Ethics and responsibility Toolkit

Definitions

Ethics

Ethics has been defined as "moral philosophy: the study of the general nature of morals and of the specific moral choices to be made by a person."

(The American Heritage Dictionary of the English Language, 4^th edn.).

Ethics and morals, however, are not the same thing, even though they are inextricably linked. A moral philosophy develops over time and as a result of encountering and resolving moral problems as they arise.

Put simply, ethics is:

• a standard of conduct; and
• a moral compass that can be applied to a range of situations, e.g.,
  • a random act of kindness;
  • a reporter's questioning of a source; or
  • a life-and-death decision in a hospital intensive care unit.

Tuffley, D. (2004). Can Ethics be Taught? School of Information and Communication Technology, Griffith University. Project report.

Ethics involves:

• Ethics is about knowledge of universal principles and community and professional standards;
• Ethics is about evaluating your personal values;
• Ethics is about choices and the impact of choices on yourself and others;
• Ethics is about short-vs long-term consequences; and
• Ethics is about accepting responsibility for your choices.

Bugeja, M. (2000). Defining Character
Retrieved from the World Wide Web on 24 October, 2006.
http://www.character-education.com/path/columns.html

Ethics is not:

• Ethics is not about judging others;
• Ethics is not about legal rights;
• Ethics is not about family values;
• Ethics is not about good or bad outcomes; and
• Ethics is not about "experts" solving personal problems.

Bugeja, M. (2000). Defining Character
Retrieved from the World Wide Web on 24 October, 2006.
http://www.character-education.com/path/columns.html

"Ethics is about making the right decisions for all the right reasons."

Tuffley, D. (2004). Can Ethics be Taught? School of Information and Communication Technology, Griffith University. Project report, p.4.

"There are two aspects to ethics: The first involves the ability to discern right from wrong, good from evil and propriety from impropriety. The second involves the commitment to do what is right, good and proper. Ethics entails action; it is not just a topic to mull or debate."

The Josephson Institute: What is Ethics Anyway? In Maxwell, J.C. (2003). There's No Such Thing as Business Ethics.New York: Warner.
Retrieved from the World Wide Web on 24 October, 2006.
www.josephsoninstitute.org

Broad (1985), an eminent psychologist, argues that an individual's actions can be analysed according to the following three step process:

• A connection should be established between one moral characteristic and another e.g., good and right;
• An examination of the individual's moral philosophy will establish the intent and motive upon which his or her moral judgements are made; and
• An investigation into the choices individuals make, based upon his or her moral knowledge, reveals their ethics.

Broad, C.D. (1984). Ethics. Nijhoff International Philosophy Series20. C. Lewy (Ed.). cited in Davies, L. (2003). Ethics in Harry Potter: What do we see and what do we learn? Paper presented at Harry Potter and Contemporary Culture, Griffith University, Brisbane.

Social Responsibility

Social responsibility is just as hard a term to define as ethical behaviour. It is easier to describe than define. For example, Polk (n.d.) lists the following components of social responsibility:

• Recognition and acceptance of the consequences of each action and decision one undertakes;
• Caring attitude towards self and others;
• Sense of control and competence;
• Recognition and acceptance of individual and cultural diversity;
• Recognition of basic human rights of self and others;
• The ability to be open to new ideas, experiences, and people;
• Understanding of the importance of volunteering in social and community activities;
• Ability to engage in experimentation with various adult roles; and
• Development of leadership, communication, and social skills.

Polk, R.K. Social Responsibility.
Retrieved from the World Wide Web on 24 October, 2006.
http://ag.arizona.edu/fcs/cyfernet/nowg/sc_social.html

As well:

"Social responsibility is multidimensional in that being responsible goes beyond just being respectful of others; it means experiencing, as well as appreciating, our interdependence and connectedness with others and our environment."

Berman, S. (1997). Social Consciousness and the Development of Social Responsibility. Albany, NY: State University of New York Press, quoted in Polk, R.K. Social Responsibility.
Retrieved from the World Wide Web on 24 October, 2006.
http://ag.arizona.edu/fcs/cyfernet/nowg/sc_social.html