NORMATIVE EFMIEAL THEORIES ven maa standart \fcor principles with which paople ara expected to comple NORMATIVE ETHICS Horm etic i lexi on ml ng ubit tions a ronal corset erneerect rd how ove apts corchit remeber hres thar DEFINITION According to Bishai (2020, ormative othics *..is the branch of phtosophical ethics that investigates the sot of ‘questions that arise when considering how one ought to act, morally speaking’ (p. 158). + Virtue ethics: places emphasis fon character and values « Deontology: emphasizes the importance of following oral ales + Consequentialism: emphasizes the importance of the consequences of an action Definition Of Normative Ethics Normative ethics fs a branch of moral philosophy that identifies what should be considered ‘morally acceptable and unacceptable. It seeks to define criteria for judging the morality of behaviors, personality attributes, and other aspects of human conduct. ‘Three major normative ethics theories are: + virtue ethies + deontology * consequentialism 1. Virtue Ethics As opposed {0 other ethical theories, which focus on the consequences of an individual's actions, virtue ethics places emphasis on a person's character and values (Hursthouse & Pettigrove, 2003). ‘According to this theory, individuals must cultivate habits and qualities like courage, justice, temperance, wisdom, and compassion in order to lead a moral life that is conducive te humen Sourishing,cal Seaver et ot aberibe 0.4 set oF a6 hat lesa “ts So eivate ea owt ae of tora vite I OnE fo make sod 2003), ro} Heees (Murwehonte & Pettirove 2 Havin Wy actively seek opportunities to practice theie 1 Rebavior ig eociety overall 2. Dromteogy Deontology isa normative ethical theory emphasizing the Importance of following moral rules and lame when making ethical decisions (Alexander & Moore. 2007). or wrong based on whether it conforms to a set of moral principles, eves that an ction, regardless of the consequences rewlting ftom such action. Deontology holds that an individual must follow certain moral duties and obligations, such ax honesty, justice, respect for others, ete ‘These principles provile an objective basis for morality and can be universally applied. It means that ‘thical decisions are made without eonsidering context or individual circumstances. lual’s character but rather their actions Unlike virtue cthics, deantology does not emphasize an and whether they have followed the established set of moral rules. 3. Consequentialism Consequentiatism is a normative ethical theory that emphasizes the importance of the consequences of the action when making ethical decisions (Sinnott-Armstrong, 2019). argues that the morality of an ation is determined by its outcome, such that an action i ight if it Produces a good result and wrong if it produces a bad result. justifies the means as long as the consequences benefit those Consequentialism holds that the end, igations but focuses on maximizing positive affected. It means it does not consider moral duties or obi outcomes in any situation, ism does not have a set of universalizable principles. Instead, it Unlike deontology, consequent ia such as utility, pleasure, or overall happiness when determining relies on context-dependent erit ight from wrong. IMPORTANCE OF NORMATIVE ETHICS Normative ethics provides a framework for making responsible, informed decisions when faced with difficult ethical dilemmas. It outlines a set of guidelines that can be used to evaluate right from. wrong, good from bad, and moral from immoralItserves asa valuable tol for decision-making in organizations and businesses, offering an effective way to evaluate the potential risks of each action. 35 individuals to ponder their actions carefully and assess the positives and prior to making any potentially dire decisions. Iemphasizes values like faimess and respect which are necessary for developing beneficial interpersonal relationships in varios settings like home, school, work or any other social setting tencourges the rato ong cen fo consider al partisan et forthe greater Normative ethics provides individuals with the knowledge to make responsible choices that ae in everyone's best interests Examples of normative ethies Honesty Compassion Respect Responsibility Faimess Integrity