Lecture#7

Ethical Cycle:
The ethical cycle is a tool used to make well-considered moral decisions. It involves a systematic
analysis of a moral problem, which leads to a moral judgment and a final decision that can be justified
in moral terms.

The Ethical Cycle Steps:

1. Formulating the moral problem

2 .Analyzing the problem in terms of stakeholders and their interests, values and facts

3. Identifying and devising options for action with the help of strategies such as the black-and-white
strategy and the cooperation strategy

4. Ethical evaluation of the various options for action with the help of various ethical frameworks

5 .Reflection on the outcomes of the evaluation phase, resulting eventually in a well-argued choice for
one of the options for action.

Ill Structured problems:

An ill-structured problem is a problem that is complex and lacks a clear definition. These types of
problems can be difficult to solve because there is no definitive formulation of the problem and the
problem itself may embody inconsistent or conflicting formulations. Ill-structured problems are often
defined during the process of solving the problem itself.

Another example of an ill-structured problem is poverty. Poverty is a complex and multifaceted

problem that lacks a clear definition. It can be defined in different ways, such as absolute poverty
(lack of basic necessities like food and shelter) or relative poverty (lack of access to resources
compared to others in society). Furthermore, the formulation of the problem can vary depending on
the cultural, social, and economic context in which it is being addressed.

Synthetic reasoning refers to the process of problem-solving that involves generating new solutions,
not just analyzing the problem and choosing a solution from existing options. It is an important
component of practical problem-solving because it allows individuals to find innovative solutions to
complex problems.
For example, consider a company that is facing a challenge with its marketing strategy. The traditional
marketing channels are not producing the desired results, and the company wants to find new and
innovative ways to reach its target audience. In this case, synthetic reasoning would involve
brainstorming new marketing strategies and tactics, such as influencer marketing or social media
advertising, that could help the company achieve its marketing goals.

Problem and Dilemma

Moral Problem:

In these situations, there are two or more positive moral values or norms that cannot be fully realized
at the same time, which creates a difficult situation for decision-making.

Another example of a moral dilemma is a situation where an employee discovers that their employer
is engaging in unethical or illegal behavior, such as fraud or discrimination. The employee is faced with
a moral dilemma because two positive moral values are in conflict: the duty to report wrongdoing and
the duty to be loyal to the employer.

Moral Dilemmas:

A moral dilemma is a situation in which an individual is forced to choose between two or more moral
principles or values that are in conflict with each other. However, in some cases, a moral dilemma
may be more severe and involve only two options, both of which involve committing a moral wrong.
This type of moral dilemma is known as a forced choice dilemma.

For example, consider a situation where a person is forced to choose between stealing food to feed
their starving family or letting them starve. In this scenario, the person is faced with a forced choice
dilemma because whatever they choose, they will commit a moral wrong. If they choose to steal, they
will violate the moral principle of not stealing, but if they choose not to steal, they will violate the
moral principle of protecting their family from harm.

The Ethical Cycle

Case Moral Problem statement Problem Analysis Options for
Action Ethical Evaluation Reflection Moral Acceptable Action
 Stakeholders
A stakeholder is any individual or group that can affect or be affected by the actions, decisions, or
policies of an organization or system. Stakeholders can include a wide range of individuals, such as
employees, customers, shareholders, suppliers, government agencies, and members of the
community.

For example, consider a company that is planning to build a new factory in a small town. The
stakeholders in this scenario could include the company's shareholders, the employees who will work
in the factory, the local community members who will be affected by the factory's operations, and the
government agencies responsible for regulating the company's activities.

Options for Actions

Black and white strategy:

A strategy for action in which only two options for actions are considered: doing the action or not.

An example of a black-and-white strategy could be a company that has to decide whether or not to
fire an employee who has violated company policy. If the company only considers the two options of
firing the employee or not, they may overlook alternative solutions that could address the underlying
issue and prevent future violations.

Strategy of cooperation:

The action strategy that is directed at finding alternatives that can help to solve a moral problem by
consulting other stakeholders.

An example of a strategy of cooperation could be a company that is considering introducing a new

product line. Instead of simply making the decision internally, the company consults with customers,
suppliers, and employees to gather input and identify potential ethical concerns.

Whistle Blowing:

Whistleblowing is the act of reporting an unethical or illegal behavior or activity within an

organization to an external entity such as the media, government agencies, or law enforcement, often
against the wishes of the organization. The purpose of whistleblowing is to hold the organization
accountable and to prevent harm or wrongdoing from continuing.
An example of whistleblowing would be an employee who becomes aware of their company engaging
in fraudulent accounting practices. The employee may first try to report the behavior internally
through proper channels such as a supervisor, human resources, or a compliance hotline. However, if
the internal reporting does not result in any action being taken or the employee fears retaliation, they
may choose to blow the whistle and report the activity to external entities such as a regulatory
agency, the media, or law enforcement.

Whistleblowing can be a risky action for the whistleblower, as they may face retaliation from their
employer such as termination, demotion, or harassment. However, there are legal protections for
whistleblowers in some countries, such as the United States where the Whistleblower Protection Act
provides certain protections for federal employees who report wrongdoing.

Ethical Evaluation
Intuitivist Framework:

The ethical framework in which options for action are evaluated on basis of one’s view about what is
intuitively most acceptable and that formulates arguments for this statement.

For example, suppose there is a situation where a doctor has to choose between performing a risky
surgery that could save the patient's life or not performing the surgery to avoid potential
complications. An individual who follows the intuitivist framework may rely on their intuition and
moral values to decide whether or not to perform the surgery. They may then construct arguments
based on their intuition to support their decision, such as "saving a life is always the right thing to do"
or "avoiding potential harm to the patient is my top priority."

Common Sense Method:

The common sense method is an approach to ethical decision-making that involves weighing different
options for action in the context of relevant values. It is based on the idea that there are certain
values that are widely recognized as important and that can guide decision-making in various
situations.

Sure! Let's say you work in a company and you are asked to create a new product that the company
wants to sell to customers. Using the common sense method, you might consider the value of honesty
and transparency with customers, the value of delivering a high-quality product, and the value of
profitability for the company.

Based on these values, you might decide to conduct thorough research and testing to ensure that the
product meets high quality standards before selling it to customers. You might also make sure that
the marketing and advertising for the product is honest and transparent, and that customers are fully
informed about what they are buying. Additionally, you might consider the costs and profitability of
the product for the company, and make adjustments to the design or pricing as needed to ensure that
it is financially viable.
Overlapping Consensus by involving
public
Learning:
First-order learning refers to the process of improving one's ability to achieve given goals. For
example, a business may learn to streamline their production process to increase efficiency and
profitability.
Second-order learning refers to the process of learning about what goals to strive for and what moral
values to take into account. For example, a company may learn that they need to prioritize
sustainability and social responsibility in addition to profitability.

Inclusiveness and openness:

Inclusiveness refers to the practice of including all relevant perspectives in a debate or decision-
making process. For example, a company may engage with a diverse group of stakeholders, including
employees, customers, and community members, to ensure that all perspectives are considered.
Openness refers to the willingness to consider new considerations and parties in a debate or decision-
making process. For example, a company may be open to hearing from new stakeholders, such as
environmental activists or human rights organizations, and incorporating their perspectives into their
decision-making.