Institute on Health). This information can be used in a variety of useful ways,
but is it morally right to create embryos only to destroy them? Are these potential humans that could
help them world in some other way? This is the perspective of many people fighting against
stem–cell research. These activists claim that stem–cell research plays against the will of God.
Moreover, if stem cell research is legalized world–wide, who is to say that people will use it only to
benefit the curing of disease? Is it possible that people will become careless and more susceptible to
disease only to receive stem cells to

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