This next assessment task is a bit of a challenge. It’s all about the best way to make an ethical decision and looking at the pros and cons of the various systems.
Read the Ethical Decisions Handout for information on what to do. Use it to give you a suggested structure and advice on levels.
Here’s some information on the ethical systems you could consider:
Utilitarianism – Bringing the greatest happiness to the most people
- Pros: Aims to bring maximum happiness
- Cons: The outcomes of our actions are not always as intended. Can take advantage of minorities for the benefit of the majority. Doesn’t always take into account all relevant factors.
- Articles to look at: here, here, hereand here.
Situation Ethics – The right thing to do is the most loving thing to do
- Pros: Intends to produce love, which is inherently good.
- Cons: We often don’t agree on what the loving thing to do is. “Love” is hard to count so it’s not easy to work out.
- More useful information is here
Religious Ethics – The right thing to do is what God tells us to do
- Pros: Often quite clear-cut (see the 10 Commandments). God knows best!
- Cons: Religious extremists can distort the rules for evil (see 9/11). People don’t agree on which religion’s rules to use.
Virtue Ethics – Good people make good decisions
- Pros: Focusses on the person performing the action and their good intentions, not the outcome.
- Cons: Gives no clear guidance as to what to do in any situation. We don’t all agree on what a “good person” is and what counts as “virtue”.
- Links here or here.
Egocentric Ethics – The right thing is what is good for me
- Pros: Makes me happy
- Cons: Won’t make many friends
If you find any good links to useful information please leave a comment so I can make the link available to everyone!
Make sure you read the descriptions of the levels in the Ethical Decisions Handout so you know what you need to do to answer the key question well.
This essay is due on:
- 9B – Monday 9th Jan
Good luck! As always, leave a comment or email me if you have questions!
oscar
January 24, 2011 at 8:28 pm
thanks its a great help
Jemma
January 27, 2011 at 4:10 pm
Is the conclusion in my own opinion?
Also, how would I be able to try and get more than a level 7?
Thanks
Jemma
January 27, 2011 at 4:20 pm
just found the answer to my first question on the sheet on the first link, but still unsure on my second question.
Mr Bigg
January 27, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Hi Jemma,
There are two ways to get level 8 and higher
(i) You need to reflect on the implications of your conclusion for wider society. For example, if you conclude that Utilitarianism is the best way to make ethical decisions, then what would that look like for everyone else? How would society be if everyone was a utilitarian?
(ii) you need to start saying something to make me go “Wow, I’ve not thought of it like that before”…
Hope that helps.
Jemma
January 29, 2011 at 3:52 pm
Thank-you
Daniel
January 27, 2011 at 6:47 pm
i dont get how you are meant to start the essay i know the question you are meant to write about but im not sure how to write bout tht. would it be ok to say ethical decition making is a type of logical thinking
Mr Bigg
January 28, 2011 at 8:35 am
Just explain that ethical decisions are chosing right from wrong. Then explain that there are different ways of making this decision and you are going to look at them…
Amy
January 29, 2011 at 1:21 pm
Do you write about all of the ethic choices? or just afew with alot of detail?
Mr Bigg
January 30, 2011 at 9:39 pm
Would prefer the latter.
Archie
January 29, 2011 at 4:16 pm
Could we arrange our paragraph like so:
Pros: then list them out
Cons: Then list them out for ach one would that be ok??
Mr Bigg
January 30, 2011 at 9:39 pm
Basically, yes. But don’t “list them out”. I want your nice flowing prose to connect ideas together!
Archie
January 29, 2011 at 4:23 pm
also does it matter if my introduction is 3 lines long?? :s
Mr Bigg
January 30, 2011 at 9:38 pm
Fine! As long as it says what needs saying.
Good essays often hint at the conclusion you will be arguing too.
Amy
January 29, 2011 at 7:39 pm
In my book I found Categorical Imperative as a type of ethics. Is this the same as any others on the sheet? Should I include it in my essay?
Mr Bigg
January 30, 2011 at 9:37 pm
You’re very welcome to. It’s quite difficult but if you can do some research and comment on it I’d be delighted!
KD
February 6, 2011 at 11:14 am
Hello Mr Bigg
Sir with the paragraph 2 and 3, i put those together so should i seperate it or not?
Mr Bigg
February 6, 2011 at 4:28 pm
As long as you have made it clear how ethical systems might approach an ethical problem then that’s fine.
I only separated them because I think it may be clearer to dicuss each ethical system separately, then apply them all to an ethical problem.
Gareth
February 6, 2011 at 3:37 pm
How long does it have to be? Is 3 pages enough?
Mr Bigg
February 6, 2011 at 4:26 pm
If you have covered different ways of making ethical decisions, considered their pros and cons, attempted to apply them to an ethical situation, then given a conclusion saying which you think is the strongest and why, then yes!
The best pupil you have ever had ;)
February 7, 2011 at 6:51 pm
This ws actuallly quite hard!but this blog really really helps we would all get better grade in all subjects if all the teachers did it! mr bigg your one of a kind! in a very good way
by the way my sisters jelious because she didn’t have this help when she did this so thanks
The best pupil you have ever had
Luke
February 7, 2011 at 7:32 pm
Ive already done the assesment, but does it need to be in a certain font ( I used trebuchet MS)
Luke
Mr Bigg
February 8, 2011 at 9:34 am
Any font is fine as long as it’s a reasonable size
Rebecca
February 7, 2011 at 8:09 pm
Do we have to explain ALL of the ethical principles, or can we pick a few of them ?
Thanks
Mr Bigg
February 8, 2011 at 9:16 am
Three would be fine, as long as they are explained in detail.
Ella
February 8, 2011 at 4:56 pm
erm i am really stuck mr bigg, the first essay bit says it is to be handed in tommorow but thats not the topic we are on, but if i scroll down, the topioc we are on is to be handed in last october, i am really stuck. Thanks
Ella
February 8, 2011 at 5:01 pm
Okay dont worry, i think i have sorted it, i relised this is the one i am ment to be doing, opps
Lydia
February 8, 2011 at 7:06 pm
What could be an example for virtue ethics?
thanks
Mr Bigg
February 8, 2011 at 8:13 pm
It’s very difficult to give examples because you can’t tell what someone would do. There are no rules. All you can say is that if a person is “good” then they will make a “good” decision and you leave it at that…
Holly
May 1, 2011 at 8:23 pm
When do we have our R.P.E test and tyhis blog is very helpful to me
Mr Bigg
May 2, 2011 at 3:23 pm
Hi Holly,
It’ll be in your lesson this week…
abc
January 7, 2012 at 5:48 pm
could you give me an example for virtue decision making?
Mr Bigg
January 8, 2012 at 9:23 pm
It’s not quite as simple as “decision making”. The theory is that people with good virtues (like courage, wisdom, kindness etc) will naturally make good decisions. Therefore a follower of virtue ethics will not necessarily have particular thought processes in making a decision, they will instead reflect on the extent to which their actions are virtuous.
HTH
Ben
January 9, 2012 at 5:38 pm
If we don’t think we can get a level six, should we include para 4? thanks
Mr Bigg
January 10, 2012 at 3:40 pm
You can get Level 6. Shhh.
DG
January 10, 2012 at 9:10 pm
If we have explained part of the ethical reasons in the second paragraph would we have to do number three?
Mr Bigg
January 11, 2012 at 3:44 pm
It’s just an idea for structure. As long as you make sure each element is in there it’s fine.