Essay on Ethics for Students and Children

500+ words essay on ethics.

Essay on Ethics – Ethics refers to the concepts of right and wrong conduct. Furthermore, ethics is basically a branch of philosophy dealing with the issue of morality. Moreover, ethics consist of the rules of behavior. It certainly defines how a person should behave in specific situations. The origin of ethics is old and it started from the Stone Age . Most noteworthy, over the centuries many religions and philosophers have made contributions to ethics.

Branches of Ethics

First of all, comes the descriptive branch of ethics. Descriptive ethics involve what people actually believe to be right or wrong. On the basis of this, the law decides whether certain human actions are acceptable or not. Most noteworthy, the moral principles of society keep changing from time to time. Therefore, descriptive ethics are also known as comparative ethics. This is because; it compares the ethics of past and present as well as ethics of one society and another.

Normative ethics is another important branch of ethics. Moreover, Normative ethics deals with certain norms or set of considerations. Furthermore, these norms or set of considerations dictate how one should act. Therefore, normative ethics sets out the rightness or wrongness of actions or behaviours. Another name for normative ethics is prescriptive ethics. This is because; it has principles which determine whether an action is right or wrong.

Meta-ethics consists of the origin of the ethical concepts themselves. Meta-ethics is not concerned whether an action is good or evil. Rather, meta-ethics questions what morality itself is. Therefore, meta-ethics questions the very essence of goodness or rightness. Most noteworthy, it is a highly abstract way of analyzing ethics.

Applied ethics involves philosophical examination or certain private and public life issues. Furthermore, this examination of issues takes place from a moral standpoint. Moreover, this branch of ethics is very essential for professionals. Also, these professionals belong to different walks of life and include doctors , teachers , administrators, rulers.

Get the huge list of more than 500 Essay Topics and Ideas

Applications of Ethics

Bioethicists deal with the ethical questions that arise in the relationships among life sciences, biotechnology, medicine, politics, and philosophy. Furthermore, Bioethics refers to the study of controversial ethics brought about by advances in biology and medicine .

Ethics also have a significant application in business. Moreover, business ethics examines ethical principles in relation to a business environment.

Military ethics involve the questions regarding the application of ethos of the soldier. Furthermore, military ethics involves the laws of war. Moreover, it also includes the question of justification of initiating military force.

Public sector ethics deals with a set of principles that guide public officials in their service. Furthermore, the public sector involves the morality of decision making. Most noteworthy, it consists of the question of what best serves the public’s interests.

In conclusion, ethics is certainly one of the most important requirements of humanity. Furthermore, without ethics, the world would have been an evil and chaotic place. Also, the advancement of humanity is not possible without ethics. There must be widespread awareness of ethics among the youth of society.

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How to Write an Ethics Paper: Guide & Ethical Essay Examples

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An ethics essay is a type of academic writing that explores ethical issues and dilemmas. Students should evaluates them in terms of moral principles and values. The purpose of an ethics essay is to examine the moral implications of a particular issue, and provide a reasoned argument in support of an ethical perspective.

Writing an essay about ethics is a tough task for most students. The process involves creating an outline to guide your arguments about a topic and planning your ideas to convince the reader of your feelings about a difficult issue. If you still need assistance putting together your thoughts in composing a good paper, you have come to the right place. We have provided a series of steps and tips to show how you can achieve success in writing. This guide will tell you how to write an ethics paper using ethical essay examples to understand every step it takes to be proficient. In case you don’t have time for writing, get in touch with our professional essay writers for hire . Our experts work hard to supply students with excellent essays.

What Is an Ethics Essay?

An ethics essay uses moral theories to build arguments on an issue. You describe a controversial problem and examine it to determine how it affects individuals or society. Ethics papers analyze arguments on both sides of a possible dilemma, focusing on right and wrong. The analysis gained can be used to solve real-life cases. Before embarking on writing an ethical essay, keep in mind that most individuals follow moral principles. From a social context perspective, these rules define how a human behaves or acts towards another. Therefore, your theme essay on ethics needs to demonstrate how a person feels about these moral principles. More specifically, your task is to show how significant that issue is and discuss if you value or discredit it.

Purpose of an Essay on Ethics

The primary purpose of an ethics essay is to initiate an argument on a moral issue using reasoning and critical evidence. Instead of providing general information about a problem, you present solid arguments about how you view the moral concern and how it affects you or society. When writing an ethical paper, you demonstrate philosophical competence, using appropriate moral perspectives and principles.

Things to Write an Essay About Ethics On

Before you start to write ethics essays, consider a topic you can easily address. In most cases, an ethical issues essay analyzes right and wrong. This includes discussing ethics and morals and how they contribute to the right behaviors. You can also talk about work ethic, code of conduct, and how employees promote or disregard the need for change. However, you can explore other areas by asking yourself what ethics mean to you. Think about how a recent game you watched with friends started a controversial argument. Or maybe a newspaper that highlighted a story you felt was misunderstood or blown out of proportion. This way, you can come up with an excellent topic that resonates with your personal ethics and beliefs.

Ethics Paper Outline

Sometimes, you will be asked to submit an outline before writing an ethics paper. Creating an outline for an ethics paper is an essential step in creating a good essay. You can use it to arrange your points and supporting evidence before writing. It also helps organize your thoughts, enabling you to fill any gaps in your ideas. The outline for an essay should contain short and numbered sentences to cover the format and outline. Each section is structured to enable you to plan your work and include all sources in writing an ethics paper. An ethics essay outline is as follows:

  • Background information
  • Thesis statement
  • Restate thesis statement
  • Summarize key points
  • Final thoughts on the topic

Using this outline will improve clarity and focus throughout your writing process.

Ethical Essay Structure

Ethics essays are similar to other essays based on their format, outline, and structure. An ethical essay should have a well-defined introduction, body, and conclusion section as its structure. When planning your ideas, make sure that the introduction and conclusion are around 20 percent of the paper, leaving the rest to the body. We will take a detailed look at what each part entails and give examples that are going to help you understand them better.  Refer to our essay structure examples to find a fitting way of organizing your writing.

Ethics Paper Introduction

An ethics essay introduction gives a synopsis of your main argument. One step on how to write an introduction for an ethics paper is telling about the topic and describing its background information. This paragraph should be brief and straight to the point. It informs readers what your position is on that issue. Start with an essay hook to generate interest from your audience. It can be a question you will address or a misunderstanding that leads up to your main argument. You can also add more perspectives to be discussed; this will inform readers on what to expect in the paper.

Ethics Essay Introduction Example

You can find many ethics essay introduction examples on the internet. In this guide, we have written an excellent extract to demonstrate how it should be structured. As you read, examine how it begins with a hook and then provides background information on an issue. 

Imagine living in a world where people only lie, and honesty is becoming a scarce commodity. Indeed, modern society is facing this reality as truth and deception can no longer be separated. Technology has facilitated a quick transmission of voluminous information, whereas it's hard separating facts from opinions.

In this example, the first sentence of the introduction makes a claim or uses a question to hook the reader.

Ethics Essay Thesis Statement

An ethics paper must contain a thesis statement in the first paragraph. Learning how to write a thesis statement for an ethics paper is necessary as readers often look at it to gauge whether the essay is worth their time.

When you deviate away from the thesis, your whole paper loses meaning. In ethics essays, your thesis statement is a roadmap in writing, stressing your position on the problem and giving reasons for taking that stance. It should focus on a specific element of the issue being discussed. When writing a thesis statement, ensure that you can easily make arguments for or against its stance.

Ethical Paper Thesis Example

Look at this example of an ethics paper thesis statement and examine how well it has been written to state a position and provide reasons for doing so:

The moral implications of dishonesty are far-reaching as they undermine trust, integrity, and other foundations of society, damaging personal and professional relationships. 

The above thesis statement example is clear and concise, indicating that this paper will highlight the effects of dishonesty in society. Moreover, it focuses on aspects of personal and professional relationships.

Ethics Essay Body

The body section is the heart of an ethics paper as it presents the author's main points. In an ethical essay, each body paragraph has several elements that should explain your main idea. These include:

  • A topic sentence that is precise and reiterates your stance on the issue.
  • Evidence supporting it.
  • Examples that illustrate your argument.
  • A thorough analysis showing how the evidence and examples relate to that issue.
  • A transition sentence that connects one paragraph to another with the help of essay transitions .

When you write an ethics essay, adding relevant examples strengthens your main point and makes it easy for others to understand and comprehend your argument. 

Body Paragraph for Ethics Paper Example

A good body paragraph must have a well-defined topic sentence that makes a claim and includes evidence and examples to support it. Look at part of an example of ethics essay body paragraph below and see how its idea has been developed:

Honesty is an essential component of professional integrity. In many fields, trust and credibility are crucial for professionals to build relationships and success. For example, a doctor who is dishonest about a potential side effect of a medication is not only acting unethically but also putting the health and well-being of their patients at risk. Similarly, a dishonest businessman could achieve short-term benefits but will lose their client’s trust.

Ethics Essay Conclusion

A concluding paragraph shares the summary and overview of the author's main arguments. Many students need clarification on what should be included in the essay conclusion and how best to get a reader's attention. When writing an ethics paper conclusion, consider the following:

  • Restate the thesis statement to emphasize your position.
  • Summarize its main points and evidence.
  • Final thoughts on the issue and any other considerations.

You can also reflect on the topic or acknowledge any possible challenges or questions that have not been answered. A closing statement should present a call to action on the problem based on your position.

Sample Ethics Paper Conclusion

The conclusion paragraph restates the thesis statement and summarizes the arguments presented in that paper. The sample conclusion for an ethical essay example below demonstrates how you should write a concluding statement.  

In conclusion, the implications of dishonesty and the importance of honesty in our lives cannot be overstated. Honesty builds solid relationships, effective communication, and better decision-making. This essay has explored how dishonesty impacts people and that we should value honesty. We hope this essay will help readers assess their behavior and work towards being more honest in their lives.

In the above extract, the writer gives final thoughts on the topic, urging readers to adopt honest behavior.

How to Write an Ethics Paper?

As you learn how to write an ethics essay, it is not advised to immediately choose a topic and begin writing. When you follow this method, you will get stuck or fail to present concrete ideas. A good writer understands the importance of planning. As a fact, you should organize your work and ensure it captures key elements that shed more light on your arguments. Hence, following the essay structure and creating an outline to guide your writing process is the best approach. In the following segment, we have highlighted step-by-step techniques on how to write a good ethics paper.

1. Pick a Topic

Before writing ethical papers, brainstorm to find ideal topics that can be easily debated. For starters, make a list, then select a title that presents a moral issue that may be explained and addressed from opposing sides. Make sure you choose one that interests you. Here are a few ideas to help you search for topics:

  • Review current trends affecting people.
  • Think about your personal experiences.
  • Study different moral theories and principles.
  • Examine classical moral dilemmas.

Once you find a suitable topic and are ready, start to write your ethics essay, conduct preliminary research, and ascertain that there are enough sources to support it.

2. Conduct In-Depth Research

Once you choose a topic for your essay, the next step is gathering sufficient information about it. Conducting in-depth research entails looking through scholarly journals to find credible material. Ensure you note down all sources you found helpful to assist you on how to write your ethics paper. Use the following steps to help you conduct your research:

  • Clearly state and define a problem you want to discuss.
  • This will guide your research process.
  • Develop keywords that match the topic.
  • Begin searching from a wide perspective. This will allow you to collect more information, then narrow it down by using the identified words above.

3. Develop an Ethics Essay Outline

An outline will ease up your writing process when developing an ethic essay. As you develop a paper on ethics, jot down factual ideas that will build your paragraphs for each section. Include the following steps in your process:

  • Review the topic and information gathered to write a thesis statement.
  • Identify the main arguments you want to discuss and include their evidence.
  • Group them into sections, each presenting a new idea that supports the thesis.
  • Write an outline.
  • Review and refine it.

Examples can also be included to support your main arguments. The structure should be sequential, coherent, and with a good flow from beginning to end. When you follow all steps, you can create an engaging and organized outline that will help you write a good essay.

4. Write an Ethics Essay

Once you have selected a topic, conducted research, and outlined your main points, you can begin writing an essay . Ensure you adhere to the ethics paper format you have chosen. Start an ethics paper with an overview of your topic to capture the readers' attention. Build upon your paper by avoiding ambiguous arguments and using the outline to help you write your essay on ethics. Finish the introduction paragraph with a thesis statement that explains your main position.  Expand on your thesis statement in all essay paragraphs. Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence and provide evidence plus an example to solidify your argument, strengthen the main point, and let readers see the reasoning behind your stance. Finally, conclude the essay by restating your thesis statement and summarizing all key ideas. Your conclusion should engage the reader, posing questions or urging them to reflect on the issue and how it will impact them.

5. Proofread Your Ethics Essay

Proofreading your essay is the last step as you countercheck any grammatical or structural errors in your essay. When writing your ethic paper, typical mistakes you could encounter include the following:

  • Spelling errors: e.g., there, they’re, their.
  • Homophone words: such as new vs. knew.
  • Inconsistencies: like mixing British and American words, e.g., color vs. color.
  • Formatting issues: e.g., double spacing, different font types.

While proofreading your ethical issue essay, read it aloud to detect lexical errors or ambiguous phrases that distort its meaning. Verify your information and ensure it is relevant and up-to-date. You can ask your fellow student to read the essay and give feedback on its structure and quality.

Ethics Essay Examples

Writing an essay is challenging without the right steps. There are so many ethics paper examples on the internet, however, we have provided a list of free ethics essay examples below that are well-structured and have a solid argument to help you write your paper. Click on them and see how each writing step has been integrated. Ethics essay example 1

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Ethics essay example 2

Ethics essay example 3

Ethics essay example 4

College ethics essay example 5

Ethics Essay Writing Tips

When writing papers on ethics, here are several tips to help you complete an excellent essay:

  • Choose a narrow topic and avoid broad subjects, as it is easy to cover the topic in detail.
  • Ensure you have background information. A good understanding of a topic can make it easy to apply all necessary moral theories and principles in writing your paper.
  • State your position clearly. It is important to be sure about your stance as it will allow you to draft your arguments accordingly.
  • When writing ethics essays, be mindful of your audience. Provide arguments that they can understand.
  • Integrate solid examples into your essay. Morality can be hard to understand; therefore, using them will help a reader grasp these concepts.

Bottom Line on Writing an Ethics Paper

Creating this essay is a common exercise in academics that allows students to build critical skills. When you begin writing, state your stance on an issue and provide arguments to support your position. This guide gives information on how to write an ethics essay as well as examples of ethics papers. Remember to follow these points in your writing:

  • Create an outline highlighting your main points.
  • Write an effective introduction and provide background information on an issue.
  • Include a thesis statement.
  • Develop concrete arguments and their counterarguments, and use examples.
  • Sum up all your key points in your conclusion and restate your thesis statement.

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Ethics Essay | Essay on Ethics for Students and Children in English

February 13, 2024 by Prasanna

Ethics Essay: The world is beset with falsified ideologies, with people who want to exploit each other in the fields of education, business, politics. Therefore, it is of paramount importance that in addition to the rule of law, some guiding principles as to how we must conduct ourselves in society and our institutions must be set.

Throughout history, from the time of Greek philosophers like Aristotle, mankind has genuinely wondered about the topic of ethics and tried to derive universal moral principles governing behavior. Our modern understanding of ethics can help us create a better world by becoming better and more caring citizens.

You can read more  Essay Writing  about articles, events, people, sports, technology many more.

Long and Short Essays on Ethics for Students and Kids in English

A long essay has been provided below; it is of 450-500 words. A short essay of 100-150 words has also been given.

Long Essay on Ethics 500 words in English

Ethics Essay is usually given to classes 7, 8, 9, and 10.

Ethics are basic standards or ideals that regulate the actions of a person or a community. This is not a responsibility to bear, but a wise and successful guide to existence and progress. Ethics is essential in business, as well as in academic institutions and social structures because it is a crucial cornerstone on which an enlightened system is built.

It is often not the same to be following legal rules and being ethical. Law, like, emotions, will deviate from what’s moral. The practice of sati in India and the abhorrent rules governing apartheid and slavery in South Africa are examples of laws and customs which are not ethical.

Being ethical is not similar to following “whatever the predominant culture allows.” In every community, most citizens follow values that are, in essence, ethical. But behavioral standards in society can deviate from moral standards. Culture, as a whole, may become immoral and unethical. Nazi Germany is a perfect example of a culture that is politically compromised.

Academic dishonesty is yet another component of unethical conduct. It is a behavior or an attempt that involves the creation of an unfair academic benefit for oneself or a disadvantage for any other representative of the educational institutions.

The family has a powerful impact on one’s beliefs and actions, parents create guidelines from the beginning, and they are the foundation of our ethics and morals. Devotion to individual values is part of what makes a student effective. Lack of ethical dedication will always lead to academic incompetence.

Social principles and social standards have declined over time. As a consequence, the number of crimes such as killings, robberies, gang assaults, kidnappings, extortion, grab and run cases, and criminal activities such as vandalism, hoarding, substance trafficking, etc. has increased in just some very few years. Learning and astuteness have taken the shape of ambition, envy, destructive rivalry, and the lure of quick income, which is entirely counterproductive to a stable and safe social existence.

Citizens have lost faith and been greedy in their purposes, and thus, in people’s lives, principles and morals have diminished and lost meaning. An individual with ethical values is interested in the right actions, and he also knows it internally. The individual doing evil acts at the same time may sometimes consider it correct to adjust to the social structure in which he or she lives but has terrible morals.

If a person’s moral and ethical values have plummeted, he or she will never feel any guilt or anxiety in executing misdeeds or even a severe offense, as is suitable to his or her morals and ethics. Much of the time, it is the context and the way an individual is raised that determines his acts and, thus, his morals and ethics.

If we’re to see a world with a relatively low rate of violent crime and where all human beings can reside peacefully, we need to look at the values and ethics that our sculptures and religious leaders teach. We will shoulder the pressure of making our world and, in turn, transform our planet into a beautiful place where all human beings will lead a life with integrity and dignity without terror in their minds.

Essay about Ethics

Short Essay on Ethics 100 words in English

Ethics Essay is usually given to classes 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and 6.

Ethics can be defined as established standards of right and wrong that prescribe what people should do, usually in terms of human rights, responsibilities, advantages to social order, honesty, or specific core values. Ethical principles also include those which enjoin the values of authenticity, justice, and integrity. Ethics involves the demands for personal freedom, liberty, and the right to free will and privacy. These principles are acceptable ethical guidelines as a clear and well-founded reason backs them. Ethics also requires a constant attempt to research our spiritual values and moral behavior and to try to guarantee that we, and the organizations we help form, perform up to expectations that are fair and ethical

10 Lines on Ethics Essay in English

  • Being ethical can help you to become a better human being.
  • Ethics relates to established standards of right and wrong, usually created by society.
  • Ethics does not mean mere conformity to societal norms.
  • Personal enrichment and growth depend on the ability to redefine ethical values as we grow older.
  • Being ethical means refraining from theft, robbery, harming other people who do not harm you.
  • Most laws of countries are based on ethical values.
  • Academic honesty and being ethically correct will lead to greater academic success.
  • Being ethical will help you to be confident and assertive.
  • It is essential to have a comprehensive understanding of ethics to help other people who are in trouble.
  • It is essential to understand which acts are morally dishonest so that you can lead a better life.

FAQ’s on Ethics Essay

Question 1. Does ethics mean just obeying laws?

Answer: Some laws are regressive and discriminatory against women, religions, communities. Such acts are ethically or morally wrong. Therefore, ethics refers to analyzing the basis behind laws and understanding whether they are right or wrong.

Question 2. How can you be ethical?

Answer: You can be ethical by refraining from dishonest acts like stealing, looting, cheating, and being truthful to yourself and others.

Question 3. Is being ethical important?

Answer: Yes, being ethical is important. With ethics comes self-respect and self-esteem. It is an integral part.

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Home — Essay Samples — Philosophy — Ethics and Moral Philosophy — Ethics

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Essays on Ethics

📚🤔 importance of writing an ethics essay 🤔📚.

Ethics are like the moral compass that guides our decisions and actions. Writing an essay about ethics helps us delve deeper into this fascinating topic and understand its significance in our lives. It allows us to explore different perspectives and engage in meaningful discussions. Plus, it's an opportunity to flex our writing skills! So, let's dive into the world of ethics essays together! 🌍💭

💡 Ethics Essay Topics for Deep Thinkers 💡

When choosing a topic for your ethics essay, it's crucial to find something that truly captures your interest. The best essays are the ones where you're genuinely passionate about the subject. So, take a moment to think about what ethical issues matter most to you. Is it animal rights? Climate change? Workplace ethics? Once you've identified your area of focus, you're ready to explore some potential essay topics! Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

💥 Ethics Argumentative Essay 💥

An ethics argumentative essay presents a clear stance on a controversial ethical issue. It requires you to provide solid evidence and persuasive arguments to support your viewpoint. Here are 10 exciting topics to consider:

  • Is euthanasia morally acceptable under certain circumstances?
  • Should animal testing be banned for cosmetic purposes?
  • Is it ethical to use performance-enhancing drugs in sports?
  • Should the death penalty be abolished?
  • Is genetic engineering morally justified?
  • Should businesses prioritize profit over environmental sustainability?
  • Is it ethical to consume meat in a world plagued by climate change?
  • Should individuals have the right to privacy in the age of surveillance?
  • Is it morally permissible to lie in certain situations?
  • Should the government regulate the use of social media to protect user privacy?

💥 Ethics Cause and Effect Essay 💥

An ethics cause and effect essay explores the consequences of certain ethical actions or decisions. It delves into the ripple effects and explores the interconnectedness of ethical choices. Take a look at these 10 intriguing topics:

  • The impact of social media on ethical behavior
  • The consequences of ethical violations in the workplace
  • The effects of ethical consumerism on the environment
  • The relationship between ethical leadership and employee satisfaction
  • The repercussions of unethical advertising on society
  • The consequences of ethical relativism in international relations
  • The impact of ethical decision-making on personal relationships
  • The effects of ethical education on youth development
  • The relationship between ethical behavior and corporate reputation
  • The consequences of ethical dilemmas in healthcare settings

💥 Ethics Opinion Essay 💥

An ethics opinion essay allows you to express your personal thoughts and beliefs on an ethical issue. It encourages introspection and reflection, giving you the freedom to express your own values. Here are 10 thought-provoking topics to consider:

  • Is it morally wrong to lie to protect someone's feelings?
  • Should individuals be held responsible for the ethical behavior of their family members?
  • Is it ethical to eat meat in a world where factory farming exists?
  • Should businesses prioritize their social responsibility over profit?
  • Is it morally right to intervene in the cultural practices of other countries?
  • Should individuals have the right to refuse medical treatment based on personal beliefs?
  • Is it ethical to use animals for scientific research if it leads to medical advancements?
  • Should celebrities be held to higher ethical standards?

📜 Thesis Statement Examples 📜

Here are a few thesis statement examples to inspire your ethics essay:

  • 1. "In today's complex world, ethical dilemmas surround us. This essay delves into the moral challenges we face in various aspects of our lives, offering insight into the importance of ethical decision-making."
  • 2. "Exploring the ethical dimensions of our actions and choices is essential for personal growth and societal progress. This essay advocates for a deeper understanding of ethics as a guiding force in our lives."
  • 3. "Ethics is not just a philosophical concept; it's a practical framework that shapes our daily decisions. This essay investigates the role of ethics in navigating the complexities of modern life, emphasizing its significance in fostering a just and harmonious society."

📝 Introduction Paragraph Examples 📝

Here are some introduction paragraph examples for your ethics essay:

  • 1. "In a world where moral dilemmas and ethical questions abound, the study of ethics takes on a vital role. This essay embarks on a journey to explore the multifaceted aspects of ethics, from its philosophical foundations to its practical applications in our daily lives."
  • 2. "The concept of ethics is as old as human civilization itself, yet its relevance remains undiminished. This essay opens the door to the realm of ethics, inviting readers to contemplate the values that guide our actions and decisions in an ever-evolving world."
  • 3. "Ethics is the compass that steers us through the turbulent waters of moral ambiguity. As we embark on this essay, we embark on a quest to unravel the intricacies of ethical reasoning, exploring the diverse perspectives that shape our understanding of right and wrong."

🔚 Conclusion Paragraph Examples 📝

Here are some conclusion paragraph examples for your ethics essay:

  • 1. "In conclusion, ethics is not a mere academic pursuit; it's a guiding light that illuminates our path through life. By embracing ethical principles and engaging in thoughtful reflection, we can navigate the complexities of our world with integrity and compassion."
  • 2. "As we draw the curtains on this essay, we are reminded that ethics is not a static concept but a dynamic force that evolves with society. Let us carry forward the lessons learned and continue to champion the values that foster a more ethical and harmonious world."
  • 3. "Ethics is the cornerstone of a just and equitable society. This essay has explored the depths of ethical reasoning, from its philosophical roots to its practical applications. It is our collective responsibility to uphold the principles of ethics and strive for a world guided by moral integrity."

Ends Justifies The Means Analysis: an Ethical Examination

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Ethics refers to the moral principles and values that guide human behavior and decision-making, determining what is considered right or wrong, good or bad. It encompasses the study of ethical theories and frameworks, as well as the application of these principles to various domains, including personal conduct, professional practices, and social interactions.

The origin of ethics can be traced to ancient civilizations such as Mesopotamia, Egypt, and Greece, where early thinkers sought to understand and define concepts of right and wrong, virtue and vice, and the principles that guide human behavior. In ancient Greece, philosophers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle laid the groundwork for ethical theories that continue to influence ethical thought today. Socrates emphasized the importance of self-examination and moral inquiry, while Plato explored the concept of the "good" and the ideal forms. Aristotle, known for his virtue ethics, focused on cultivating virtuous character traits to lead a flourishing life. Throughout history, various religious and philosophical traditions have contributed to the development of ethical theories. Religious texts such as the Bible, the Quran, and the teachings of Confucius have provided moral guidance for their respective communities. In the Middle Ages, Christian theologians like Thomas Aquinas merged Greek philosophy with Christian theology, shaping the field of Christian ethics. During the Enlightenment era, thinkers such as Immanuel Kant and John Stuart Mill revolutionized ethical thought. Kant's deontological ethics emphasized moral duties and the importance of rationality, while Mill's utilitarianism focused on maximizing overall happiness and minimizing suffering. The history of ethics is marked by ongoing debates, reinterpretations, and new perspectives. In contemporary times, ethics continues to evolve and respond to the complexities of our globalized and diverse world.

1. Consequentialism: Consequentialist ethics focuses on the outcomes or consequences of actions. The moral value of an action is determined by the overall good or happiness it produces. Utilitarianism, a prominent consequentialist theory, posits that the right action is the one that maximizes overall happiness or utility for the greatest number of people. 2. Deontological Ethics: Deontological ethics emphasizes moral duties and principles rather than the consequences of actions. According to this approach, certain actions are inherently right or wrong, regardless of their outcomes. Immanuel Kant's categorical imperative, which emphasizes universal moral principles, is a well-known deontological framework. 3. Virtue Ethics: Virtue ethics focuses on the development of virtuous character traits and moral virtues. It emphasizes the importance of cultivating qualities such as honesty, compassion, courage, and justice. Rather than focusing on specific actions, virtue ethics encourages individuals to embody these virtues and live a virtuous life. 4. Ethics of Care: The ethics of care emphasizes the importance of relationships, empathy, and compassion in ethical decision-making. It recognizes the interconnectedness of individuals and highlights the moral responsibility to care for and nurture others. This approach values empathy, attentiveness, and responsiveness to the needs of others, particularly in personal relationships and caregiving roles.

1. Aristotle (384-322 BCE): Aristotle was an ancient Greek philosopher who developed the concept of virtue ethics. His works, such as "Nicomachean Ethics," emphasized the importance of cultivating virtuous character traits to live a fulfilling and morally upright life. Aristotle believed that virtue was the mean between extremes, and he explored various virtues such as courage, justice, and temperance. 2. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804): Kant was a German philosopher who made significant contributions to deontological ethics. His work, particularly in "Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals" and "Critique of Practical Reason," introduced the concept of the categorical imperative, which emphasized universal moral principles and the inherent value of human beings. Kant's ethical theories focused on duty, rationality, and the intention behind actions. 3. John Stuart Mill (1806-1873): Mill was an influential philosopher and advocate of utilitarianism, a consequentialist ethical theory. In his book "Utilitarianism," Mill argued that actions should be judged based on their ability to maximize overall happiness or utility for the greatest number of people. He emphasized the importance of individual rights, the pursuit of happiness, and the consideration of long-term consequences. 4. Carol Gilligan (1936-present): Gilligan is an American ethicist and psychologist known for her work on the ethics of care. In her groundbreaking book "In a Different Voice," she criticized traditional ethical theories for neglecting the moral perspectives and experiences of women. Gilligan highlighted the significance of relationships, empathy, and care in ethical decision-making, emphasizing the value of nurturing and interconnectedness.

1. Consequentialism: Consequentialist ethics focuses on the outcomes or consequences of actions. It asserts that the morality of an action is determined by its consequences, with the aim of maximizing overall well-being or happiness. Utilitarianism, a prominent consequentialist theory, suggests that actions should be judged based on their ability to produce the greatest amount of happiness or utility for the greatest number of people. 2. Deontology: Deontological ethics, in contrast to consequentialism, places emphasis on the inherent rightness or wrongness of actions themselves, regardless of their consequences. It focuses on moral duties, obligations, and principles that should guide behavior. Immanuel Kant's categorical imperative is a key deontological principle that asserts that individuals should act in a way that they would want their actions to be universally applicable. 3. Virtue Ethics: Virtue ethics centers around the cultivation of moral character and virtues. It suggests that a morally good person will naturally make good choices. Virtue ethicists emphasize the development of virtues such as honesty, compassion, courage, and justice, and believe that ethical behavior stems from embodying these virtues and striving for excellence in character.

Ethics is a vital subject to explore and write an essay about due to its profound impact on human behavior, decision-making, and the overall well-being of society. Ethics provides a framework for evaluating what is right and wrong, guiding individuals and organizations in making ethical choices. By examining ethical theories, concepts, and principles, one can delve into the complexities of moral dilemmas and explore the underlying values and principles that shape human conduct. Writing an essay on ethics allows individuals to critically analyze ethical issues, engage in ethical reasoning, and develop a deeper understanding of moral principles. It prompts thoughtful reflection on the consequences of actions, the moral responsibilities we hold, and the ethical implications of our choices. Furthermore, studying ethics fosters empathy, respect for others, and an appreciation for diversity, ultimately contributing to a more compassionate and just society. Exploring ethical topics in an essay enables individuals to explore real-world ethical challenges, such as environmental ethics, business ethics, medical ethics, and social justice. It encourages the development of ethical leadership, ethical decision-making skills, and ethical awareness, which are essential in navigating complex ethical landscapes.

1. Aristotle. (1999). Nicomachean Ethics (T. Irwin, Trans.). Hackett Publishing. 2. Beauchamp, T. L., & Childress, J. F. (2019). Principles of biomedical ethics. Oxford University Press. 3. Bentham, J. (1789). An introduction to the principles of morals and legislation. Oxford University Press. 4. Kant, I. (1785). Groundwork of the metaphysics of morals (M. Gregor, Trans.). Cambridge University Press. 5. MacIntyre, A. (1981). After virtue: A study in moral theory. University of Notre Dame Press. 6. Mill, J. S. (1863). Utilitarianism. Longmans, Green, Reader, and Dyer. 7. Noddings, N. (2002). Starting at home: Caring and social policy. University of California Press. 8. Rawls, J. (1971). A theory of justice. Harvard University Press. 9. Singer, P. (1993). Practical ethics. Cambridge University Press. 10. Solomon, R. C. (1993). The ethics of care and empathy. In M. A. Slote & M. L. Murphy (Eds.), Friendship and moral psychology (pp. 184-200). Rowman & Littlefield.

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  • Ethical Dilemma
  • Individualism
  • Personal Philosophy
  • Enlightenment

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short essay on ethics

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Essay on Ethics

Narayan Bista

Introduction to Ethics

In today’s complex and interconnected world, ethics serve as the moral compass guiding individuals and organizations through their myriad choices. Ethics provide a framework for evaluating right and wrong, helping us navigate the often murky waters of decision-making. Consider the case of a pharmaceutical company deliberating whether to release a new drug without thorough testing. The decision involves balancing potential profits with the well-being of patients, highlighting the ethical dilemmas inherent in many modern scenarios. This essay delves into the significance of ethics, exploring its evolution, principles, and practical applications across various domains, aiming to equip readers with the tools to make informed and ethical choices in their personal and professional lives.

Essay on Ethics

Key Concepts in Ethics

  • Ethical Relativism : This concept posits that ethical principles are not universal but somewhat dependent on cultural norms and individual beliefs. It suggests that what is considered ethical can vary between cultures and societies.
  • Utilitarianism : Utilitarianism is a consequentialist ethical theory emphasizing the greatest good for the most significant number. It evaluates actions based on their outcomes and seeks to maximize overall happiness or well-being.
  • Deontology : Deontology is an ethical theory that assesses actions as inherently moral or immoral, disregarding their outcomes. It is often associated with duty, rights, and justice principles.
  • Virtue Ethics : Virtue ethics highlights the cultivation of positive character traits, known as virtues, that are essential for ethical conduct. Individuals need to develop virtues like honesty, courage, and compassion.
  • Ethical Dilemma : An ethical dilemma occurs when an individual must choose between two or more conflicting moral principles, knowing that adhering to one principle may mean transgressing another.
  • Morality : Morality pertains to the principles that differentiate between right and wrong or good and bad behavior. The system of values and principles of conduct guides individuals’ choices and actions.
  • Ethical Code : A moral code consists of principles or rules that dictate the conduct of individuals or professionals. It offers a structure for making ethical decisions and guiding behavior.
  • Ethical Decision-Making : Ethical decision-making entails assessing and selecting options in accordance with ethical principles. It often requires considering the rights and interests of all stakeholders involved.

Ethical Principles

  • Respect for Autonomy : This principle underscores the significance of individuals’ autonomy and right to make their own decisions and choices. It involves respecting their capacity for self-determination and freedom of choice.
  • Beneficence : The principle of beneficence entails the obligation to do good and promote the well-being of others. It entails engaging in actions that benefit others and prevent harm.
  • Non-Maleficence : Non-maleficence is the principle of avoiding causing harm to others. It emphasizes the importance of avoiding actions that could cause harm or injury to others.
  • Justice : The principle of justice involves treating individuals fairly and equitably. It requires that benefits and burdens be distributed fairly and impartially.
  • Fidelity : Fidelity, or faithfulness, is the principle of keeping promises and fulfilling commitments. It involves being trustworthy and honoring agreements made with others.
  • Veracity : Veracity is the principle of honesty and truthfulness. It involves being truthful in all interactions and not deceiving or misleading others.
  • Confidentiality : The principle of confidentiality involves respecting the privacy and confidentiality of information shared by others. It requires keeping sensitive information private and only disclosing it with permission or when necessary.
  • Integrity : Integrity is the principle of acting by moral and ethical principles. It involves honesty, fairness, and consistency in one’s actions and decisions.

Building an Ethical Culture

  • Lead by Example : Leaders have a crucial responsibility in molding an organization’s culture. They should model ethical behavior and decision-making to set the tone for the entire organization.
  • Communicate Ethical Expectations : Clearly communicate the organization’s values, ethical standards, and expectations to all employees. Ensure that these values are incorporated into the organization’s mission and vision.
  • Provide Ethics Training : Offer regular training sessions on ethics and compliance to educate employees about ethical principles and best practices. Include case studies and scenarios to help employees apply ethical principles to real-world situations.
  • Establish Ethical Codes and Policies : Develop and implement written codes of conduct and ethics policies that outline expected behavior and guide ethical decision-making. Ensure that these policies are readily available and consistently updated.
  • Encourage Open Communication : Establish a workplace atmosphere that encourages employees to address ethical issues or predicaments without hesitation openly. Provide multiple channels, such as hotlines or anonymous reporting systems, for employees to report unethical behavior.
  • Reward Ethical Behavior : Acknowledge and reward employees who exhibit ethical behavior and adhere to ethical standards. This reinforces the importance of ethics within the organization.
  • Address Ethical Violations Promptly : Investigate and address any instances of unethical behavior or violations of ethical standards promptly and fairly. Take appropriate disciplinary action when necessary to maintain the integrity of the organization.
  • Encourage Ethical Decision-Making : Foster a culture encouraging employees to consider ethical implications in their decision-making processes. Provide support and guidance to help employees navigate ethical dilemmas.
  • Monitor and Evaluate : Consistently monitor and assess the organization’s ethical culture and adherence to ethical standards. Use surveys, audits, and feedback mechanisms to assess the effectiveness of ethics initiatives.
  • Continuous Improvement : Continuously review and improve ethics programs and initiatives based on feedback and lessons learned. Be flexible and adjust to variations in the surroundings beyond your control while addressing ethical dilemmas as they emerge.

Ethics in Various Contexts

  • Business Ethics : In business, ethics guide decision-making regarding fair practices, corporate social responsibility, and the treatment of employees, customers, and stakeholders.
  • Medical Ethics : Medical ethics govern the conduct of healthcare professionals, ensuring patient autonomy, confidentiality, beneficence, and non-maleficence.
  • Environmental Ethics : Environmental ethics address moral principles concerning the environment and natural resources, guiding sustainable practices and conservation efforts.
  • Technology Ethics : Technology ethics involve the responsible development and use of technology, considering its impact on society, privacy, and human rights.
  • Legal Ethics : Legal ethics govern the conduct of lawyers and judges, ensuring fairness, honesty, and confidentiality in legal proceedings.
  • Journalistic Ethics : Journalistic ethics dictate standards of accuracy, fairness, and integrity in reporting and guide journalists’ conduct in news gathering and dissemination.
  • Engineering Ethics : Engineering ethics focus on the ethical responsibilities of engineers, including safety, environmental impact, and adherence to professional standards.
  • Research Ethics : Research ethics ensure the integrity of scientific research, including principles of informed consent, data integrity, and respect for research subjects.
  • Educational Ethics : Educational ethics guide the conduct of educators, emphasizing fairness, respect, and integrity in teaching and academic practices.
  • Political Ethics : Political ethics govern the behavior of politicians and government officials, ensuring transparency, honesty, and accountability in governance.
  • Personal Ethics : Personal ethics guide individual behavior, encompassing values, beliefs, and principles that shape how one interacts with others and makes decisions.

Ethical Decision-Making in Personal Life

  • Reflect on Values : Take time to reflect on your personal values and beliefs. Consider what matters most to you and how these values influence your decision-making process.
  • Consider Consequences : Consider the potential outcomes of your actions on both yourself and others. Consider both short-term and long-term effects and how they align with your values.
  • Seek Information : Gather relevant information about the situation to make an informed decision. Consider different perspectives and consult trusted sources if needed.
  • Evaluate Alternatives : Explore your options and evaluate their ethical implications. Consider how each option aligns with your values and the potential impact on others.
  • Consult Others : Seek advice and input from trusted friends, family members, or mentors. Discussing your concerns with others can provide valuable insights and perspectives.
  • Listen to Your Conscience : Consider your inner voice or conscience when making decisions. Trust your instincts and intuition, as they often provide valuable guidance.
  • Act with Integrity : Choose the option most aligned with your values and principles, even if it is difficult or unpopular. Act with honesty, sincerity, and integrity in all your interactions.
  • Reflect on Your Decision : After making a decision, take time to reflect on the process and outcome. Consider what you learned from the experience and how you can apply it to future decision-making.

Ethical Responsibility in a Globalized World

  • Respect Cultural Diversity : Recognize and respect cultural differences and diversity in values, beliefs, and practices across different countries and regions. Avoid imposing ethnocentric perspectives and strive for cultural sensitivity in all interactions.
  • Promote Human Rights : Uphold universal human rights principles, such as dignity, equality, and freedom, in all global activities and operations. Ensure that business practices and policies do not infringe upon the human rights of individuals or communities.
  • Environmental Stewardship : Acknowledge the interconnectedness of environmental issues and the global community. Take responsibility for minimizing environmental impact and promoting sustainability practices across borders.
  • Fair Trade Practices : Global businesses should engage in ethical and fair trade practices, ensuring safe working conditions, fair compensation, and respect for workers’ rights across the entire supply chain. Avoid exploitation and unfair labor practices.
  • Combat Corruption : Take a stand against corruption and bribery in all forms, including within business practices, government interactions, and partnerships. Promote transparency, accountability, and integrity in global business dealings.
  • Support Economic Development : Contribute to sustainable economic development and poverty alleviation in global communities through responsible business investments, partnerships, and philanthropic initiatives.
  • Responsible Technology Use : Ethically develop and deploy technology solutions that benefit global society while minimizing potential harms. Examine the worldwide social, cultural, and ethical ramifications of technological advancements.
  • Global Health Equity : Promote access to healthcare, medicine, and public health initiatives globally, ensuring equitable distribution and affordability for all populations, particularly those in underserved regions.
  • Crisis Response and Humanitarian Aid : Demonstrate ethical responsibility in times of crisis, such as natural disasters, conflicts, or pandemics, by providing humanitarian aid, relief efforts, and support to affected communities regardless of geographic location.
  • Partnerships for Sustainable Development : Collaborate with governments, NGOs, and other stakeholders to address global challenges collectively and foster sustainable development goals that prioritize the well-being of people and the planet.

Contemporary Ethical Issues

Contemporary Ethical Issues

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  • Artificial Intelligence and Ethics : As AI becomes more prevalent in society, questions arise regarding its ethical use, including privacy, bias, and accountability.
  • Climate Change : Ethical considerations surrounding climate change encompass issues of justice, intergenerational equity, and responsibility for both mitigating and adapting to its impacts.
  • Data Privacy and Security : As personal data collection and use increases, ethical concerns arise regarding data protection and responsible handling by corporations and governments.
  • Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology : Ethical concerns in genetic engineering revolve around issues such as genetic privacy, the utilization of gene editing tools like CRISPR, and the repercussions of genetic modification for forthcoming generations.
  • Social Media and Misinformation : The spread of misinformation and the manipulation of social media platforms raise ethical questions about technology companies’ roles in moderating content and protecting user rights.
  • Healthcare Access and Equity : Ethical issues in healthcare include access to affordable care, equitable resource distribution, and the prioritization of certain populations for treatment or research.
  • Workplace Diversity and Inclusion : Ethical considerations in the workplace involve promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion and addressing issues of discrimination and bias in hiring, promotion, and organizational culture.
  • Artificial Intelligence and Jobs : AI’s increasing automation of jobs raises ethical questions about the impact on employment, income inequality, and the retraining of displaced workers.
  • Globalization and Labor Practices : Ethical issues in globalization include concerns about sweatshop labor, child labor, and multinational corporations’ exploitation of workers in developing countries.
  • Ethical Use of Big Data : The collection and analysis of large datasets raise ethical questions about consent, privacy, and the potential for misuse of data for surveillance or discriminatory purposes.

Ethics are crucial in guiding our behavior and decision-making across all facets of life, encompassing personal choices and global responsibilities. Embracing ethical principles such as respect, integrity, and fairness can help individuals and organizations create a more just and sustainable world. It is essential to reflect on our values continuously, consider the consequences of our actions, and strive to act in accordance with ethical standards. Building an ethical culture requires commitment and effort, but the rewards are profound, leading to greater trust, cooperation, and a positive impact on society as a whole.

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221 Ethical Dilemma Essay Topics & Examples

An ethical dilemma essay has become an essential part of education for many professions that involve working with people. Below, we’ve collected topics for writing a paper on this subject.

🏆 Best Ethical Dilemma Essay Examples & Topics

📌 simple & easy ethical dilemma essay topics, 💡 most interesting ethical dilemma topics to write about, 🎓 good research topics about ethical dilemma, ✍️ ethical dilemma essay topics for college, ❓ questions for ethical dilemmas.

The concepts of ethics and moral dilemmas have originated long ago. They heavily influence the process of decision-making in a variety of fields, from social work and healthcare to a simple office workplace. Thus, you have to approach the ethical dilemma topic carefully. Writing a paper on the phenomenon should rely on locating the available evidence and citing the latest sources.

In this article, our team has gathered titles for your academic essay. Besides, with our tips and ethical dilemma paper examples, you will understand how to research and write it.

Emotional intelligence essays are an essential part of education for many professions that involve working with people, such as managers and teachers.

The concept is somewhat new, having been first introduced half a century ago and popularized at the end of the last century.

As such, you have to approach the topic carefully and rely on the latest available evidence to avoid citing outdated ideas.

Furthermore, as with any psychology-related topic, you should exhibit general caution and avoid the numerous pitfalls associated with the study of the human mind.

This article will help you understand what you should or should not do to write an excellent paper.

Here are some further tips for your work:

  • Psychology relies on scenarios where a person’s behavior can be as free of outside factors as possible. Toddler observation and scholarly experiments with carefully selected conditions are excellent examples of such situations, and you should use them to ground your descriptions in reality.
  • Be sure to adhere to academic guidelines, avoiding the use of first person, calls to action, and other additions that do not match the format. This approach is useful in general, as it applies to most essays and will be beneficial for future reports and similar submissions.
  • Write an emotional intelligence essay introduction and conclusion at the end of your paper. They make your work easier to read by giving it structure and direction. The introduction should contain a description of the topic and a thesis statement, and the conclusion should sum up the main points.
  • Try to set a central theme and address it in your essay instead of providing a general overview of the topic. There are many emotional intelligence essay questions that can be answered in considerable detail. As such, you should concentrate on one of them without getting distracted and sidetracked.

Come to IvyPanda for ethical dilemma essay examples as well as various titles that will help you begin your writing process!

  • BP Oil Company Ethical Dilemma The damages caused by the spill originated from the effects of the oil on the environment and the damaging effects of the cleanup activities.
  • An Ethical Dilemma Faced by Nestle: Case Analysis International staffing and development help Nestle to organize human resources in accordance with the needs of the company and its strategic goals.
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Criminal Justice If one is to discuss the issue with the senior management of the organization in which the crime occurred, there is a high chance that the issue will not be taken as seriously due to […]
  • Ethical Dilemma of Child Abuse In the above example, a nurse has to apply rational judgment to analyze the extent and threats when making decisions in the best interest of the victim of child abuse.
  • The Ford Pinto Case and Ethical Dilemma Lee Iacocca, the Ford company’s president, was accused of disregarding the need to improve the safety of Pinto cars due to the increased cost.
  • Cultural Clash in the Board Room: An Ethical Dilemma Among Top Management in Almond China The first option he has is to resign from the company because he says that one of the reasons that motivated him to join the company is the values and standards the company up holds.
  • Public Administration Ethical Dilemma and Theories Smith should take the responsibility of ensuring that the needs of the majority are upheld since the welfare of the community, and the organization is of importance.
  • “Ethical Dilemmas and Decisions in Criminal Justice” by Pollock If hunting is the primary means of survival of a particular society, the euthanasia of the elderly and the sick can be deemed acceptable.
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Social Workers’ Practice In order to resolve the emerging dilemma, it is necessary to identify the involved stakeholders, model two possible courses of events, evaluate the implications of each and come to a conclusion regarding the preferential option […]
  • Early Childhood Education Center’s Ethical Dilemma Therefore, it is necessary to involve different people in the discussion of this case because there are several ethical responsibilities applied to a new child, the children of the class, the staff, parents, and the […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Counselling and Treatment Methods The case of Brett has become an ethical issue based on the following; questions are revolving around what information can be released to the parents and parents request to review the diagnosis since no procedure […]
  • Family Therapy: Ethical Dilemmas One of the ethical dilemmas in the case is that of deciding whether or not to disclose the information about Breen’s relationship with her boyfriend to her parents.
  • Ethical Dilemma: Example, Problem, and Solution Secondly, I was supposed to show other employees that no one is above the policies of this company and if anyone commits a mistake the individual must be punished.
  • Ethical Dilemma in Nursing Case Study Today, being a nurse is associated with a number of complexities due to the need to comply with diverse obligations in social, political, and healthcare segments.
  • Samsung’s Ethical Dilemma of Child Labor The paper will critically analyze the ethical dimensions of the dilemma from the perspective of the utilitarian ethical theory. It will be argued that according to the fundamental principles of the theory, the company’s behavior […]
  • Joe Smith and Bill Bateman: Ethical Dilemma Analysis Indeed, their cooperation is attributed with the features of gray zone business conduct where the boundaries between the personal and the business issues are blurred.
  • Richard Angelo: A Serial Killer and His Ethical Dilemma The convicted claimed he made the injections to cause crises to be able to revive patients and become a hero in front of his colleagues.
  • Ethical Dilemma: The Missing Needle Protector Health care professionals and patients have to develop a level of trust to support the recovery process for patients and the status of the hospital.
  • Ethical Dilemma: Counselors Engaging in Relations with Clients They should keep a boundary in the way they relate to the clients to ensure that their relationship with the client does no harm or pose potential harm to the clients.
  • Ethical Dilemmas Facing Teachers The proponents of this system claim that it is authentic and offers a first hand experience to the learners. The needs in this system include having a strong foundation in the areas that the knowledge […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas Surrounding Self-Driving Cars The video taken showed that the driver in the car was shocked and could not do anything to save the woman.
  • The Unocal Firm’s Ethical Dilemma in Burma The oil corporation was eager to investigate oil potential in Burma, a place that the rest of the world had abandoned due to several problems.
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare Institutions The interviewee outlined the major strategies used to handle ethical dilemmas in the healthcare facility. The supervisor will be required to assess the impact of the ethical or legal dilemma.
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Workplace Analysis Therefore, the main purpose of this project is to explore the types of dilemmas and the factors that affect the workers response to the dilemmas in a workplace.
  • Ethical Dilemma With the Bank Teller On the other hand, the bank calls for honesty in service and client protection, and given that the teller took the money without permission from an inactive account belonging to a customer it is professionally […]
  • The Ethical Dilemma: Siemens In relation to the above dilemmas, the bounded bribery applies to the psychological tendency of the conspirators to fulfill selfish interests of self enrichment at the expense of the shareholders’ goals and objectives.
  • Domestic Violence Ethical Dilemmas in Criminal Justice Various ethical issues such as the code of silence, the mental status of the offender, and limited evidence play a vital role in challenging the discretion of police officers in arresting the DV perpetrators.
  • Ethical Dilemmas: An Analysis of Two Cases In the case of IVF, such a procedure is prohibited according to Joe and Mary’s religion which means that they must not engage in it.
  • Abortion: An Ethical Dilemma and Legal Position The core concerns in the controversy are whether women should have the right to decide to terminate a pregnancy or whether the unborn child has the right to life.
  • Arranged Marriage and Its Ethical Dilemma His family would be happy to see him married to the person they chose, and his father would save his reputation.
  • Ethical Dilemma of Patient Care Delivery However, the administration of more pain depressants is likely to escalate the addiction problem while the denial of the medication will aggravate the patient’s suffering.
  • Ethical Dilemmas Overview and Analysis This student should be advised to report the matter to a teacher so that the owner of the iPod can be traced.
  • Ethical Dilemma in Journalism A good example is the clause in the code of ethics that states that reporters are supposed to show reverence to the privacy and dignity of the public.
  • Ethical Dilemma in the Psychologists Career Therefore, the dilemma that I faced as a school psychologist dealing with the psychological issues of Ayesha has been the ethical choice needed to be taken between what is good and what is wrong that […]
  • The Acme Title Pawn Employee’s Ethical Dilemma While the situation is controversial, it can be stated that Joe should change the workplace and explain to his family the reasons for such a decision.
  • An Ethical Dilemma and Lapse in Business An ethical dilemma and lapse differ in the people’s motivation driving decisions. Meanwhile, an ethical lapse occurs due to an unethical conversation involving selective quoting and misleading audiences.
  • Ethical Dilemma of Law Enforcement Code of Ethics Police officers are the example for citizens of the country which they serve, and they should correspond to the position which is occupied.
  • Ethical Dilemma in “The Reader” Film by S. Daldry She is surprised and confused by the hypocrisy of the judges and her co-defendants, who act as if they do not remember that period and as if they were not part of that society.
  • Hyundai Dispatch Workers and Ethical Dilemma According to the workers, the leadership of Hyundai was responsible for the safety of the employees at the workplace. The representatives of the temporary employees occupied the company requiring changes in the employment terms.
  • Truth vs. Loyalty: Tinkov’s Ethical Dilemma Moreover, his pacifist text and critique of the Russian aggression and dictatorship made Tinkov’s life unsafe. He chose truthfulness and freedom from greed over political loyalty and the well-being of his business.
  • “Ethical Dilemmas in MNCs’ International Staffing Policies” by Banai and Sama The paper assumes that in the age of the rise of global international corporations international staffing policies acquire the top priority because of their impact on outcomes.
  • The Ethical Dilemma in Nursing One of the most common ethical dilemmas that advanced practice nurses face is the lack of consent on the part of the patient.
  • An Ethical Dilemma – Religious Belief Versus Medical Practice In the first step, the ethical dilemma is between the principle of beneficence in the treatment of meningitis and the principle of autonomy with respect to the decision of the parents.
  • Possible Solutions to the Ethical Dilemmas This varied, different group of the workforce is being required to work harmoniously jointly in the strength of teamwork and respect for the advantage of the company and the public they deal with.
  • Ethical Dilemmas in the Nursing Field As a human, I felt that the safety of the lady took precedence; hence I could not allow her to walk alone. As a nurse leader, I would encourage my staff to always put the […]
  • Ethical Dilemma & Glyphosate: Post Foods Company In this case, some experts believe that it is a vivid instance of the unethical business practices, as Post Foods’s consumers do not expect to find any pesticides in the products that are overtly advertised […]
  • Ethical Dilemma: Swimming Pool Building This is evident when the contractor conducts the private work of the mayor without any delay, as well as the birthday gift that the contractor advances to the mayor as a friend.
  • Ethical Dilemma in Law Enforcement: Confidentiality and Misuse of Information Additionally, Badpenny’s choice to reveal private information was affected by the organizational structure of the University City Police Department and the Grantham County Sheriff’s Office.
  • Ethical Dilemma of Stopping City Authority In this scenario, the ethical dilemma is balancing the duty to enforce the law with the potential harm that could be caused by a public arrest of a fellow officer.
  • Ethical Dilemma Analysis: Criminal Justice Case The publicity of the case added another layer of complexity to the decision, as either verdict would alienate a part of the population.
  • The Ethical Dilemma of Navigating Disagreements in Nursing Care Disputes arise when nurses have different opinions on the type, frequency, and effectiveness of specific care options for a patient due to the differences in their scope of practice and focus.
  • Ethical Dilemma in Healthcare: Privacy and the Right to Know Moreover, the staff cannot ignore the fact that Tina is likely to be wrong in her decision not to reveal the diagnosis to Victoria.
  • Ethical Dilemmas Regarding Rape and Abortion Therefore, this paper discusses the module 8 case study and related cases regarding rape and abortion, applying dialectical thinking to the module 8 case and why Mary in the case study should not undergo abortion […]
  • Hiring the Previously Convicted Cybercriminals: Ethical Dilemma The deontological theory focuses not on the consequences of an act but on the intentions and desire of a person to act for the benefit of others.
  • Ethical Dilemmas Hindering Provision of Health Services in Tanzania The strikes have always been linked to two issues: 1) the working conditions of doctors, including infrastructure, the availability of medicines, equipment, and other medical supplies, and 2) the underpayment of wages and benefits.
  • Analysis of Ethical Dilemma: Euthanasia One of these is the right to live, which includes much more than the ability to simply exist, and suggests an adherence to a minimum of quality and self-determination.
  • Researching of IT Ethical Dilemmas In addition, there are Notified Data Breach Laws that oblige businesses and CSPs to report the incident to the government and all users of the service and customers in the event of a data breach.
  • The Legal and Ethical Dilemma in Dental Health The objective side of the crime in the case of silencing the incompetence of a colleague in dentistry is expressed in the failure to fulfill the duties of the statement to the appropriate authorities.
  • Ethical Dilemmas: Cases Analysis In the case of Joe and Marie, natural law theory also demonstrates that ethically the IVF procedure is morally justified for several reasons.
  • Ethical Dilemma of Parental Refusal From Children’s Vaccination Kerry attempts to convince the Smiths of the relevance of vaccination in preventing infection by chronic diseases. Autonomy, beneficence, non-maleficence, and justice are ethical principles applicable in resolving the moral issue of whether or not […]
  • Ethical Dilemma of Saving Customers’ Personal Information The key point of the action was to be in line with the company’s code of ethics and, at the same time, show the wrongdoing of the colleague’s action to himself.
  • Ethical Dilemma: Gun Violence Discussion The teaching of access or locked on the presence of weapons in people for a long time is a reason for discussion.
  • Legal-Ethical Dilemma in Nursing An example of an urgent legal-ethical dilemma is the one reported and described by a practicing nurse and a patient, Marylyn.
  • Global Poverty: The Ethical Dilemma Unfortunately, a significant obstacle to such global reforms is that many economic systems are based on the concept of inequality and exploitation.
  • Ethical Dilemma of a 2016 TV Commercial for Milk by Juhayna At the end of the ad, the creators claim that Juhayna’s milk is the best in Egypt after Dondou. The message presented in the advertisement can influence the decision of mothers to stop breastfeeding, which […]
  • Nurses’ Ethical Dilemmas in the Work Environment According to the scenario of Mr. According to the scenario of Mr.
  • The Concept of Ethical Dilemmas To evaluate this, such professionals should be subject to constant psychological and physical monitoring, observing the degree of their suitability for work.
  • Ethical Dilemma of Abortion Triumphalism In this issue and other matters, the affected person’s experience may not be a determining factor for the expression of opinion but is unique.
  • Self-Determination and Ethical Dilemma of Assisted Suicide The reason for both euthanasia and assisted suicide, the difference between which is in who actively ends the life, the doctor or the patient, is ending unbearable pain.
  • Ethical Dilemma Regarding Forced Vaccination It seems that people are already used to restrictive measures from the government and have accepted the need to use masks in public places, but the introduction of compulsory vaccination and the resulting bans proved […]
  • Ethical Dilemma: The Case Study Thus, a difficult dilemma emerged for Ali, who by eating the meal would violate his religious obligations and by refusing it would show disrespect to the hosts, and especially the mother of the colleague.
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Public Health Such an action could be unwelcomed by the health agencies, and their employees, but, at the same time, the research needs to depict an accurate analysis of the performance of the health programs.
  • The Ethical Dilemma in Guantanamo Bay Prison in the USA In Guantanamo Bay, it is the role of soldiers to ensure justice and protection of human rights. However, the housing of these prisoners and the condition of the Guantanamo Bay detainee camp is ethical.
  • Ethical Dilemma and Ethics and Honest Reporting And adhering to the principle of rights, professions have an ethical duty to evaluate the consequences of a particular decision they make in relation to the rights of other people.
  • The Ethical Dilemma on Abortion From the perspective of the Christian philosophy, a person is a product and manifestation of the love of God, hence the sanctity of any human life.
  • Ethical Dilemma at Abura Petrol Station He felt grateful to his friend for offering a job and wanted to meet the hopes of the petrol network’s owner.
  • Civil-Military Tension as Ethical Dilemma The first is to accept the situation as it is without questions, strictly following the orders and observing the limitations of their inferior position as consultants to the government.
  • Aspects of Media Ethical Dilemmas While all three sources have a goal of informing the audience of Burrous’s passing, the extent to which they unveil the details differs depending on the context, the source’s relation to the anchor, and the […]
  • Ethical Dilemma: Benefiting from High-Conflicting Personality The primary reason for the potential ignorance of one’s wrongdoing is the positive consequences of their actions that outweigh the total harm they bring.
  • Ethical Dilemma. Legal Protection for Employee On the other hand, the leaving colleague might have a change of heart and remain with the original company, so revealing the plans to the boss will affect his opportunities.
  • Abortion as Moral and Ethical Dilemma Despite the conflicting approaches to solving the moral and ethical dilemma of abortion, experts agree that it is possible to reduce the severity of the problem with the help of more excellent sexual education of […]
  • Ethical Dilemma Analysis: Easyriders v. Hannigan Hunnigan represents the case of California motorcyclists filing a suit against the Commissioner of California Highway Patrol for the purpose of permanent injunction against stopping motorcyclists on the ground of officer’s subjective opinion that helmets […]
  • Contemporary Ethical Reflection: Ethical and Legal Dilemmas in Health Care The counties also blamed the state for being ignorant of the problem of adequate financing of the Medicaid program on supporting the poor and disables.
  • Ethical Dilemmas in the Hiibel Legal Case in Nevada The search had a reasonable suspicion since, during the investigation of the assault, Hiibel was within the area of search, and when he was asked his name, he failed to answer the police officer.
  • Baby and Mother: End of Life Ethical Dilemma To sum the above mentioned, it should be mentioned that patients, physicians, and caregivers face a lot of dilemmas in regards to life situations.
  • Unethical Practices: Michael Jackson, Ethical Dilemma The case between the people and the king of pop, Michael Jackson, elicited two main ethical concerns: the passion of the prosecutor to convict the defendant and the possibility of the prosecutor to be an […]
  • Noting the Error in Projections: Scott Bestor’s Ethical Dilemma The second ethical issue is balancing the expectations of the management and the consequences of reporting the error in projections. Scott is aware that reporting the error to the management might result in disciplinary action […]
  • Behavior of a Police Officer Within an Ethical Dilemma First and foremost, one should note that one of the most typical ethical concerns in the relevant field is the cases of discrimination on the ground of the national origin.
  • Ethical Dilemma in Nursing Practice The psychologist can help the patient deal with the emotional aspect of pain. These skills empower the patient to cope with the pain and the side effects of treatment.
  • Accounting: Ethical Dilemmas Equally, I will consider the repercussions of agreeing to the command. I will also consider being a whistleblower and report the matter to the relevant authorities.
  • Ethical Dilemma in Nursing Finding a solution to the ethical issues in Max’s case was important because failure to do so would have different consequences for the patient, the parents, and the caregivers.
  • Moral, Ethical and Legal Dilemmas of Suicide Since it is a duty of medical practitioners to treat and care for patients, it would be immoral to allow a patient to commit suicide.
  • Asthma and Medications: The Ethical Dilemma in Treating Children One of the major causes of dilemma, however, is the inability to manage and treat the condition in children under the age of 7 years due to ethical dilemma.
  • Ethical and Moral Dilemmas in Accounting and Business Entities This may paint a wrong picture of the actual position of the company and may lead to collapsing if irregularities are not addressed as in the case of Enron.
  • Ethical Dilemma for Sam Torres In this case, it is possible to distinguish several ethical issues: 1) the conflict between Sam’s professional principles and his private interest such as desire to retain his job; 2) the interests of Bull & […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas That Practitioners Face in the Company According to the findings of the commission, it was discovered that ethical issues affecting the police body has to do with process corruption, issue of gratuities and improper associations, substance abuse, fraudulent practices, assaults and […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Business Processes Henry on the other hand is a manager and we are not told whether his organization is prepared to allow all staff to make use of such offers as that which Claire has provided in […]
  • Virtue Ethics: One Way to Resolve an Ethical Dilemma Other members of the usability team argue that although there was a clear loophole that the external members can choose to exploit so that they can be released from the work that they need to […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas Within Organisations During the COVID-19 The moral analysis of the acts of the management of Britannia Hotel can also be analyzed based on the ethics of duties with an emphasis on the individual.
  • Ethical Dilemma: Parental Notification The main issue that is to be addressed is that the boy asks the counselor not to notify his parents about the drug problem, but is it ethical to keep this information confidential?
  • Abortion: Ethical Dilemma in Pope John Paul II’s View This paper tries to examine the abortion ethical dilemma from the lens of the Pope’s thoughts and proposals. Towards the end of the 20th century, new ideas and thoughts began to emerge in different parts […]
  • LinkedIn Ethical Dilemma The candidates most likely to be recruited by the employers using the LinkedIn website are the premium account holders whose applications appear at the top of the applications pile.
  • The Ethical Dilemma: Aborting Babies With Handicaps The standard for such a condition is the elimination of the fetus and the doctor prescribed it as the only solution that would save the other of the twins.
  • NASW Code of Ethics: Social Workers and Ethical Dilemmas As part of my action, I accessed her files and changed the date that she was to leave the facility by adding a month to it. However, I had acted professionally because it was in […]
  • Resolving Ethical Dilemmas Considering that this may be an argument between younger and older generations, one can argue that there is a significant difference between the way that both house owners and the person that wants to buy […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Mental Health Treatment Treatment of inmates with psychological problems is a delicate and sensitive process because such inmates are not in the normal state to reason.
  • Empress Luxury Lines: Ethical Dilemma The dilemma infringes on Antonio’s principles and values because he thinks that the conduct of the company is not by the insurance company’s policies and principles and that, the management team should face the law.
  • The Ethical Dilemma by Pureco Corporation As the Pureco manager, I have the obligation of maximizing the stakeholders’ welfare, and considering that the company had already invested quite a huge sum of money in the establishment and marketing of the Newpen […]
  • Ethical Dilemma Concepts on Example Phoebe’s Case In order to protect her rights, the council should not interfere with her applications on the basis of what Phoebe did. In addition to punishment, she should be made to repeat the assignment and submit […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas: Morgan Brown Real Estate Company In the case of the latter ethical dilemma, it would be more effective and honest for this particular company to accept the fact that favouring one client over the other could lead to a tarnished […]
  • The Tobacco Marketing Ethical Dilemma The epidemiological evidence of the deadly tobacco effect in 1964 set the precedence for the mistrust between the tobacco production stakeholders and the public interest groups, that has led to long battle between the two […]
  • Organ Donation: Ethical Dilemmas An example of an ethical dilemma surrounding the procedure is the case of rich man vs.poor man, or rather, the case of a person who can afford to buy an organ on the black market […]
  • Dementia: Ethical Dilemmas Opting to withdraw the tube may lead to the physiological deprivation of the patient and as a result, the worst-case scenario is the death of the patient.
  • Ethical Dilemma: Solving a Situation, Decision Theory Under business ethics, this is a form of art which is said to examine the ethical principles or even the moral problems which might tend to occur as a result of running the business and […]
  • Ethical Dilemma in Mental Health Patient Care My ethical response to the situation was that Catherine should only be attended to by the female staff especially when she was naked and that only the female staff needed to have access to the […]
  • Google Inc.’s Historical Ethical Dilemmas It is sad to say that various forms of unethical behavior are common in the workforce, and specific analysis is required to determine the impact of this phenomenon on the business industry.
  • Performance-Enhancing Drugs Use as Ethical Dilemma According to Christian beliefs, Paul should refuse to partake in the team’s abuse of PEDs because it offers him and his teammates an unfair advantage over other athletes.
  • Medical Ethical Dilemmas: Taking a Stand Morality is the idea of correctness and rightness that is constructed on people’s experiences and applied to the life of society.
  • Ethical Advertising: Dilemmas and Resolutions One of the core aspects that should not be overlooked is that the number of competitors is going to increase significantly, and it is entirely possible that the company will suffer because of such policies.
  • Post-Dated Cheque Ethical Dilemma in Accounting First, the recipients of the delayed check will lose interest corresponding to the duration of the delay. In this scenario, Tabitha will be held responsible for the unethical actions and the incurrence of losses by […]
  • Wasta (Nepotism) Ethical Dilemma at the Workplace Moreover, with the present social costs in our society that have arisen through the use of wasta, it is impossible to justify the use of wasta in hiring and performing business transactions.
  • Ethical Dilemma on the Company Valuation Mistake I could inform my team and the company boards of the said mistake; I could inform the team but keep the company in the dark, or I could ignore the mistake altogether.
  • Flight 93 Incident and Ethical Dilemma This paper evaluates the ethical standing of this question from a utilitarian point of view to establish the rightness or wrongness of the decision to shoot down the plane before it crashed.
  • Police Corruption and Citizen’s Ethical Dilemma There are three key stakeholders in the given situation, which are the policemen, who set the terms; the father, who is to take the pivoting decision; and the family, who depends on the decision which […]
  • Poverty in America: An Ethical Dilemma In contrast, a considerable percentage of the populations believe the society has the moral obligation to eradicate poverty, and thus, they hold the view that the solution to poverty reduction lies in the socioeconomic policies.
  • Ethical Dilemma Involving a Social Worker As a social worker, I have to decide whether to support the community group, which is unanimously opposed to the decision of the housing authorities to rent to the local mental health department to establish […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas in the “21” Movie At the beginning of the movie, we mistakenly take his attitude for granted, but the development of the plot discloses the negative consequences of the Professor’s actions.
  • Suicidal Ideation as Ethical Dilemma in Nursing According to the ethical guidelines that govern the profession of a nurse and other health care providers, their primary role is to protect life by enhancing the status of wellness of the patient.
  • California Micro Devices Company: Ethical Dilemma In 1989, Price Waterhouse, the firm’s chief auditor, observed that the company was engaging in questionable accounting practices and business dealings.
  • Ethical Dilemma and Environmental Surveillance Companies, for example, Planet Labs and Digital Globe have dispatched many miniaturized satellites in the most recent year with the objective of recording the status of the whole earth in real-time.
  • ProTech Company’s Ethical Dilemma According to the analysis of the data performed by Staci, the company seems to be having a high potential for growth over the next half-decade.
  • Ethical Dilemma in Business Communication Today This paper explores this dilemma in terms of the extent to which a firm may abide by the ethical provisions against the backdrop of the heightening competition.
  • Patient’s Secret Revelation: Ethical Dilemma She had to choose whether to hide the information, which she had received from a cancer patient and which was relevant to the treatment, from other nurses and doctors or to reveal it despite the […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Prison’s Research The present paper aims to discuss the applicability of confidentiality and privacy provisions to prison research by addressing both the general rules regarding confidentiality of information in research and the specific considerations that apply to […]
  • The Right to Die: Legal and Ethical Dilemma Consequently, the primary goal of the paper is to discover the freedoms of a patient, specifically, the right to die with the help of a controversial and confusing case of Mrs.
  • Teacher’s Ethical Dilemma and Legal Responsibilities However, she is legally obligated not to leak exams to her students in any way because that would defeat the very purpose of the exams.
  • HBOS Plc Company’s Ethical Dilemma The ethical dilemma in the case is that the top management of the company used complex nature of the financial statements and the weaknesses in the accounting standards to manipulate the financial records with an […]
  • Employee’s Role in Ethical Dilemma Jan is aware of the possible layoffs at JLT that could affect Steve, and she knows the expenses that Steve, unaware of the resolution by the leadership, is about to make in building a house […]
  • Ethical Dilemma: Political Involvement in Abortion The development of medicine brought the issue to the fore in the late 19th century. Therefore, it is but natural that it is the right of a woman to make the choice.
  • KLM Company Responsibilities Ethical Dilemma To ensure that the expansion plan remained alive, the director suggested that a small team of employees should be a commission to start surveying the new market to identify the location where the firm would […]
  • Medical Error Disclosure: Ethical Dilemma The topic in question was chosen due to the obvious conflict between the interests of the patient and the population, in general, which medical ethics supposedly protects, and the interests of the provider, who is […]
  • Ethical Dilemmas in Rural Communities The fact that the rural area is different from the urban one has resulted in the creation of rural criminology. The ethical dilemmas that can arise in the process of working in rural areas for […]
  • Ethical Dilemma in the Workplace Her partner is adamant, which means she should overlook the guidelines and influence the audit to reflect an outcome that will be good for both her career and the company.
  • SuperCom Company Ethical Dilemma This section of the paper shows that the lack of informed consent, failure to report the ethical issue to authorities, and integrity issues are the possible ethical pitfalls in the case study.
  • Livestrong and Apple Companies Ethical Dilemmas The USADA probe against Lance Armstrong was not in any way related to the work of the Foundation and its mission for cancer patients and their families.
  • Journalism Ethical Dilemma: Moral Discourse This situation resulted in an ethical dilemma for the journalist who has to decide whether to publish the article about the accident and potentially dangerous products or to take the money and remain silent.
  • “Erin Brockovich” Movie Ethical Dilemma The response of the company when it became apparent that the chromium was causing cancer was to hide the evidence regarding their operations and its connection to the increased rates of cancer.
  • Engineers and Ethical Dilemmas Recently in the Kenyan media there was a situation in which a road engineer had been approached by the government to aid in the design and construction of a road in the Langata area.
  • Solving Ethical Dilemmas in Public Relations In the case study, the main problem arises from the client’s deceit concerning the independent nature of the scientist testing the products in a bid to ensure a favorable public image of the products to […]
  • Government and Organisational Regulation: Ethical Dilemmas Costas will be sure of getting good business in the future considering the fact that Dionisis is the Mayor and he is usually in charge of most contracts.
  • Topics in Ethical Dilemma: When the Choice Becomes too Complicated To solve the given issue, the principle of consequentialist theories can be used, i.e, the rightness of the employees’ actions can be evaluated only by its results.
  • Kazuo Ishiguro’s “Never Let Me Go” and Major Ethical Dilemmas Raised Some claim that since clones are created in a laboratory with the help of specific tools and with the number of certain genes, they cannot be regarded as humans. In conclusion, it is necessary to […]
  • International Satellite Images Ethical Dilemma Comprehensively, when the code of ethics is entrenched as part of ISI’s business culture, the company would have a seamless process for managing ethical dilemmas.
  • Reporting Inflated Numbers: Ethical Dilemma From an ethical perspective, Barbara and the management team of the company conspired to inflate the asset values, overstate the reported income, and eliminate the liabilities from the financial reporting.
  • Ethical Dilemmas in The Case of Wilma The case of Wilma, a counselor in a community agency, and Donna who is a client suffering from an anxiety disorder and panic attack is a real dilemma. The most appropriate course of action in […]
  • Ethical Dilemma: Participation in Volunteer Activities Even though Carolyn Clark was forced by her boss to volunteer her services to the charity program, she ought to realize that there is a need to help the needy in society.
  • Public Scrutiny and Accountability: An Ethical Dilemma The idea of loyalty according to the governor meant that all the employees would have to portray his administration in the best light.
  • Huntington’s Disease and Ethics In the case of predictive genetic testing for HD, clinicians and other health care team members must consider the benefit to the patient.
  • Ethical and Integrity Dilemma Within Employees in the Global Economy In the case of China, which is one of the most sought after destinations in the world for outsourcing manufacturing services, the business culture within the country considers CSR to be a foreign and “alien” […]
  • Ethical and Moral Dilemma: McDonald’s Due to the power of self-interests, McDonald’s should focus on its objectives, which is to increase the wealth of its owners rather than distributing its revenues to people.
  • End of life: the medical ethical dilemma
  • Ethics in Professional Psychology: Abortion Issue
  • Drug-Testing: Utilitarian Theory Ethical Dilemma
  • Role of Codes of Conduct in Child Labour Practice
  • Ethical Dilemma in Medical Practice
  • Ethical Dilemma of Psychologist
  • Workplace Health & Safety: The Ethical Dilemmas
  • Ethical Dilemma at the CornCo Company
  • Animal Testing: Ethical Dilemmas in Business
  • Ethical Dilemma- The Fate of Opel
  • Ethical Dilemma: “A weak Dollar Versus A strong Yuan”
  • Ethical Dilemma: Heroin Prescription
  • Ethical Dilemma: the Husband’s Right to Confidential Treatment
  • Decision Making Challenges Facing Ethical Dilemma
  • Globalization and Its Impact on the Health Care System: Ethical Dilemmas of Medical Treatment
  • Ethical Dilemma in Healthcare Administration
  • Ethical Dilemma in Accepting or Rejecting of Offers
  • The Ethical Dilemma – How to Make the Right Decision
  • What Are the Examples of Ethical Dilemmas?
  • What Are Some Examples of Ethical Dilemmas in the Workplace?
  • What Are the Oil Industry and Climate Change Strategies and Ethical Dilemmas?
  • Which Scenarios Are the Examples of True Ethics Dilemmas?
  • What Are the Most Difficult Ethical Dilemmas People Can Face?
  • How Do You Identify Ethical Dilemmas?
  • What Are the Examples of Ethical Dilemmas in School?
  • What Are Some Examples of Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare?
  • What Are the Seven Major Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing Practice?
  • What Are Some Common Ethical Dilemmas?
  • What Is the Difference between Ethical Issues and Ethical Dilemmas?
  • How Does a Person Resolve Ethical Dilemmas?
  • What Are the Ethical Dilemmas in Telephone Nursing?
  • What Are the Four Core Ethical Dilemmas Social Work Is Concerned With?
  • What Is Another Term for Ethical Dilemmas?
  • What Are Nurses’ Contributions to the Resolution of Ethical Dilemmas?
  • What Are the Four Steps for Solving Ethical Dilemmas?
  • What Are the Ethical Dilemmas of War?
  • What Are the Ethical Dilemmas in the Military?
  • What Are Ethical Dilemmas in a Community?
  • What Are the Ethical Dilemmas in Various Stages of Organizational Development?
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  • Is the Marketization of Education the Ethical Dilemmas?
  • What Is the Anatomy of the Ethical Dilemmas?
  • What Ethical Dilemmas Arose Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic?
  • What Are the Ethical Dilemmas in a Cross-Cultural Context?
  • What Is the Frequency of Ethical Dilemmas in a Medical Inpatient Service?
  • Social Development Essay Topics
  • Social Justice Essay Ideas
  • Ethics Ideas
  • Social Norms Essay Ideas
  • Social Responsibility Topics
  • Capital Punishment Topics
  • Human Rights Essay Ideas
  • Euthanasia Titles
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Essay on Ethics

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that defines the concepts of right and wrong within a society. The ethics defined by various societies are more or less the same. The concept is simple however since each human being is different from the other hence it can be a cause of conflict at times.

Ethics and aesthetics both are the sub-branches of the branch of philosophy called Axiology. The concept of ethics is largely based on the culture and religion of a society. Here are some essays on ethics to help you with the topic in your exam. You can select any ethics essay as per your need:

Long and Short Essay on Ethics in English

Ethics essay 1 (200 words).

Ethics help in answering the questions of human morality by providing a set definition for the concepts of right and wrong, good and evil, vice and virtue and so on. When in doubt we always think about the moral and ethical values we have been taught since our early years and almost immediately get clarity of thoughts.

While the ethics have been set for the well being of the society and the overall good of the people living there, these can even be a cause of unhappiness for some. This is because people have gone overboard with these. For instance, in earlier times women in Indian culture were seen as home makers. They were not allowed to go out and work or question the decisions of the male members of the family. While these days women are being given freedom to go out and work and take various decisions on their own, many people still stick to the ethics and norms defined centuries back. They still believe that a woman’s place is in the kitchen and that it is ethically wrong for her to go out and work.

So while ethics and moral values must be embedded in people for the smooth functioning of the society and must be redefined from time to time for the proper growth and development of individuals as well as the society as a whole.

Ethics Essay 2 (300 words)

Introduction

The term ethics has been derived from the Ancient Greek word Ethos that means habit, custom or character. This is what ethics are in the real sense. A person’s habits and character speak volumes about the ethical values he/she possesses. In other words, a person’s ethical values define his character. We are all told as to what is good and what is bad based on the ethical norms set by the society.

The Philosophy of Ethics

The philosophy of ethics is deeper than it appears on the surface level. It is divided into three arenas. These are the normative ethics, applied ethics and meta-ethics. Here is a brief look at these three categories:

Normative Ethics : It deals with the content of moral judgement. It analyses the questions that spring up while considering how to act in different situations.

Applied Ethics : This category analyses the norms set about the way a person is supposed to or rather allowed to behave in a given situation. It deals with controversial topics such as animal rights and nuclear weapons.

Meta- Ethics : This field of ethics questions how we understand the concept of right and wrong and what all we know about it. It basically looks at the origin and fundamental meaning of the ethical principles.

While the ethical realists believe that individuals realize ethical truths that already exist, ethical non-realists, on the other hand, are of the opinion that individuals explore and invent ethical truths on their own. Both have their own arguments to back their opinions.

Most people blindly follow the ethics defined by the society. They stick to habits that are considered good as per the ethical norms and refrain from indulging in those that are considered to break these norms. However, there are some who question these values and go by what they think is right or wrong.

Ethics Essay 3 (400 words)

Ethics are defined as moral principles that describe the norms of good and bad and right and wrong. As per French Author, Albert Camus, “A man without ethics is a wild beast loosed upon this world”.

Types of Ethics

Ethics have broadly been classified into four different categories. Here is a brief look at these:

Duty Ethics : This category associates ethics with religious beliefs. Also known as deontological ethics, these ethics categorize behaviors and acts as being right or wrong. People are expected to act as per them to fulfill their duty. These ethics are taught to us from the very beginning.

Virtue Ethics : This category relates ethics with a person’s personal behaviour. It focuses on a person’s moral values, the way he thinks and the kind of character he bears. Virtue ethics are also embedded in us since our childhood. We are taught what is right and wrong even though there is no logic behind it in many cases.

Relativistic Ethics : As per this, everything is equal. Each individual has the right to analyze the situation and form his own version of right and wrong. The advocates of this theory strongly believe that what may be right for one person may not be correct for the other. Also what is correct in certain situation may not be appropriate in the other.

Consequential Ethics : During the age of Enlightenment, there was a quest for rationalism. This category of ethics is associated with that quest. As per this ethical theory, the outcome of an individual’s behaviour determines the wrongness or rightness of his behaviour.

Ethics Differ in Different Cultures

As per some, ethics are the values that must be taught since childhood and that one must strictly abide by them. A person who defies these is considered to be ethically wrong. Some people are quite rigid about following the ethical codes. They constantly judge others based on their behaviour. On the other hand, there are people who are flexible about the same and believe that these can be altered to some extent based on the situation.

Now, the basic code of conduct and ethics expected from individuals is almost the same across nations. However, there may be certain ethical behaviours that may be right as per certain cultures but not accepted in others. For instance, in the Western countries women have the freedom to wear any kind of dress they want but in many of the eastern countries wearing short dresses is considered ethically wrong.

There are various schools of thoughts that have their own versions of ethics. Many people go by the norms of right and wrong others make their own version.

Ethics Essay 4 (500 words)

Ethics define the way a person should behave in any given situation. They are embedded in us from our childhood and almost every decision we make in our life is largely influenced by our ethical values. A person is considered good or bad based on his/ her ethical conduct.

Ethics hold immense importance in both our personal and professional life. A person who holds high ethical values, truly believes in them and follows them would be much more sorted as compared to those who follow the set ethical norms but do not really believe in the same. Then, there is yet another category of people – those who do not believe in the ethical norms and thus do not follow them. These may be a cause of disruption of peace in the society.

Importance of Ethics in Our Personal Life

The minds of the people are conditioned as per the accepted moral and ethical values existent in the society they are brought up in. The importance of ethics cannot be undermined. A child needs to be taught what behaviour is accepted in the society and what is not from the very beginning in order for him to live in harmony with the society. This system has basically been put in place so that people know how to act right and maintain peace and harmony in the society.

Taking decisions becomes easier for people as the right and wrong has already been defined. Imagine if the right doings and wrong doings were not defined, everyone would act as per their will based on their own versions of right and wrong. This would make things chaotic and give rise to crime.

Importance of Ethics in Our Professional Life

Maintaining ethical conduct is extremely important at work place. Besides the basic ethics and values defined by the society, every organization determines its set of ethical values. Every individual working in that organization must follow them to maintain the code of conduct. Some examples of common ethical codes set by organizations can be to treat employees fairly, deal with honesty, never leak the company’s inside information, respect your co-workers and if something appears wrong with the company’s management or some employee it must be addressed politely and directly rather than creating unnecessary issue about the same.

Setting these workplace ethics helps in smooth functioning of the organization. Any employee seen violating the ethical code is issued warning letter or penalized in different ways based on the severity of the issue.

In case of absence of the set ethical codes in an organization, things are likely to become chaotic and unmanageable. It is thus essential for every organization to set these norms. Ethical codes in an organization do not only help in ensuring good work environment but also teach the employees as how to deal with the clients in different situations.

A company’s ethical code basically echoes its core values and responsibilities.

Setting an ethical code for the society as well as at work places and other institutions is essential. It helps the people recognize as to what is right and what is wrong and encourages them to behave the right way.

Ethics Essay 5 (600 words)

Ethics are defined as a system that determines what is right or wrong. This system has been built to ensure the well-being of individuals and society as a whole. A person possessing high ethical values is the one who conforms to the ethical norms set by the society without questioning them.

Ethics Vs Morals

Ethics and moral values are usually used interchangeably. However, there is a difference between the two. While ethics are the standards set by the culture one follows, the society one dwells in and the organization one works in to ensure that a person behaves righteously, moral values on the other hand are embedded in a person’s behaviour and define his character.

Ethics are based on external factors. For instance, women in the Middle-Eastern culture are required to cover themselves from head to toe. In certain middle-eastern countries they are not allowed to work or even go out without being accompanied by a man. If a woman tries to challenge this norm, she is considered to be ethically wrong. Ethical behaviour is also set based on a person’s profession. For instance, doctors, policemen and teachers are expected to behave in a certain manner to fulfil their professional duty. They cannot go against the ethical code set for them.

The moral values of a person are mainly influenced by his culture and the family atmosphere. These are the principles he creates for himself. These principles define his character and he takes his personal decisions based on these. While the ethical code one is expected to follow may vary based on the organization he works with and the society he lives in, the moral values of a person remain the same throughout. However, certain events in a person’s life may change his beliefs and he may imbibe different values based on the same.

How Are Ethics and Moral Values Related to Each Other?

As mentioned above, ethics are imposed on us by the society and moral values are our own understanding of what is right and what is wrong. These are closely related to each other. An individual whose moral values match the ethical standards set by the society is considered to have high moral values. For instance, a man who respects his parents and obeys everything they say, visits the temple daily, gets back home on time and spends time with his family is said to have good moral values.

On the other hand, an individual who may not be religiously inclined, may question what his parents say based on logic, hang out with friends and return late from the office may be considered to be one with low moral values as he does not conform to the ethical code set by the society. Even if this person is not harming anyone or is not doing anything wrong he would still be considered one with low morals. While this may not be so in every culture but in India people are judged based on such behaviour.

Conflict between Moral Values and Ethics

At times, people are caught between their moral values and the defined ethical code. While their moral values may stop them from doing something, the ethical code set by their profession might require them to do so. For instance, the corporate culture these days is such that you may be required to have a drink or two to build PR during the official parties. While it is alright as per the ethical code of the organization and may even be required at times to maintain relations with the clients, a person’s moral values may suggest him to do otherwise.

Ethical codes are set to ensure peace and harmony in the society. However, these must not be blindly passed on from generation to generation. This is because what may be right during one age or culture might not be appropriate when applied to another.

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How to Write an Ethics Short Essay

An ethics short essay must be argumentative and focus on a moral issue that is up for debate. It should evoke differing opinions and contain arguments and counterarguments as well as supporting evidence. There are three common types of ethics essays, Public sector, Military, and Philosophy of religion. Here is a brief guide to writing an ethics short essay. A well-written ethics paper can help you score high marks and gain entrance into top universities and colleges.

Professional ethics

There are many reasons for practicing professional ethics. First, it contributes to a person’s success, which is an important reason for a company to provide a written code of ethics to its employees. Second, conflicting ethical codes can cause confusion, which can result in politics and conflict. Professional organizations cannot afford to have warring factions. So, how can we make professional ethics an essential part of our lives? Let’s examine a few of the most common reasons for practicing professional ethics and how we can improve our daily work.

Military ethics

If you’re a member of the armed forces, you’re probably very aware of the importance of military ethics. As a matter of fact, military ethics are fundamental to military life. These values should be inculcated into the minds of all members of the military. After all, they are meant to become the norm, not the exception. But how do you ensure that military personnel uphold these ethical principles? Here are some tips.

First, you must understand that wars can be justified if they are proportionate to the threat. Moreover, the principle of discrimination is essential to just war thinking. For example, before World War II, world leaders publicly declared that indiscriminate bombing of cities was not acceptable. This principle was upheld by daylight precision bombing, but it was not practical. Instead, military officials tried to follow the principle of discrimination by targeting specific targets.

Moreover, military opponents must be treated with respect and dignity. Warfare must not be motivated by revenge or pleasure, and the use of force against civilians must only be justified when a military’s actions have a clear purpose, such as defending the community. But it should also be remembered that there are times when a military should engage in indiscriminate killing. Ultimately, military ethics should help the soldiers internalize these values.

Public sector ethics

The public sector is a large organization that seeks to resolve issues related to public welfare. While it is vital to be ethical in business practices, it is also critical to have a strong moral compass and earn the confidence of the public. In a democracy, public opinion has the most power, so gaining that confidence is imperative. Further, public sector ethics help companies establish common goals and values. Ultimately, ethics help public institutions and companies achieve those goals.

Often, public servants try to divert criticism to other levels of the system. They mention other wrongdoings in the institution and argue that the violations should not be made public. However, these public servants fail to recognize that there is a wider scope to ethics than what is found in statutes. Public sector employees are often tempted to disregard ethical principles in favor of their own economic survival. In such cases, they may end up in a situation that is more problematic than they were originally.

In a public sector, officials are under a special responsibility to represent society and serve the citizens. Ethical principles are often different from personal values, and this can make public officials vulnerable to breaking the rules of their profession. Yet, in some cases, the consequences of misconduct are high and the public is often unaware of the misconduct. In some cases, citizens are even the direct victims of such misconduct. In such a scenario, it is essential to understand the public sector ethics and its impact on society.

Philosophy of religion

What is the Big Question of Philosophy of Religion ? The Big Question asks how we can sort various kinds of ultimacies, including the ones related to reality and death, and how they relate to religious experiences and beliefs. Philosophers of religion engage in ongoing discussions of how to determine which types of ultimacies are real and which are not. This article outlines one important philosophical question and its answer. This essay demonstrates how philosophers of religion use the Big Question to explore religion.

Throughout history, philosophers have attempted to explain the concept of God, and the many grounds people have offered to justify their belief. Many related topics are also discussed, including the relationship between reason and faith, the nature of religious language, and the question of how a good God can allow evil. While philosophers of religion may seem very different, their work relates to one another. Therefore, philosophers of religion can be categorized as either general or specific.

Throughout history, philosophers of religion have grappled with such questions as God’s omniscience, and the relationship between religion and morality. Other controversial issues have included the nature of religious language and the relationship between faith and morality. Philosophers of religion have struggled with these issues and argued that people should be free to say what they think, regardless of whether it is correct or wrong. Ultimately, the debate about the nature of reality is a fundamental one that cannot be solved with any philosophical system.

Normative ethics

Normative ethics is a branch of philosophy that deals with the standard of conduct, and therefore the right thing to do. The study of morality, however, involves much more than deciding which actions are morally right and which are wrong. Rather, it analyzes the morality of the actions by considering their consequences. A short essay on Normative ethics will explore the basic concept of moral standards, and will highlight the difference between deontological and teleological theories.

Normative ethics focuses on moral principles and virtues. It asks where these moral values are derived. Some well-known philosophers, including Michel de Montaigne and Friedrich Nietzsche, advocated a “moral relativism” approach that denied that there were any absolute moral standards. Moreover, normative ethics does not deal with metaphysical questions, such as whether there is a god or an ideal. It deals with semantic, epistemological, and psychological inquiries.

Normative ethics can be broadly applied to many practical issues, such as abortion, euthanasia, animal rights, and criminal punishment. It also often makes use of meta-ethical tools, such as ethical realism and consequentialism. A short essay on Normative ethics can be useful for students. It can serve as a model for an assignment or guide to research. You can also use your peers’ essays as a resource for ideas.

Importance of ethics in a peaceful and harmonious society

As a social construct, ethics play a vital role in defining individual behaviour. Since the dawn of civilization, men have sought to keep human conduct in check. Today, written law rules official business and happenings, but ethics are an unsung force balancing the interests of human beings and society. While written law is often adequate to protect individuals and society, it cannot prevent the ravages of unethical behavior.

The implication of the term harmonious society is profound. It could mean anything from a stable democracy to a thriving socialism. It can also mean living harmoniously with nature and with each other. This is possible through the establishment of a legal system and cultural norms that promote fairness and a culture of rule of law. A harmonious society will promote these aspects. This is the essence of a society.

In addition to its value for humanity, peace and harmony improve economic and social conditions. It also fosters individual creativity and promotes sustainable development of nations. In this way, it also promotes human health. Peace means a world where everyone can work together in harmony, and harmony translates into a healthier society. And it means dealing with disputes in a fair and equitable manner, avoiding violence, and using the Middle Way principles to resolve conflicts.

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Introduction of moral codes

  • Problems of divine origin
  • Nonhuman behaviour
  • Kinship and reciprocity
  • Anthropology and ethics
  • The Middle East
  • Ancient Greece
  • The Epicureans
  • Ethics in the New Testament
  • St. Augustine
  • St. Thomas Aquinas and the Scholastics
  • Machiavelli
  • The first Protestants
  • Early intuitionists: Cudworth, More, and Clarke
  • Shaftesbury and the moral sense school
  • Butler on self-interest and conscience
  • The climax of moral sense theory: Hutcheson and Hume
  • The intuitionist response: Price and Reid
  • Moore and the naturalistic fallacy
  • Modern intuitionism
  • Existentialism
  • Universal prescriptivism
  • Moral realism
  • Kantian constructivism: a middle ground?
  • Irrealist views: projectivism and expressivism
  • Ethics and reasons for action
  • The debate over consequentialism
  • Varieties of consequentialism
  • Objections to consequentialism
  • An ethics of prima facie duties
  • Rawls’s theory of justice
  • Rights theories
  • Natural law ethics
  • Virtue ethics
  • Feminist ethics
  • Ethical egoism
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  • Abortion, euthanasia, and the value of human life

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What is ethics?

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  • Table Of Contents

Code of Hammurabi

The term ethics may refer to the philosophical study of the concepts of moral right and wrong and moral good and bad, to any philosophical theory of what is morally right and wrong or morally good and bad, and to any system or code of moral rules, principles, or values. The last may be associated with particular religions , cultures, professions, or virtually any other group that is at least partly characterized by its moral outlook.

Traditionally, ethics referred to the philosophical study of morality, the latter being a more or less systematic set of beliefs, usually held in common by a group, about how people should live. Ethics also referred to particular philosophical theories of morality. Later the term was applied to particular (and narrower) moral codes or value systems. Ethics and morality are now used almost interchangeably in many contexts, but the name of the philosophical study remains ethics .

Ethics matters because (1) it is part of how many groups define themselves and thus part of the identity of their individual members, (2) other-regarding values in most ethical systems both reflect and foster close human relationships and mutual respect and trust, and (3) it could be “rational” for a self-interested person to be moral, because his or her self-interest is arguably best served in the long run by reciprocating the moral behaviour of others.

No. Understood as equivalent to morality, ethics could be studied as a social-psychological or historical phenomenon, but in that case it would be an object of social-scientific study, not a social science in itself. Understood as the philosophical study of moral concepts, ethics is a branch of philosophy , not of social science.

ethics , the discipline concerned with what is morally good and bad and morally right and wrong. The term is also applied to any system or theory of moral values or principles.

(Read Britannica’s biography of this author, Peter Singer.)

How should we live? Shall we aim at happiness or at knowledge, virtue , or the creation of beautiful objects? If we choose happiness, will it be our own or the happiness of all? And what of the more particular questions that face us: is it right to be dishonest in a good cause? Can we justify living in opulence while elsewhere in the world people are starving? Is going to war justified in cases where it is likely that innocent people will be killed? Is it wrong to clone a human being or to destroy human embryos in medical research? What are our obligations, if any, to the generations of humans who will come after us and to the nonhuman animals with whom we share the planet?

Ethics deals with such questions at all levels. Its subject consists of the fundamental issues of practical decision making , and its major concerns include the nature of ultimate value and the standards by which human actions can be judged right or wrong .

The terms ethics and morality are closely related. It is now common to refer to ethical judgments or to ethical principles where it once would have been more accurate to speak of moral judgments or moral principles. These applications are an extension of the meaning of ethics. In earlier usage, the term referred not to morality itself but to the field of study, or branch of inquiry, that has morality as its subject matter. In this sense, ethics is equivalent to moral philosophy.

Although ethics has always been viewed as a branch of philosophy , its all-embracing practical nature links it with many other areas of study, including anthropology , biology , economics , history , politics , sociology , and theology . Yet, ethics remains distinct from such disciplines because it is not a matter of factual knowledge in the way that the sciences and other branches of inquiry are. Rather, it has to do with determining the nature of normative theories and applying these sets of principles to practical moral problems.

short essay on ethics

This article, then, will deal with ethics as a field of philosophy, especially as it has developed in the West. For coverage of religious conceptions of ethics and the ethical systems associated with world religions, see Buddhism ; Christianity ; Confucianism ; Hinduism ; Jainism ; Judaism ; Sikhism .

The origins of ethics

Mythical accounts.

When did ethics begin and how did it originate? If one has in mind ethics proper—i.e., the systematic study of what is morally right and wrong—it is clear that ethics could have come into existence only when human beings started to reflect on the best way to live. This reflective stage emerged long after human societies had developed some kind of morality, usually in the form of customary standards of right and wrong conduct . The process of reflection tended to arise from such customs, even if in the end it may have found them wanting. Accordingly, ethics began with the introduction of the first moral codes .

Virtually every human society has some form of myth to explain the origin of morality. In the Louvre in Paris there is a black Babylonian column with a relief showing the sun god Shamash presenting the code of laws to Hammurabi (died c. 1750 bce ), known as the Code of Hammurabi . The Hebrew Bible ( Old Testament ) account of God’s giving the Ten Commandments to Moses (flourished 14th–13th century bce ) on Mount Sinai might be considered another example. In the dialogue Protagoras by Plato (428/427–348/347 bce ), there is an avowedly mythical account of how Zeus took pity on the hapless humans, who were physically no match for the other beasts. To make up for these deficiencies, Zeus gave humans a moral sense and the capacity for law and justice , so that they could live in larger communities and cooperate with one another.

That morality should be invested with all the mystery and power of divine origin is not surprising. Nothing else could provide such strong reasons for accepting the moral law. By attributing a divine origin to morality, the priesthood became its interpreter and guardian and thereby secured for itself a power that it would not readily relinquish. This link between morality and religion has been so firmly forged that it is still sometimes asserted that there can be no morality without religion. According to this view, ethics is not an independent field of study but rather a branch of theology ( see moral theology ).

There is some difficulty, already known to Plato, with the view that morality was created by a divine power. In his dialogue Euthyphro , Plato considered the suggestion that it is divine approval that makes an action good . Plato pointed out that, if this were the case, one could not say that the gods approve of such actions because they are good. Why then do they approve of them? Is their approval entirely arbitrary? Plato considered this impossible and so held that there must be some standards of right or wrong that are independent of the likes and dislikes of the gods. Modern philosophers have generally accepted Plato’s argument, because the alternative implies that if, for example, the gods had happened to approve of torturing children and to disapprove of helping one’s neighbours, then torture would have been good and neighbourliness bad.

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Ethics: A Very Short Introduction (1st edn)

Ethics: A Very Short Introduction (1st edn)

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Our self-image as moral, well-behaved creatures is dogged by scepticism, relativism, hypocrisy, and nihilism, by the fear that in a Godless world science has unmasked us as creatures fated by our genes to be selfish and tribalistic, or competitive and aggressive. Ethics: A Very Short Introduction tackles the major moral questions surrounding birth, death, happiness, desire, and freedom, showing us how we should think about the meaning of life, and how we should mistrust the soundbite-sized absolutes that often dominate moral debates.

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Home / Essay Samples / Philosophy / Ethics / The Essence of Ethics: Understanding Its Significance

The Essence of Ethics: Understanding Its Significance

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  • Topic: Ethics , Ethics in Everyday Life , Personal Ethics

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