Ethics Lecture 02

7/30/2019 Ethics Lecture 02

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Business Ethics

Lecture 02:

Chapter one:Introduction to Business Ethics

Sources: Velasquez Shaw



The Principles of conduct governing an individual or a group.

Ethics is the study of morality.

Ethics is a kind of investigation which includes

both the activity of investigating as well as the results of that investigation. (Investigation in

accordance with the reference of morality).



The discipline that examines one’s moral standards or the moral standards of a society.

Ethics (also known as moral philosophy) is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about

morality — that is, concepts such as good and bad,

noble and ignoble, right and wrong, justice, and virtue. (Wikipedia).



The Standards that an individual or a group has about what is right and wrong or good and evil.

Morality is mere thought (positive or negative)

about a certain phenomena.



Moral standards include the norm we have about the kinds of action we believe are morally right or

wrong as well as the values we place on the kinds

of objects we believe are morally good and morally bad.

Action__ It is wrong to take the assets of the poor.Object__ Honesty is a great virtue.



Church, School Television, Magazine, Music,

association (Group), Culture, Early upbringing,

Experience & Critical reflection on those experiences.

Further experience, Learning, Intellectual development may also assist to mould or modify

prior moral standards.



It includes the standards of etiquette by which we judge manners as good or bad.

By Standards of Law , we judge lawful right and wring

By language standards we judge whether a

particular writing is grammatically right or wrong.



Whenever we make judgments about the right or

wrong way to do things (Literally any thing) , or

judgments about what things are good or bad; our judgments are based on standards on some kind

(Moral or Non-moral).

Irony of fate__ We sometime choose non-moral

standards over our moral standards.



Example: A recession is going on in the economy and the company is going through constant loss. In

this situation, the CEO follows the company by-

laws and lay off some of the employees. Here he doesn’t consider the impact of this lay off on the

employee and on his family. Rather he chose the

non-moral standard of by-laws over the moral standard of looking out for the negative

consequences of his act on the employee.



1. Moral standards deal with matters that we

think can seriously injure or seriously benefit human being.

Theft, enslavement, murder, child abuse, assault, slander, fraud etc. (Moral)

Grammatical mistake on a report (Non-moral)



2. Moral standards are not established or changed by the decision of particular authorities bodies.

Law of a country is made or modified by a particular body or authority;

whereas morality is self made by an individual

or a particular group.



3. Moral standards should be preferred over other

values including self interest.

Example: If someone has to make a particular

decision by which his self interest would be harmed but welfare would be done, then

welfare should be chosen over self-interest.



4. Moral standards are based on impartial

consideration. Moral standards are based on

moral point of view which goes beyond the personal interest to a “universal” standpoint in

where everyone’s interest are impartially counted

as equal.when we are in an ethical dilemma to

make a mutually exclusive decision, where me and

mass are related; then we should choose the decision which would not hamper the interest of

mass or would benefit them.



Exception :

sometimes being partial is morally supported!! In

case of family members.

Example: Suppose in a war scene me and my family

have to escape from a particular area. We need to pass a river to do so. On the boat, only 6 people can

be accommodated. My family member consists of 4

male and 2 female. I have another 3 person from my neighborhood. In this context, if I take only my

family members and leave those neighbors; it is

morally supported.



5. Moral standards are associated with special

emotions and a special vocabulary.

Example: If I act contrary to a moral

standards I would normally feel guilty. I would experience a loss of self esteem.

If I take the assets of a poor or do something which has negative impact on the society, my

self valuation (self-esteem) would be

downward sloppy.



Moral Standards: Deal with matters of serious consequences,

Are based on good reasons and are not based on

authority, Override self-interest,

Are based on impartial consideration,

Are associated with feelings of guilt and shame and with a special moral vocabulary,



Law: Strict (Can’t be altered)

Made by a Particular Authority

Focus is very specific Floor level of decision making reference



Morality and Law

Morality Changes according to values, culture,

tradition & custom of a society ,

Judged and made by a particular individual or community,

Focus is very broad,

Ceiling of decision making.



An action can be illegal but morally right

An action can be legal but morally wrong

The law generally prohibits egregious affronts

to a society’s moral standards and in that sense

is the “FLOOR” of moral conduct; but breaches of moral conduct can slip through

cracks in that floor!!



An action can be illegal but morally right.

Example: In the second world war the German government made a law to kill the Jew whenever

found and also compelled the Germans to help

capturing them. In this context, if a German family hides a Jew family; it is illegal but morally right.



An action can be legal but morally wrong.

Example: Consider that last example. If the German family help the German Military to capture

a Jew family; it would be legal but not morally

right.



Religion is one of the most important vibrator in the formulation of a particular community’s

belief / believes; but religion is not the

“morality” itself.

This point can be clarified with the next three

upcoming arguments in the next slide.



1. Although a desire to avoid hell and go to heaven may prompt some of us to act morally,

this is not the only sole or common reason for

which people behave morally.We are often motivated to do what is morally

right out of concern for others or just because it

is right. Atheists generally live life as moral and upright

as those of believers.



2. The moral instructions of the world’s great religions are general and can be interpreted in

different ways in different contexts.

3. The “Divine Command Theory” postulates that

if something is wrong then the only reason for

which this is wrong that “God commands us not to do it.” (Continued to next slide)



God forbids us to steal from others. It doesn’t

mean it is forbidden for just it is a God

Almighty’s command; rather it is forbidden because it (to steal) by itself a bad human

behavior which can hurt other human.



Most religion holds that human religion is

capable of understanding what is right and

wrong. So it is human reason to which you will have to appeal in order to support your ethical

principle.

Ethics Lecture 02

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