Professional

Practices
WEEK - 3
Recap

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES BY DR. TAHA JILANI

 Cr: TechReto

Computing Ethics

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES BY DR. TAHA JILANI

Ethics
Ethics is the study of right and wrong in relation to human actions. It
includes
• Meta-ethics: study of general principles from which ethical systems can be
built.
– Like, in a profession or society
• Moral Theory: ethical systems, consisting of the criteria to decide whether
individual actions are right and wrong
– Morality is describe as a personal beliefs and values that helps individuals to distinguish
between right and wrong
• Practical or Applied Ethics: application of ethical systems to the analysis of
particular situations.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES BY DR. TAHA JILANI

Ethics
Comparison

(Based on religious or
(Based on professional philosophical or
or field or cultural
organization norms/principles)
norms/principles)

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES BY DR. TAHA JILANI

What is Professional Ethics?
One's conduct of behavior and practice when carrying out professional
work
• Such as while, consulting, developing, researching, or teaching.

The principles and standards that guide members of a particular

profession in their interactions with internal & external stakeholders.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES BY DR. TAHA JILANI

Professional Ethics
Professional Ethics must take into accounts:
• Relations between professionals and clients
• Relation between profession and society
• Relations among professionals
• Relations between employee and employer

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES BY DR. TAHA JILANI

Why Professional Ethics?
Awareness of professional ethics is gaining importance with time.
Decision making process in the work place is a complex phenomena.
The professional ethics provide a way of simplifying that decision
making process.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES BY DR. TAHA JILANI

Ethical Philosophy
The ethics or moral philosophy, leads us to two basic forms of Ethical
reasoning :
1) Consequences-Based Ethical Reasoning
2) Rule-Based Ethical Reasoning

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES BY DR. TAHA JILANI

Ethical Philosophy
1) Consequences-Based Ethical Reasoning
– In this type, the rightness or wrongness is based only on the results of the action.
– Particular acts have no ethical, or moral, character.
– An act that produces good consequences is good. An act that produces bad
consequences is bad.
– Examples:
◦ You donate to a charitable organization because you believe it will have a positive
impact on the lives of those in need, which assesses actions based on the
consequences of benefiting others.
◦ If you see someone stranded on the side of the road with a flat tire, you stop to
help them, even if it makes you late for an appointment, and it is based on
consequence; i.e. helping someone in need.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES BY DR. TAHA JILANI

Ethical Philosophy
The ethics or moral philosophy, leads us to two basic forms of Ethical
reasoning :
2) Rule-Based Ethical Reasoning
– In this, acts are either right or wrong. For example, telling the truth is always right,
and lying is always wrong.
– In rule-based ethics, good consequences do not justify wrong or bad acts. For
example, in rule-based ethics, you cannot justify lying by showing that it produces
good consequences. Since the morality of an action is judge based on rules.
◦ Similarly, when deviation from “rule” occurs, authority takes corrective action
– Examples:
◦ Suppose your friend asks you if they look good in a new outfit, and you believe they don't.
With this approach you should tell the truth because honesty is considered a moral rule,
regardless of the potential hurt feelings or consequences.
◦ You respect your neighbor's property and privacy, even If you think you could benefit from
borrowing lawnmower without their permission. Respecting their rights is a rule-based ethical
principle.

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES BY DR. TAHA JILANI

Ethical Philosophy
Rule-Based vs Consequences-Based Ethical Reasoning
For almost all ethical decisions, these two forms of reasoning reach the same
conclusion.
Example:
• Rule >> Help others always / Say Truth Always
• Consequence >> Helping others is beneficial / Saying Truth is

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES BY DR. TAHA JILANI

Ethical Philosophy
Rule-Based vs Consequences-Based Ethical Reasoning
For almost all ethical decisions, these two forms of reasoning reach the same
conclusion.
Example:
• Rule >> Help others always / Say Truth Always
• Consequence >> Helping others is beneficial / Saying Truth is

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES BY DR. TAHA JILANI

Consequences-Based Ethical
Reasoning

PROFESSIONAL PRACTICES BY DR. TAHA JILANI