Ethics

The Meaning of
Ethical Framework
01 • Explain the meaning of ethical framework

02 • Distinguish among five ethical framework

03 • Defined three main ethical approaches.

•
04 Articulate the various mental frames of ethics.
01 Ethical Framework
01 Ethical Framework

❖ It is a set of codes that an individual uses to guide his her behavior.

❖ It is another term for “Moral Standard” to which follows the rules of what is right and wrong

❖ It is what people use to distinguish the moral good and moral bad in the way they interact
with the world

❖ It is a used to determine the moral object of an action.

❖ An ethical framework guides an individual in answering these two questions. “ What do I

ought to do” and why do I have to do so” so it serves as guide in our life.
01 Five Ethical Framework
 01 Virtu of Ethics Aristotle

• Virtue ethics asks who is the ethical person? For

Aristotle the ethical person is virtuous, one who has
developed good character or has developed virtues.

• One attains virtues when he/she actualizes his/her

potentials or possibilities the highest of which is
happiness.

• Happiness is the joy of self – realization, self fulfillment,

the experiences of having actualized one’s potential
 02 Natural Law of St. Thomas

• What is right is what follows the natural law, the rule

which says “ Do good and Avoid Evil”

• In knowledge the good as distinguished from evil and

one is guided by the “Ten Commandments” Which is
summed up as loving God and One’s Fellowmen.
 03 Duty Framework of
Immanuel Kant
• Kant’s framework is “DEON” deontological Framework.

• Deontology centers on the rights of individuals and the intentions

associated with particular behavior equal respect… given to all
person”

• Deontology approach is based on universal principles such as

honesty, fairness, justice and respect for persons means and
property.

• One must act such that his/her maxim will be the maxim of all

• maxim is a rule that connects an action to the reasons for the

action. The moral status of an action must be determined by
evaluating its maxim. A maxim is a rule that connects an action to
the reasons for the action, i.e., a motivation/goal/context
 04 Utilitarianist, Teleological
And Consequential Framework
• The Utilitarianist Teleological approach focuses on consequences.

• The decision maker is concerned with the utility of decision.

• What really counts is the net balance of good consequences over bad
“ The rightness of an action depends on the said net balance of good
consequences.

• For example, if you are choosing ice cream for yourself, the utilitarian
view is that you should choose the flavor that will give you the most
pleasure. If you enjoy chocolate but hate vanilla, you should choose
chocolate for the pleasure it will bring and avoid vanilla because it
will bring displeasure.
05 Love and Justice Framework

• Love is often considered a partial, even blind,

sentiment that underlies only personal
relationships. It is the basic value governing private
life. Justice, on the other hand, is supposed to be the
basic value governing our public life.

• It is worth noting that love and justice are important

virtues in human life and as such should be practiced
by all. They however do not come at ease especially
justice and thus sacrifice should be made in order to
attain justice. They are intimately related and hence the
absence of one or both makes life terrible
 Three Main Ethical Approach

01 ❖Virtue Ethics

02 ❖Utilitarianism

03 ❖Deontology

The difference between these approaches to morality

04 tends to lie more in the way moral dilemmas are
approached, rather than reaching conclusion.
06 Virtue Theory

• Emphasizes the role of one’s character and

the virtues that one’s character embodies for
determining or evaluating ethical behavior.

• Virtue ethics concerned the “BEING” rather

than “DOING”. In virtue ethics, morality
stems from the identity and/or character of
the individual rather than being a reflection
of the actions (or consequences ) of the
individual
07 Utilitarianism

• It is one form of consequentialism which has as its

main tenet that we should seek the greatest happiness
of the greatest number

• Greatest Happiness principles of John Stuart Mill.

• Our determinant of the desirability of an action is the

net amount of happiness it brings, the number of
people it brings it to and the duration of the happiness.
08 Deontological

• It a place that emphasized the adhering to

ethical principles or duties and fulfilling
obligations.

• How these duties are defined, however is

often a point of contention and debate in
ethics.

• It depends at least partially upon moral

absolutes that make an action moral
regardless of circumstances.
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