Ethics

Ethics

Cheyann Kelly-Crisler

ETH/316

02/29/2016

Professor Antoon

Ethics

        While virtue theory, utilitarianism and deontological ethics are all very similar, they do categorize ethics in different terms. Virtue theory emphasizes the way someone feels as their key element of ethical thinking. It emphasizes character while utilitarianism is defined as consequentialism or that “the moral worth of an action is determined by its outcome” (“Political Groove,” 2007). Dentology or dentological ethics are ones that focus solely on the morality of the actions rather than the consequences. Dentology is often seen as a contrast to utilitarianism because it focuses mainly on the actions rather than the consequences as utilitarianism does.

        The difference between ethics, morals, and virtue can be explained as so:

• Ethics – the philosophical examination of what constitutes right and wrong or good and bad behavior
• Morality – the function of applying ethical principles (technically you don’t have ethical behavior, you have moral behavior)
• Virtue – thought or behavior guided by high moral standards” (Ethics in Corrections, 2016).

Ethics are the common knowledge that defines what is right and what is wrong. Laws are based on ethics for the greater good of the public for example, but simply because someone knows that it’s the line between right and wrong, doesn’t mean he or she feels as if that should apply to them. For example, the speed limit; it’s ethical to go the speed limit for the safety of everyone on the road, but a driver may feel like they can go over the speed limit if no one else is driving on said road at the time. This driver would have morality if they see that no one is on the road, they don’t see any police vehicles monitoring drivers, and they are alone to drive as fast as they want, but they do not because it’s not moral and is against the law. By having moral behavior, this driver also exemplifies virtuous behavior. He or she knew it would be wrong to drive over the speed limit even though no one would be effected or even know, but they didn’t because it’s wrong.