PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY

AND ETHICS Lecture Note -1

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatma Tugce SENBERBER DUMANLI
fatma.senberber@nisantasi.edu.tr
What Makes a
Country Developed?
 What Makes a Country Developed?
History???

• The history of
underdeveloped India and
Egypt is more than 2000
years old.

• New Zealand and Australia

have developed about 200
years.
 What Makes a Country Developed?
Overpopulation???

• The developing countries

of China, India and
Mexico have large
populations.

• The developed countries of

Finland, Belgium and
Luxembourg have small
populations.
 What Makes a Country Developed?
Wealth of natural resources???
• Underdeveloped countries
such as Brazil and Libya
are very rich in natural
resources.

• Japan and Switzerland,

which have limited natural
resources, are among the
most developed countries in
the world.
What Makes a Country Developed?
Smarter managers???

• When managers in developed

and underdeveloped countries
are compared, there are no
significant differences in
intellectual terms.
What creates the difference
in development between
countries????
• In your opinion, what
are the characteristics
and image of an
engineer who abides
by ethical rules?
Objectives of the Course
• In this course, it is aimed to gain the
competencies related to professional
ethics.

Course Content
• Definition of ethics, ethical behaviors,
principles of ethics, factors that play a
role in engineering ethics.
 Week Issue/Subject
1 Introduction to ethics
2 The relationship of ethics and morality
Weekly Course 3 The relationship of ethics and society
Content 4 Codes of ethics
5 Ethical decision-making process
6 Social corruption
7 The causes of social corruption
8 Mid-term Exam
9 Social responsibility
10 Social responsibility aspects of business
11 Social responsibility aspects of business
12 Unethical behavior
13 Ensuring an ethical environment in the workplace
14 Case study
Recommended/ Required Reading Course Book
Charles Fleddermann-Engineering Ethics,
2nd ed-Prentice Hall (2003).
What is the • Ethic; It is expressed as spiritual duties
meaning of and rules related to them that people feel
ethic? obliged to comply with in order to
achieve goodness.
Unethical behaviors
Ensuring an ethical
environment in the workplace
Thanks for listening!
Any question?
PROFESSIONAL LIABILITY
AND ETHICS Lecture Note -2
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatma Tugce SENBERBER DUMANLI
fatma.senberber@nisantasi.edu.tr
 WHAT IS
ETHICS?

ETHICS –
MORAL
RELATIONSHIP
Ethics is sacred; because it has no
equal in value and cannot be
measured by any other kind of
value.
MK Ataturk
 • In daily life, every person strives to meet
Concept of Ethics their physiological, biological and
psychological needs. The behaviors,
communications and efforts displayed to
meet these needs are sometimes carried
out within a certain plan and sometimes
with instant impulses.
• Which of these behaviors is ethical and
which is unethical?
• According to whom; and according to
what?
There are verbal and non-verbal rules that are effective in determining the
ethical framework for evaluating an individual's behavior.

Traditions Customs

Ethical values

Social rules Laws

What is • Ethic; It is expressed as
ethics? spiritual duties and rules
related to them that
people feel obliged to
comply with in order to
achieve goodness.
• Ethics is, above all, the search for
and understanding of a desired life.
However, in social life, it is about
setting all the goals in their place,
determining what to do and what not
to do, and knowing what to want
and what not to want.
• Individuals have different roles
in society such as spouse,
friend, parent, citizen and
teacher. This requires
establishing a standard of
behavior that tells how to act in
many situations. However,
establishing ethical standards is
a long and difficult process.
• When different definitions of
ethics are examined, two
basic common features come
to the fore. The first of these;
Ethics is a historical, social
and dynamic process. The
other is; Ethics is becoming
concrete and visible on the
basis of interpersonal
relations.
• There are 5 factors that can affect the
formation of ethical decisions. These;
• Individual factors
• Social factors
• Factors related to belief systems
• Legal factors
• These are professional factors.
• Aristotle was the first philosopher to separate ethics from a theoretical philosophy and treat it
as a field of philosophy in its own right . Accordingly, different philosophers later commented
on it from different perspectives.
• Ethics as a discipline has goals and limits. In this sense, different ethics classes have been
created.
1- Personal ethics: These are the ethical standards that a person creates primarily with his
own conscience.
2- Social ethics: It refers to the generally accepted value judgments of the society in which
human beings, who are social beings, live. The historical background, social and economic
characteristics of the society are effective in the formation of social ethics.
3- Global ethics: It can be defined as the international acceptance of business ethics and
social ethics. International relations and strategies are included in the subjects of global ethics.
Historical Development of the Concept of Ethics
• Ethics has developed throughout human history, depending on all ideological, economic
and cultural factors of the emerging periods.
• According to Socrates, the source of virtue and knowledge can be found within the
person. Here, knowledge is virtue and being ethically superior is based on knowledge.
According to Socrates, virtue is thought to be the knowledge of distinguishing good from
bad, and virtue is learned through knowledge.
• According to Plato, the main goal is to reach the "highest good". Goodness means virtue,
and people achieve virtue through wisdom, bravery, moderation and justice.
• Although technological and economic
developments after the industrial
revolution have relatively reduced the
value people attach to the concepts of
ethics and morality, recent
developments have re-emphasized the
importance of these concepts.
 What is morality?
• The unwritten rules that determine behavior
that is considered good or bad in a society are
referred to as morality. Morality is the way a
person's conscience classifies certain actions
as "right" and "good".
• Morality includes many concepts due to its
broad meaning. Chief among these are;
character, discipline (which can be thought of
as self-control or internal control), and
conscience.
Just as moral norms and rules that have general validity for
everyone have not been formed at any time in history,
moral rules that have general validity everywhere and at all
times have not been formed.

In orher words; It may occur at certain times, in certain

societies, and may differ from region to region.
• Religion has been one of the most
important factors determining the social life
of societies since ancient times. Throughout
history and even today, the moral standards
of many societies derive from their beliefs.
Ethics – Morality
Relationship

• Ethic with morality The difference

between morality own our character
When defining ethics social of the
system drink its functioning is to
determine. Ethics specify one of the
group members by adopted moral to
the rules It is based on .
• Ethics does not make moral
judgments about individual
actions, but analyzes at a higher
level how moral judgments about
actions are formed. This makes
ethics more theoretical and
morality more practical. For this
reason, we can say that ethics is
theoretical in determining what is
good and right, and morality is its
application.
In other words,

• Ethics, the morals and values that people have, also shape people's behavior. He
states that morality is an application of ethics. It expresses the values that a
person wants to express at certain times and situations. Morality ensures the
realization of this situation. Ethic; morality while including all elements; deals with
the details of behavior. In short, while ethics sets forth the principles for human
behavior, morality ensures the partial implementation of these principles.
Thanks for listening

 PROFESSIONAL
LIABILITY AND ETHICS
Lecture Note -3

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatma Tugce SENBERBER DUMANLI

fatma.senberber@nisantasi.edu.tr
THE RELATIONSHIP OF ETHICS AND SOCIETY
• Man has always sought to know how to lead a ‘good’ life and to
draw up rules of conduct. Ethics are a set of standards that a
society place on itself and which helps guide behavior, choices and
actions.
Role of ethics in our society
Survival of
society

Evaluating
own Making life
morality easy

Functioning Aid in
of making
organisations laws
Role of ethics in our society

• Survival of society: No society can survive without an ethical code

of conduct of what is acceptable and what is not. It is even more
important where laws do not reach. For example, taking care of
older parents
• Making life easy: Ethics help individuals take decisions in most
facets of life without having to scrutinize the good and bad of
everything. For example, an individual does not have to learn on his
own not to steal etc.
• Aid in making laws: Ethics by themselves are not enforceable, and
hence most ethical standards are incorporated as laws. For example,
laws to punish sexual harassment at office.
• Functioning of organisations: Each organisation evolves its own
ethical code reflective of its values, to guide the conduct of its
members. For example, civil services have their own code of conduct,
while Army has its own.
• Evaluating own morality: Ethics help a person to look at his own life
critically and to evaluate the morality of his actions/choices/decisions.
For example, everyone following lane discipline will help you see the
wrong in your actions if you break lanes.
• Ethics make a society peaceful, harmonious and a better place to
live by guiding the behavior of people. Ethics act as a self-governing
system to keep human self-interest and the good of society at
equilibrium because the eyes of the law are not always available.
Role of • Every organization has an ethical code
professional that guides its decision-making and
ethics in the activities to have effective productivity
society and maintain its reputation.
• Ethical behavior ensures that staff
completes work with honesty and
integrity and meets the aim of an
organization by adhering to rules and
policies.
 • Ethical behavior and morality are first learned from
the family. Family is the foundation of society.
Behavior styles within the family and theoretical
moral teaching must be compatible. Otherwise,
the moral development of the individual will be
Ethics - Society negatively affected.
Relationship • Since there are individuals that make up the
society, the average of the moral developments of
individual individuals constitutes the morality of
the society. Accordingly, behavior that may be
considered morally good in some societies may
be considered bad in other societies.
• The factors that form the social
basis of ethical behavior can be
grouped under three headings.
• Culture
• Values
• Norms
• Culture includes a society's way of life, language,
tastes, literature, folklore, artistic activities, and
essentially its creative power. Individuals learn the
values offered by the group, society and culture they
live in through acculturation. Because it should not
be ignored that individuals who do not behave in
accordance with cultural values are excluded and
not accepted by society.
• Values are the importance an individual attaches to different factors
in his life. Value can also be defined as any thought structure, object
or activity that is important for the individual. Values are considered
as criteria that guide all behaviors of individuals such as thoughts,
attitudes and feelings. Values constitute an integral element of
social integrity. In order for an individual to live a balanced life in
society, it is necessary to know what the established values in
society are.
Norms; It is formed by considering and applying values in relation to
specific roles. Norm; It guides the person in determining mutual
rights, duties and responsibilities. The individual's attitudes and
behaviors are evaluated according to the norm.

Norms can be divided into two: written and unwritten.

• Written norms; It is regulated and put into effect by authorized

bodies in the form of laws, statutes and regulations. Written
norms are changed when necessary. The order of the state and
society is ensured by written norms.
• Unwritten norms; customs and traditions.
• Norms that are widespread and have been
repeated and explained by a large part of the
population for a long time are called "customs".
• Social norms that have this quality and are subject
to high degree of evaluation are called "customs".
Behaviors that were once considered right by
customs may later be considered wrong. For
example; blood feud, bride price etc.
• Law is generally a set of rules that regulate the
relations between individuals and individuals,
individuals and the state, and that must be followed.
The most fundamental feature that distinguishes legal
rules from moral rules is that public authority power
comes into play in case of non-compliance with legal
rules.
• Although they have different characteristics from law
in terms of both their form and content and their
sanctions, there is a close relationship between moral
rules and legal rules. For example; Behaviors that are
considered morally bad, such as theft, fraud, taking
and giving bribes, are also actions that are considered
crimes and sanctioned by the rules of law.
 II I
• Ethical but illegal • Ethical and Legal
• Example: Some • Example: Sustain
protest actions of the safety of
Greenpeace, a çivil workplace
society organisation,
for environmental
protection

Ethics vs. Law

III IV
• Unethical and • Unethical but legal
illegal • Example: Using
• Example: Employing company facilities
uninsured workers for private purposes
Individual and Institutional Consequences of Behavior
Compliant with Ethical Values

Gain respect
Don't be trustworthy
Have a good image
Getting help solving problems
Acceptance in society
Thanks for listening ☺
 PROFESSIONAL
LIABILITY AND ETHICS
Lecture Note -4

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatma Tugce SENBERBER DUMANLI

fatma.senberber@nisantasi.edu.tr
Code of ethics

• A code of ethics is a set of principles and rules used

by individuals and organizations to govern their
decision-making process, as well as to distinguish
right from wrong. They provide a general idea of the
ethical standards of a business or organization.
However, people can have their own personal code of
ethics as well.
 • First of all, humans and human happiness
should be a goal, not a means.
Purposes of
• Fundamental honesty and adherence to the law
ethical codes
• Self-criticism and trust
• Common culture of emotions and values
• democratic participation
• Integral perspective
• Conflicts of interest resulting in creativity and
compromise
• Reliability and quality regarding the product
• Workplace hygiene and safety
 Ethical Expectations in Society

Personel Religious Codes of Ethics

Secular Codes of Ethics

Ethical codes
The Legal Profession

The Medical Profession

Professional
The Business World

Teacher and Education ……

Professional Ethic codes
- How to Create a Code of Ethics?
• Organizations create codes of ethics in order to eliminate
unacceptable or immoral behavior from their members. These are
typically structured around existing ethical issues within their industry.
• The first step is for the organization to identify its priorities, as well as
any ethical issues that it wishes to avoid. For example, an
organization may want to avoid having conflicts of interest, because of
previous scandals in which employees acted against the interests of
the company or clients. As a result, their code of ethics might prohibit
certain inappropriate relationships, or prohibit employees from any
appearance of a conflict of interests.
 Public Employees
• It is possible to examine the activities carried
out by the state in a wide range of areas
such as security, justice, education, health,
social security and the work of local
governments. The state carries out the
activities within its scope of responsibilities
through public officials. Public officials, on
the other hand, are obliged to carry out
public activities in accordance with the
constitution, laws, regulations, directives,
circulars and legislation.
Ethical Codes of Public Professionals
• Public service awareness in the
performance of duty
• Public service awareness
• Compliance with service standards
• commitment to purpose
• Honesty and impartiality
• Respect and trust
• Ban on receiving gifts
• Avoiding conflicts of interest
• Not using duties and powers for benefit
The Legal Profession
• Lawyers, paralegals and other employees of the legal
profession are bound to a general code of ethics. A few of
these governing ethics include:
• Confidentiality - Lawyers must maintain their clients'
confidence at all times.
• Competence - Legal professionals must represent their
clients with a high level of competence.
• Professional Courtesy - Lawyers must treat their
colleagues with fairness and courtesy.
 The Medical Profession

• The American Medical Association imposes a code of ethics on physicians. It

addresses everything from interpersonal relationships with other staff members to
information on patient care. For instance:
• Trust - Doctors must instill a sense of trust between themselves and their patients.
• Do No Harm - Doctors cannot engage in any activity that would cause harm to their
patients.
• Privacy - Doctors cannot share the details of their patients' medical treatments or
histories without permission.
The Business World

• Corporations and have codes of ethics to help

workers decide if certain behaviors are appropriate
and acceptable when dealing with clients and
outside agencies. Many organizations require
employees to attend yearly training on ethics and,
in some cases, to sign statements promising to
adhere to all ethical guidelines laid out by the
company.
 The Business World
• Examples of ethics in the business world include:
• Integrity - Employees should maintain honesty and clear communication in the
workplace.
• Teamwork - Members of a professional organization should work together to get
the job done.
• Objectivity - Employers should not make career decisions based on whom they
like best or with whom they have personal relationships.
 Teachers and Education
• Teachers and other education professionals are role models to their students.
Their code of ethics not only protects their students against mistreatment, but it
also protects their sense of fairness itself. Some code of ethics examples in
education include:
• Consideration - Teachers should put the needs of their students first.
• Growth - Educators need to pursue professional growth.
• Communication - Teachers work with parents as a support team for each
student.
 • Certain codes of ethics, such as religious codes of
Personel Ethics ethics, apply only to members of select groups.
Religious Codes of Ethics They are based on morals shared by tenets and
members of that religion. Examples of religious
codes of ethics include the Ten Commandments of
Judaism, the Beatitudes of Christianity, the Five
Pillars of Islam, and the Noble Eightfold Path of
Buddhism.
• Some shared ethics in these religions include:
• Value of Life - Do not kill your fellow human.
• Pursue Peace - Avoid violence when possible.
• Do Not Steal - Don't take things that don't belong
to you.
 Ethical Expectations in Society

• Society at large assumes that certain ethics, morals and values can be expected
regardless of religion, geographic location or nationality. The classic example is
the Golden Rule: "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." Other
examples of societal ethical behavior include:
• Respect - Citizens must respect another's property, choices and lives.
• Loyalty - People put their family and friends' needs before their own.
• Honesty - Individuals tell the truth to community members and authority figures.
 Secular Codes of Ethics
• Personal codes of ethics do not require religion, however. Immanuel
Kant's categorical imperative and the Utilitarian rule of the greatest good for the
greatest number are both ethical codes that do not require any religious basis.
Some of these ethics may include:
• Sustainable Living - Live in a way that doesn't waste unsustainable resources.
• Care for the Vulnerable - Those who are medically or economically disadvantaged
should have priority of care.
• Benefit the Greater Good - Make sure that your decisions help others rather than
just yourself.
Universal Ethical Values
Honesty

Responsible
Integrity
citizenship

Respect for
Promise-keeping
others

Fairness Fidelity
What are
codes of ethics
in engineering?
 Ethical codes in working
with computers
• Nowadays, the use of computers in
homes, schools, offices, factories and
stores has become commonplace.
Large amounts of information are
stored and retrieved on computers for
many different purposes. Major
developments in computer
technologies have also led to the
emergence of ethical problems
regarding computers.
Regarding computer ethics, there are problems on
four main ethical issues of the information age.

Security Ownership

Truth Access
• The use of information and communication technologies in communication
has changed the relationships between individuals. The decrease in personal
intimacy and the speed of communication do not leave users enough time to
carefully consider the ethical dimension of their actions.
• Electronic information is more fragile than paper information. Because
electronic information can be changed much more easily and is more
vulnerable to unauthorized access.
• Intellectual property rights, theft, piracy and privacy issues have become
current problems.
• Desires to protect information integrity, information reliability and accessibility
of information conflict.
In this context, the ethical rules that must be followed when
using computers are as follows:
Do not use a computer to harm other people.
Do not interfere with other people's computer work.
Do not access other people's computer files.
Do not use it to steal a computer.
Do not use a computer to bear witness.
Don't copy or use software you haven't paid for.
Don't steal other people's intellectual works.
Think about the social consequences of the program you wrote or the
system you designed.
 • The sender's name should be written in the e-
mail text, addressing the person to whom it is
sent.
• The message should be short and concise
Ethical rules in
electronic • Answer should be given to the subject, not the
communication person.
• Humorous and sarcastic language should not
be used
• Sentences that do not tend to be
misunderstood should be used.
• A polite correspondence language
• A subject must be written in the subject line.
• FIRE, WATER AND MORALITY
Fire, water and morality have come together in
a way. After they met, they struck up a
conversation. They started to introduce
themselves. The fire started to speak: I am the
fire: I am the lover, he said, I am the reason for
warmth sometimes in the dark, sometimes in
the cold. Sometimes I am the sun, sometimes I
am a piece of ember, I burn whatever comes
my way when I don't like it. I'm very good. "I
can be used many times," says the fire and
adds. But if I get angry, I will burn everything
around me. Sometimes I become a fire, I catch
it suddenly, in the emptiest moments. That's
why he says keep good relations with me.
• FIRE, WATER AND MORALITY
(Continued…)
Water begins to speak: It is from me,
water says: I am the source of life. My
absence is very bad. Without me,
living beings cannot survive. He says,
"I am present in every life." There is
life where I am. Then he starts talking
about its harms, just like fire does. But
if I get angry, sometimes I become a
flood, sometimes I come with a storm
and swallow everything. That's why he
says keep good relations with me.
• FIRE, WATER AND MORALITY (Continue…)
It's time for morality: Morality is mine, it says: I have a
different place in the order of life. I have no evil. He
says he won't threaten anyone.
Then Ateş speaks up and says: "I loved this friendship
very much." You know, if we lose each other one day,
how will we meet? Water says, if you lose me, don't
run away when you see rain, come closer, I will be
there. Ateş says, if you lose me, if you see smoke, if
you feel warmth, come immediately, I will be there.
It's time for morality: What he said is very meaningful.
He says, "Be you, don't lose me." If you lose me once,
you may never find me again.
Thanks for listening ☺
 PROFESSIONAL
LIABILITY AND ETHICS
Lecture Note -5

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatma Tugce SENBERBER DUMANLI

fatma.senberber@nisantasi.edu.tr
Approaches
based on the
development
of ethical
principles
 • Since the concept of ethics has a
relatively subjective feature, it can
sometimes suggest different
approaches in its definition and
sometimes in its framework. In this
sense, the underlying causes of
ETHICAL behavior and the consequences of
THEORIES behavior come to the fore and
evaluations should be made on this
basis. Commonly encountered
theoretical approaches to ethics are
generalities, teleological approach and
deontological approach.
Reasons (Motives) Actions Results

Rule (Why) Based Result Based

• The difference between these two theories is that
the teleological approach defines the ethics of an
action by observing the consequences of the
decision (outcome), while the deontological
approach defines it by observing the decision
process (method).
• In moral approaches, which are generally grouped
under two headings, the most important
representative of the reason- or rule-based
approach is Immanuel Kant, while in result-based
approaches, the utilitarian approach generally
stands out.
 Teleological Approach
(Consequentialism)
• The teleological approach is
interested in the consequences
of behaviors and decisions and
attaches importance to the
consequences of behaviors and
decisions. Accordingly, an
individual's decision is ethical if
it benefits a large number of
people.
• In teleological theory, the good and
bad consequences of an action are
first revealed through benefit-cost
analysis. It is decided whether the
good consequences outweigh the
bad consequences. If good
consequences are greater, the action
is judged to be morally appropriate.
 Egoism
(Individualism)
Teleological
Approach
Pragmatism
There are generally two classifications for
teleological theory.
• Egoism , which only a few consequentialists advocate . According to egoism, the right
action is the action that maximizes the individual's interest among these alternatives, that
is, the one that gives the highest benefit or least harm to the individual, considering all
alternative outcomes.
• The second type is the theory of utilitarianism , defended by many consequentialists ,
which denies that the right action concerns only a single individual, the 'I' . According to
utilitarianism, the right action should maximize the benefit of the whole. According to
teleological moral theories, the consequences determine the goodness or badness of an
action or occurrence. That is, if the result is good, the action or occurrence is good; If the
outcome is bad, the action or occurrence is bad.
Deontological Approach
(Rule-Reason Based)
• Theories that describe
theories that do not
require questioning the
consequences of
moral behavior are
called deontological.
Immanuel Kant
• The deontological approach, unlike the teleological
approach, focuses on the correctness of actions rather
than consequences. The rightness or wrongness of an
action; It examines whether an action fulfills various
moral duties and rules, regardless of its consequences.
• Ethical action involves the individual doing his duty;
Performing the task is considered right, not doing it is
considered wrong.
• This approach is based on the principle
that individuals or groups determine
their actions according to their basic
duties and rights. The individual makes
his decisions with the help of a guide
consisting of moral principles or rules. In
summary, the basic elements that
determine actions are moral obligations
and duties.
 1. You shall not kill.
2. You will not cause pain.
Gert, one of the
contemporary 3. You won't make it enough.
representatives of 4. You will not restrict freedom.
the Kantian
5. You won't be able to stop liking it.
philosopher, says
that rational people 6. You won't be fooled.
should obey fifty 7. Once you make a promise, you will
rules for the benefit keep it.
of everyone, and
collects them in 10 8. You will not cheat or cheat.
articles. 9. You will not deviate from legal
means.
10. You will not neglect your duty.
 Morality and
Rights
Deontological Approach
Approach
Just Approach
Morality and Rights Approach:

• It is based on the basis that individuals have

fundamental rights and freedoms such as will,
privacy, security, development and survival, and
that these are parameters that cannot be ignored
in the individual's decisions.

Just Approach:

• It is based on the concepts of equality, justice and

impartiality.
 The approaches based on the development of ethical
principles are the principles of equity, human rights,
ETHICS utilitarianism and individualism.
SYSTEMS IN Equity; It emphasizes that all decisions are consistent,
GENERAL impartial and based on facts.
Human rights focus on the existence, integrity and
fundamental human rights of individuals.
Utilitarianism undertakes to make the decision that
will be good for everyone.
Individualism argues that the main goal of individuals
is to increase their personal gains in the long term.
Different perspectives represent different ethical
systems. Ethical systems also represent different
human creations.
 ETHICS DEFINITION
SYSTEMS
Instead of a single Intended outcome The moral rightness of an action
ethical system, it is ethics is determined by its intended
necessary to consequences.
develop different Rule ethics The moral rightness of an action
ethical systems and is determined by standards and
effective ways of laws.
thinking that will
direct individual Social contract The moral rightness of an action
ethics is determined by the norms and
behavior towards
traditions of a society.
the right and good.
Personal ethics The moral rightness of an action
is determined by one's
conscience.
Social life ethics Social and ecological rules that a
 • The moral rightness of an action is determined by its
intended consequences.
• Intended outcome ethics is commonly known as
Intended utilitarianism.
outcome • It brings a practical approach to problems and focuses on
ethics the results to be achieved.
• According to Mill, what makes an action "good" is that it
provides happiness with the benefit it brings. He argues
that happiness, which is the criterion of "good", is not only
the happiness of the person who acts, but also the
happiness of everyone concerned, and therefore of all
humanity.
• Intended consequence ethics' practical approach to
problems and its utilitarian approach, which requires that
the individuals affected by actions are taken into account
in the decision, can help solve daily problems.
 • There are rules to be followed in life. Some of these
rules are written rules. These are called laws.
Rule ethics
• Failure to comply with these rules has criminal
penalties. However, not everything that is legal is
ethical. True ethics trumps legality.
• Rule ethics was developed by Immanuel Kant. Kant
stated that ethical principles have been known for
years and that they are universal and objective.
• The search for universal rules valid for all people
can draw solid frameworks on which the individual
will base his behavior.
 • Adopting social contract ethics and the principles
and standards accepted by the society as an
Social individual can be beneficial in resolving the conflicts
contract arising from living in society.
ethics • Its pioneer is Jean Jack Rousseau. For him, the
most important phenomenon is the balance
between authority and freedom.
• People have to comply with the legal rules
determined by a contract called "social contract".
• Legal rules are based on a social contract made
between free people under equal conditions.
 • Martin Buber, one of the most important
representatives of the personal ethics system,
Personal argues that the source of personal ethics is the
ethics voice (conscience) coming from the individual.
• Personal ethics determines one's individual
standing in society. This ethical understanding is
based on the moral background of the individual.
• It is the reaction or attitude of an individual to the
events in his/her life and surroundings.
• Personal ethics argues that truth and truth come
from within the individual, not just from intelligence.
• Personal ethics enables the individual to return to
himself.
 • It is a set of rules that a person must follow in
the relationships he establishes in social life.
Social life • Every living thing in nature needs other living
ethics things to live. Undoubtedly, the living species
that feels this need the most is humans.
However, there are rules that people must
follow both in their relationships among
themselves and in their relationships with
other living creatures in nature. These are
called social life ethics.
• Colleagues, students and employees are not
guided by any interests. All members of
society avoid behavior that could be
considered inappropriate.
Thanks for listening ☺
 PROFESSIONAL
LIABILITY AND ETHICS
Lecture Note -6

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Fatma Tugce SENBERBER DUMANLI

fatma.senberber@nisantasi.edu.tr
The Concept of Professional
Ethics
 THE CONCEPT OF PROFESSIONAL ETHICS
• The sum of ethical principles and standards that
direct and guide behavior in business life is called
"professional ethics". They are professional
principles that order the members of a certain
professional group, force them to behave according
to certain rules, limit their personal tendencies,
exclude incompetent and unprincipled members
from the profession, regulate professional
competition and aim to protect service ideals.
• Society and individuals have the right to expect
business to behave ethically. It is the laws,
regulations and decisions taken by professional
organizations that will determine the behavior of
the business world within an ethical framework. It
is the professional and the management of the
organization to which he/she is a member that is
primarily responsible for his/her professional
behavior. At this point, management is required
to resolve moral issues.
• The purpose of professional ethical rules is to
determine center- and unit-specific standards
regarding the performance, actions and
behaviors of the personnel and units within its
scope. These rules aim to clarify the standard of
conduct expected of all members of the internal
audit function when performing their duties.
These rules cover all personnel and units that
must comply with auditing standards.
• Professional ethics is expressed
as the discipline of acting
according to moral and
professional principles while
performing professional activities.
• Acting in accordance with
professional ethics in the conduct
of any profession will play an
important role in the profession
gaining respect and trust in
society.
• For example; A customer who
thinks that he/she has been
deceived by an unethical
behavior will not only damage the
company's image but also cause
customer loss.
 Ahi unions established during the
Ottoman period are an organization with
very strict rules in this regard. For
example; A tradesman who was expelled
from these unions for ethical reasons
could never practice that profession
again anywhere in the country.
The most important feature of professional ethics is that the rules of
conduct related to the profession are valid wherever in the world. It is
a requirement of professional ethics that members of the same
profession comply with certain behaviors in their relations with each
other or with their customers.

Professional dignity is strictly adhered to the standards of

professional ethics or the rules for the practice of the profession.

For example, it is important for professional reputation that the

Chamber of Medicine, the Chamber of Independent Accountants and
the Chamber of Financial Advisors carry out inspections to ensure
that individuals or institutions comply with ethical criteria in their
practices.
• Professional Ethics: The concept of professional
ethics is a system of principles and rules that regulates
the direction of all professional activities for good,
limits the personal desires of professional members
and prevents them from going beyond a certain line,
develops professional ideals, and excludes
unprincipled members from the profession.
• Principles do not strictly determine the course of action, they
include personal responsibility and in this respect they differ
from rules. The rules are definite and must be followed.
• Ethical rules are a set of principles generally accepted by
members of the profession. These rules consist of the
responsibilities of professional members towards their
profession, professional organization, colleagues, individuals
they serve and collaborate with, and themselves. It provides
information to professionals and the society about the basic
goals and responsibilities of the profession.
Why is professional ethics necessary?
• In the globalizing world, the rapidly increasing international circulation of
capital, goods and services has given unlimited power to profit-based
competition. The wealth transferred from the southern hemisphere to the
northern hemisphere has reached incredible levels. On the other hand, in
developing countries, income distribution is deteriorating, common public
interest is disregarded, economic activity is carried out without paying taxes,
waste of public resources, bribery and nepotism are becoming adopted as a
system.
• This situation shows that the guiding effect of professional ethics is needed.
 • In parallel with the rapid increase in the world
population, the need for employment also
Why is increases. When sufficient employment
professional opportunities are not created, the unemployed and
ethics poor will threaten civilization by resorting to social
and political violence to get a share of the wealth.
necessary?
• Newly developed biological and military
technologies are ultimately under the control of the
business world. If these are not handled with a
certain moral responsibility, a threat or danger may
arise that can cause great harm to the world.
Professional Ethical Principles
Integrity
• Truth; It is a concept that indicates honesty and
reliability. Ethical behavior requires honesty and
sincerity in relationships with others. Those who do
not act sincerely and honestly bring about their
own destruction in relationships and the
environment of trust disappears.
 Legality
• Adhering to the law in the production of all kinds of goods produced in
business life and in solving problems related to employees is also one of
the principles of professional ethics. Today, in business life, there are laws
that regulate both the field of production and working life. In fact, we can
say that not only states but also some international organizations are
effective in this regard. As examples of these, we can list the International
Labor Organization, which regulates working life, and the International
Standards Organization (ISO), which regulates production standards .
 Competence
• There are constant developments in business life every day.
Following these developments, renewing oneself and
adapting them to business life have an important place among
the principles of professional ethics. The professional
dimension of the profession gives the person identities such
as " expert, competent or competent person " in the society
when it comes to doing that job.
 Reliability
• All jobs considered as professions have their own ethical values and principles.
Members of the profession must act in accordance with these ethical values
and principles. If they do not act appropriately, professional ethics principles
come into play. We can list the general rules of professional ethical conduct as
follows.
• To separate incompetent and unprincipled members from the profession,
• Organizing intra-professional competition,
• To protect the ideals of the profession.
 Commitment to the Profession
• One of the principles of professional ethics is that a person cares about his
job and tries to do it in the best possible way. In short, we call this
commitment to the profession. Continuous self-improvement in business
life and benefiting from educational opportunities show the importance a
person attaches to his job. It is within professional ethics to consider not
only one's own development as sufficient but also to contribute to the
professional development of one's colleagues. Commitment to the
profession contributes to a person loving his job and working in a peaceful
environment. This increases efficiency.
Thanks for listening ☺