ETHICAL DECISION MAKING

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ETHICAL DECISION MAKING

• Presented by
• University of Cincinnati Office of Judicial
  Affairs

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INTRODUCTION

• Welcome
• Who are you?
• Name
• Class year
• Major
• Hometown
• List three adjectives to describe yourself
• (Be Honest!)

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• Confidentiality
• We arent here to discuss your
• specific violation, so I wont ask
• you to reveal it.
• But if you want to share
• something with the group, feel free.
• Participation!!!
• If you dont talk, this is BORING! This is
  an interactive workshop, not a class

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Ethics is

• Ethics is the study of morality
• Central principles of ethics
• Reversibility Would you want someone to do this
  to you?
• Universality Would you want everyone to do
  this?
• Other questions
• Am I treating others with respect?
• Am I violating the rights of others?
• Am I treating others only as a means to my own
  ends?
• Am I being honest with others and with myself?

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Ethics is

• Right vs. Wrong
• Also known as your conscience
• Usually a spontaneous decision
• You instantly know right from wrong
• Brainstorming exercise list of wrongs
• Who you are when no one is looking
• If your mom was watching, would you still do it?

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Ethics is not

• Ethics vs. Morals
• Ethics and morals are NOT always the same
• Morals personal view of values
• i.e. beliefs related to moral issues such as
  drinking, sex, gambling,
• Can reflect influence of religion, culture,
  family and friends
• Ethics how a moral person should behave
• Ethics transcends cultural, religious, and ethnic
  differences

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Ethics is not

• Examples
• Bob is a deeply religious person and believes
  that sex before marriage is immoral. However,
  sex, in and of itself, is not unethical.
• Sarahs parents taught her that drinking alcohol
  is immoral, but drinking is not unethical.

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Ethics is not

• Ethics is not about getting caught
• Even if you get away with
• something, it may still be unethical
• Ethics is not defined by what happens
• to you, but by your thoughts and actions
• Ethics is not about placing blame
• Do not judge other students based on their
  personal beliefs

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Ethics in the Media

• List all the well-known people who have been in
  the news recently for unethical behavior
• Watch each video clip and write down every
  ethical dilemma you see
• Was the dilemma resolved?
• How was it resolved?

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Video Clips Seinfeld
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Video Clips The Insider
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Video Clips Erin Brockovich
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Video Clips The Simpsons
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Group Activity

• Vignettes
• Split up into groups of two or three
• Read the situation and discuss the following
  questions in your group
• Is there an ethical dilemma present? Is there a
  moral dilemma present? What is it?
• How should the character solve the dilemma?
• How would you solve the dilemma?
• If group members disagree, why?

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Why be ethical?

• What benefits do you receive by acting ethically?
• Character Counts
• Self-respect
• What benefit does the community receive?
• UCs Just Community Principles
• Challenges to acting ethically
• Listen to following scenario and identify the
  ethical issue
• What is the ethical thing to do?
• Brainstorm list of reasons why you would not act
  ethically in that situation

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Rationalizations

• If its necessary, its ethical
• If its legal, its ethical
• I was doing it for you
• Im just fighting fire with fire
• It doesnt hurt anyone
• Everyones doing it
• Its okay as long as I dont gain personally

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How to Be an Ethical Person

• Do no harm
• Avoid inflicting physical, mental, or emotional
  harm
• Benefit others
• Offer assistance and improve the lives of others,
  even if it may inconvenience you
• Be just
• Treat everyone equally or Follow the Golden Rule
• Be faithful
• Keep promises, tell the truth, be loyal, and
  maintain respect and civility
• Respect autonomy
• Everyone has the right to decide how they live
  their lives, as long as they do not interfere
  with the welfare of others

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Simple process

• Identify the problem
• What is the ethical dilemma?
• Identify the values at stake
• What are you gaining by acting ethically or
  unethically?
• Evaluate the options available to you
• Choose the best option
• Remember the rationalizations
• Wrong is wrong, even if you dont get caught

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Conclusion

• Right list
• Look at list of wrongs and identify the right
  counterpart
• Bearcat Bound
• Based on our discussion today, identify your
  greatest ethical challenge and write a paragraph
  on how you will incorporate ethics into your
  daily life.
• This will become part of your Judicial Affairs
  file.
• Evaluation
• Anonymous evaluation of the course

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