Defining Ethics

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Section 1.1
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Chapter
Ethics and the Law
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Section 1.1 Defining Ethics Section 1.2 Sources
of Law
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What Youll Learn

• How ethical decisions are made (p. 6)
• When to apply the greatest good principle (p. 7)
• When to apply the golden rule principle (p. 8)

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What Youll Learn

• How to explain the nature of ethical character
  traits (p. 11)
• When law relates to ethics (p. 12)

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What Youll Learn

• How to explain the importance of law (p.12)
• How to resolve ethical and legal conflicts (p. 13)

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Why Its Important
Learning how to apply ethical principles will
help you make ethical decisions.
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Legal Terms

• morality (p. 6)
• ethics (p. 6)
• honesty (p. 11)
• justice (p. 11)
• compassion (p. 11)
• integrity (p. 12)
• law (p. 12)

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Section Outline
How Ethical Decisions Are Made
Feelings and Opinions The Greatest Good The
Golden Rule Ethical Character Traits
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Section Outline
The Relationship Between Ethics and Law
Why Law Is Necessary Ethical and Legal Conflicts
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Pre-Learning Question
How do you make ethical decisions?
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How Ethical Decisions Are Made

• Determining the difference between right and
  wrong can be difficult.
• Individuals use different methods to choose the
  right thing to do in any given situation.

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How Ethical Decisions Are Made
Morality involves the values that govern a
societys attitude toward right and
wrong. Ethics, in contrast, are the means for
determining what a societys values ought to be.
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How Ethical Decisions Are Made

• Throughout your life, you will face many ethical
  problems.
• Adopting a consistent ethical standard can help
  you with big or small moral problems.

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Feelings and Opinions
Some people base their ethical standards on
whether the act feels right.
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The Greatest Good
Some people feel that an action that creates the
greatest good for the greatest number of people
is a sound basis for making ethical decisions.
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The Golden Rule
Others base their ethical standards on the golden
rule, which states Do unto others as you
would have them do unto you.
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Ethical Character Traits
Honesty is being open and truthful with other
people. Justice is treating other people fairly
and equally.
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Ethical Character Traits
Compassion is being sympathetic to the
difficulties of others. Integrity is doing what
is right regardless of personal consequences.
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Describe the characteristics of justice.
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ANSWER
Treating people fairly and equally.
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Pre-Learning Question
How do you think ethics relates to law?
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The Relationship Between Ethics and Law
If everyone made the same ethical decisions with
the same results, there would be no need for law.
In the real world, however, some people engage in
conduct that most people agree is wrong.
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Why Law Is Necessary
Law is the system of rules of conduct established
by the government of a society to maintain
stability and justice.
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Why Law Is Necessary
Law defines the legal rights and duties of the
people and provides the means of enforcing these
rights and duties.
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Ethics and Legal Conflicts

• Because law is made by people, it is imperfect.
• Legislators and judges bring their own personal
  opinions on ethics to the lawmaking process.
• As a result, ethics and law will sometime
  conflict.

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Define law.
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ANSWER
Law is the rules of conduct established by the
government of a society to maintain stability and
justice.
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Section 1.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned

1. Explain how ethical decisions are made.

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Section 1.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
Answers will vary, but should refer to the
different standards people use, such their
feelings and opinions, the golden rule, or their
own ethical character traits.
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Section 1.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned

1. How can the greatest good principle lead to
   ethical decisions?

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Section 1.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
It concentrates on consequences in a way that
leads to ethical decisions.
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Section 1.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned

1. How can the golden rule principle lead to ethical
   decisions?

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Section 1.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
It tells each of us how to treat people based on
rationality and can, therefore, lead to ethical
decisions.
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Section 1.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned

1. What are four ethical character traits?

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Section 1.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
Honesty, compassion, integrity, and justice
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Section 1.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned

1. How is law related to ethics?

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Section 1.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
Answers will vary, but should refer to the need
for law because people do not always make the
same ethical decisions with the same results.
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Section 1.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned

1. Why is law important?

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Section 1.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
Answers will vary, but should recognize that law
helps to maintain stability and justice in a
society.
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Section 1.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned

1. How can ethical and legal conflicts be resolved?

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Section 1.1 Assessment
Reviewing What You Learned
Answer
Answers will vary, but should recognize that by
looking at the reasons for specific conflicts,
those conflicts may be resolved.
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Section 1.1 Assessment
Critical Thinking Activity Ethics and Law
Why is it important to be able to distinguish
between actions that are ethical and actions that
are not? Why is it important to be able to
distinguish between ethics and law?
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Section 1.1 Assessment
Critical Thinking Activity Answer Ethics and Law
Answers will vary, but should recognize the value
of knowing right from wrong and of distinguishing
between how we determine our values and how we
create the system of rules we live by.
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Section 1.1 Assessment
Legal Skills in Action Developing Ethical
Standards
How would you respond to a friend who says she
has never had a consistent set of moral
standards?
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Section 1.1 Assessment
Legal Skills in Action Developing Ethical
Standards
With a partner, role-play a response to your
friends lack of ethical philosophy. Explain how
the ethical standards discussed in this chapter
could help her develop a consistent set of
ethical standards.
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Section 1.1 Assessment
Legal Skills in Action Answer Developing Ethical
Standards
Role-plays will vary, but should demonstrate an
understanding of the ethical standards discussed
in this chapter.
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End of Section 1.1