Ethics and Professions

Prof. Kumar Neeraj Sachdev

Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
 Introductory Issues
• Ethics, Applied Ethics, and Professional Ethics
• Concept of a Profession
• Ethics and Professions

* 2
 Ethics

Ethics is a study of values to

live a good human life.

* 3
 Profession
Profession is a regulated practical application
of specialized knowledge and skill in a formal
setup for the benefit of mankind and the
planet earth.

* 4
 Professional Ethics

Professional ethics is a study of the moral

conduct of professionals.

* 5
 Ethics and Professions: The Linkages
• Concept of roles
• Roles and Obligations
• Obligations and Ethical Rules
• Formal Rules:
– Laws of a Country
– Rules of Specific Professions and Industries
– Policies And Guidelines of Individual Organizations

* 6
 Why Ethics and Professions?
• Interpretation of Rules
• Ethical Justification of Rules

– These two are needed in line with the current

trend of democratization of professional
organizations.

* 7
 Standards of Ethical Inquiry

• Prudence
• Common Opinion
• Objective Ethical Truth

* 8
 Justification of Ethics in Professions

• Moral Vision
• Moral Theories
• Professionals, Ethics, and Moral Theory

* 9
 Concluding Remark
“Developing the habit of doing the right thing
benefits you personally, it benefits you
professionally, and it benefits your company or
organization. ... Of course, the fact that acting
ethically `pays off’ in these ways does not mean that
this is the reason to act ethically, more
philosophically, acting ethically is important not
because it happens to bring about personal or
professional benefits, but rather, for its own sake.”
Rowan, John, and Zinaich, Jr.,
Ethics for the Professions, Wadsworth, 2003, p. 10
* 10
 Thank you.

* 11