09D2-08 - Assume that you are in a position of power over the violator. Assess how you, as a public administrator, can uphold the highest ethical standards and integrity when faced with rules, regulations, protocols, or actions of your superiors that app

Ethics in PA: Terms and Concepts Absolutism Morality is absolute not relative.

Analytic Ethics Metaethics. The study of ethics and ethical systems with no intent other than to understand them.

Behaviorism Human beings essentially are their behavior and that there is no such thing as mind, soul, spirit or self but only body and brain, which react to external stimuli.

Principal of Beneficence That which is good or that brings about goodness.

Categorical Imperative The key principal of Immanuel Kant’s ethics which states that an act is immoral if the rule that would authorize it cannot be made into a rule for all human beings.

Consequentialism Ethical theories that are concerned with the consequences of actions or rules.

Teleology The traditional philosophical term for consequentialism.

Deontology The traditional philosophical term for nonconsequentialism.

Determinism The theory that everything in the universe has a cause.

Domino Argument The argument that if human beings allow one thing to be declared legal or moral, this will cause a flood of bad things to follow.

Duty Ethics Kant’s system of ethics. Moral acts are performed out of a sense of duty, not inclination.

Individual Ethical Egoism “Everyone ought to act in my self interest.” Personal Ethical Egoism “I ought to act in my self interest but I make no claim for what others should do.” Universal Ethical Egoism “Everyone ought to act in his or her own self-interest.” Emotive Theory Morality is not based upon reason and that moral statements are expressions of personal approval or disapproval.

Empirical Reasoning from experience and sense observation.

Ideological Reasoning from among ideas in the mind.

Ethics The values by which human beings live in relation to other human beings, nature, God and themselves. Fatalism All events are predetermined so they cannot be altered in any way by humans.

Freudianism Human beings are driven by inner drives and unconscious motivations to behave in the way they do.

Hedonism The greatest amount of pleasure or happiness with the least amount of pain or unhappiness. A basic tenant of egoism and utilitarianism.

Indeterminism There is a certain amount of chance and freedom in the world. Not everything is caused.

Intuitionism Morality based on feelings or emotions. “If it feels good, do it.” Normative or Prescriptive Ethics Sets up norms and values that prescribe how human beings ought to behave. All ethical systems are normative.

Practical Imperative Kant’s maxim that no human being should treated as a means to an end, that that all human beings should be treated as unique ends in themselves.

Prima Facie Duty Some duties and obligations come before others.

Qualifying Rule An exception to a rule that applies to all humanity.

Reversibility Criterion Testing the morality or immorality of an action by putting oneself in another person’s place.

Situation Ethics Joe Fletcher’s theory which says there are no moral rules or guides other than Christian love. What is moral in any situation is the loving thing to do in that situation.

Utilitarianism The greatest good to the greatest number of people.

REFERENCE:

Thiroux, J. P., & Krasemann, K. W. (2009). Ethics: Theory and practice. Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall. ISBN:

9780205672363.