Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Ethics Group Reporting Topic 6
Ethics Group Reporting Topic 6
85-86, 100
Reasoning – 6-7
Will- p. 73
CONTENT:
DIFFERENCE BETWEEN REASON AND WILL
Differentiate Knowing and Actually Executing a Good Moral Decision
Judge Moral Behavior in Terms of Planning and Execution in important Moral Experiences
MORAL THEORIES AND MENTAL FRAMES AND WHY THEY ARE IMPORTANT
Explain the Role of Mental Frames in Moral Experience
Classify the Dominant Mental Frames
(ETHICS BOOK)
1. Utilitarianism
2. Natural Law Theory
3. Deontology
4. Virtue Ethics
- A theory which will provide us a unique way of determining the moral status of our actions
- One theory that can possibly provide a comprehensive understanding of how an individual can develop moral
character.
- It’s the ethical framework that is concerned with understanding the good as a matter of developing the virtuous
character of a person. Focuses on the information of one’s character book about by determining and doing
virtuous acts.
(PAGE 7) A moral theory is a systematic attempt to establish the validity of maintaining certain moral principles. In so far
as a theory is a system of thought or of ideas, it can also be referred to as a framework. We can use this term,
“framework”, as a theory of interconnected ideas, and at the same time, a structure through which we can evaluate our
reasons for valuing a certain decision or judgment.
There are different frameworks that can make us reflect on the principles that we maintain and thus, the decisions and
judgments we make. By studying these, we can reconsider, clarify, modify and ultimately strengthen our principles,
thereby informing better both our moral judgments and moral decisions.
These ethical frameworks or theories may serve as guideposts, given that they are the best attempts to understand
morality not the history of human thought has to offer. They shed light on many important considerations. They can
clarify many important aspects of morality.
UTILITARIANISM
- Pays tribute to the value of impartiality, arguing that a nap is good if it will bring about the greatest good for the
greatest number of those affected by the action and each one of those affected should be counted as one, each
equal to each.
- puts every single stakeholder at par with everyone else, with no one being worth more than any other.
- Puts more value on the notion of common good compared to any of the other ethical frameworks we have
covered.
NATURAL LAW THEORY
- Puts more emphasis on the supposed objective universal nature of what is to be considered morally good basing
its reasoning on the theorize existence of a human nature.
- Has the advantage of both objectivity and a kind of intuitiveness.
DEONTOLOGY
- Puts the premium on rational will freed from all other considerations as the only human capacity that can
determine one’s moral duty.
- focuses on one’s autonomy as constitutive of what one can consider as moral law that is free from all other ends
and inclinations—including pain and pleasure as well as conformity to the rules of the group.
- Shows disdain to these rules as being authorities external to one’s own capacity for rational will.
VIRTUE ETHICS
- Indicates is the need for the habitation of one’s character to make any and all of these previous considerations
possible.
- The way the collective happiness of human beings, to choose to act on what one’s innermost nature dictates,
enter practice once autonomy regardless of all other considerations especially to those that impinge on one’s
will.
MENTAL FRAMES
https://boycewire.com/framing-effect-definition-and-examples/
2. Visual Frames
Visual frames can cover factors such as color, imagery, font-size, font-style, or even body
language. Colour, for instance, can be rather influential, with each promoting a slightly
different characteristic. For example, pink has a more feminine feel, so it’s probably not the
best color to promote men’s clothing.
Colour
Looking at the picture below, we have two images of the same picture. One with a pink
background and the other with a more neutral grey background. Now the pink one is
potentially more eye-catching but won’t appeal to the majority of men. It’s the same image but
framed differently.
Other colors work to create different qualities and unique perspectives on the product or
service being sold. In turn, these can influence our decision making. Take cars for example.
Most of those on the average forecourt will be grey, white, black, or some shade of such. The
reason? Well, first of all, they are the most popular colors and second of all, they fit in with the
crowd.
Often, we like to conform to social norms. That means following what everyone else is doing,
including getting a silver car. In addition, silver, white, and black are relatively neutral colors.
They aren’t in your face or stand out like a sore thumb which is why they are so popular.
So when forecourts look at what cars to ‘frame’, they tend to use such neutral colors. It can
have a significant effect on how we interpret the car and our feelings towards it. Having pink
or yellow cars at the front is going to push a lot of customers away and reduce sales whilst a
neutral color does the opposite.
Font-Size and Style
There is a whole science behind how fonts can make us feel. They can be framed in the
same way but can trigger different responses just from the size or style alone. If we look at
the example below, each is in a different font but with the same wording. The first and last
aren’t very legible, so using such a font wouldn’t be very effective.
We also have the ‘small print’. Most of the time, we won’t bother reading it. Why? Because it’s
so small that it’s difficult to read and we simply just miss it. If it was larger and more legible,
perhaps more of us would read it. Yet, because of the way it’s framed, we don’t.
The reason is quite simple. If we don’t read the small print, we won’t realize what is covered
by the warranty and what isn’t.
Body Language
Body language is perhaps one of the most under-rated framing factors. In fact, research
by Dr. Mehrabian found that as much as 55 percent of communication can be attributed to
body language.
Factors such as a smile, demeanor, facial expressions, and stance can all contribute to the
framing of a question. For example, imagine going to a car salesman and them telling you
they want $20,000 for the car whilst their arms are crossed.
Now imagine them asking whilst they are looking at the floor and with a hunched back. Hardly
a positive sign even though the words may be the same.
If we now imagine them asking with a shoulder wide stance and their hands clasped together.
These frames may not completely influence our decision as much as verbal, value, or positive
and negative frames, but they can, in fact, contribute to our decision. For instance, we will be
more likely to buy from a warm and friendly salesman compared to one that seems
disinterested.