Lecture 1: Introduction
This course:
evolves around one key dilemma: It’s not because you could, that you should…
aims to enhance the ethical reflex, without providing clear answers (because in ethics, there are non…)
Provides:
an introduction into two main ethical-philosophical schools of thought
an introduction into applying ethical principles to business and communication practice
four concrete dilemmas to investigate
Ethical schools of thought
➜ Ethics:
No universal definition:
the study of good and bad, right and wrong, just and unjust
ethics is a set of roles that characterize right or wrong conduct
decide the standards that should guide human conduct, the values worth seeking for and the character attribute deserving
advancement in life
the study of moral criteria or values that govern the rightness or wrongness, the good or evil outcomes of an action
an intrinsic value of people which can possibly have an influence on behavioural intentions and action
key question: how to define “good”?
include normative judgements (good/bad) which indicate to a value
contains moral judgements (right/wrong, morally good/bad)
🧸 Article: A Narrative Review Of Ethics Theories: Teleological & Deontological Ethics
Reasons to do or don’t…:
consequences
economical consequences (profit/damages)
The Pinto had faulty fuel tank, which often caused fires and explosions following even minor accidents. As it later turned
out, executives at Ford did know about the problem, but after some analysis, they decided it was more profitable for
them to not recall the faulty cars, and instead just settle the eventual lawsuits. Ford saved $90 million, but around 900
people died.
non-economical consequences (health,…)
Martin Shkreli became notorious and gained the sobriquet “pharma bro” when, as chief executive of Turing
Pharmaceuticals in 2015, he raised the price of the newly acquired antiparasitic drug Daraprim overnight to $750 per
tablet from $17.50.
Lecture 1: Introduction 1
, Moral principles
Human rights
…
Moral virtues
Wisdom
courage
…
➜ Teleological ethics
Also known as consequentialist or utilitarianism ethics
One prime basic duty: to do whatever maximizes the best consequences
This perspective judges the morality of an action based on its outcomes or consequences. The most well-known forms is
utilitarianism, which suggests that the most ethical choice is the one that will produce the greatest good for the greatest number.
Philosophers like Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill are key figures in this approach.
Ethical egoism: maximizing the best consequences for one selves
inconsistent: following egoism leads to unhappiness
Utilitarianism: maximizing happiness
act utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of individual actions
rule utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of following certain rules or laws
Lecture 1: Introduction 2
, Imagine you are a doctor with five patients who need organ transplants: one needs a heart, two need kidneys, and two need a liver. A
healthy person walks into your clinic for a routine checkup.
An act utilitarian might argue that it is morally right to sacrifice the healthy person to save the five patients, as this action maximizes
overall well-being.
A rule utilitarian would argue against sacrificing the healthy person, even if it meant saving five lives. This is because a rule that
allows for such actions would lead to a society where no one feels safe in medical institutions, which could lead to greater overall
harm than benefit.
➜ Deontological ethics
Duty-based ethical theorie
This approach is based on the idea that actions are inherently right or wrong, regardless of their consequences. It focuses on the
adherence to duty or moral rules. Immanuel Kant is a notable philosopher in this area, advocating that actions should be guided by
moral laws or principles that are universal and absolute.
Often part of / grounded in religious worldview
Immanuel Kant: rationality and reason as foundation of duty
Kant argued that moral actions are those performed out of a sense of duty and not from emotions or for the sake of some
other goal. For an action to be moral, it must be done with a "good will," which is the will to act according to moral laws or
principles.
categorical imperative: unconditional and must be followed in all circumstances for moral reasons. These are universal (This
means that one should only act in a way that they would want everyone to act in similar circumstances) and see humanity as
an end in itself. This emphasizes the intrinsic value of human beings and prohibits using people merely as tools for
achieving one's own goals.
universal = rule deontology
humanity as an end in itself = act deontology
Ethics and morality
often used interchangeably
Ethics refers to a more individual assessment of values as being relatively good or relatively bad, while morals connotes a more
collective and intersubjective assessment of what is right or just for all affected. Put another way, the “convictions of ethics are
self-regarding, whereas the principles of morality are other-regarding.
Lecture 1: Introduction 3
, 🧸 Article: Should we be talking about ethics or morals?
➜ contemporary relevance
Increased pluralism and fragmentation, leading to increased tension
Disbelief (“incredulity”) towards metabeliefs as frames of reference. (Lyotard: “the end of great narratives”)
Individual ethics are no longer stemming from the same metabeliefs, and will no longer result in an common moral
no longer sufficient to gaze solely at one’s own “ethical navel”
In todays society (and therefore: also businesses) doing the “right” thing is not a matter of an individuals particular values, but a
matter of dialogue in search of consensus.
In order to have a sense of (business) ethics, a company needs to find consensus on business morals
But: a dialogue about morals needs a clear understanding of an drepsect for ethical stands of the participants in this dialogue…
Ethics and the law / regulation
➜ Ethics, morality and the law
Think about….
slavery
abortion
euthanasia
wistleblowing
environmental responsibility
…
🧸 Article: The ethics centre: Ethics explainer (ethics, morality & law)
Lecture 1: Introduction 4
This course:
evolves around one key dilemma: It’s not because you could, that you should…
aims to enhance the ethical reflex, without providing clear answers (because in ethics, there are non…)
Provides:
an introduction into two main ethical-philosophical schools of thought
an introduction into applying ethical principles to business and communication practice
four concrete dilemmas to investigate
Ethical schools of thought
➜ Ethics:
No universal definition:
the study of good and bad, right and wrong, just and unjust
ethics is a set of roles that characterize right or wrong conduct
decide the standards that should guide human conduct, the values worth seeking for and the character attribute deserving
advancement in life
the study of moral criteria or values that govern the rightness or wrongness, the good or evil outcomes of an action
an intrinsic value of people which can possibly have an influence on behavioural intentions and action
key question: how to define “good”?
include normative judgements (good/bad) which indicate to a value
contains moral judgements (right/wrong, morally good/bad)
🧸 Article: A Narrative Review Of Ethics Theories: Teleological & Deontological Ethics
Reasons to do or don’t…:
consequences
economical consequences (profit/damages)
The Pinto had faulty fuel tank, which often caused fires and explosions following even minor accidents. As it later turned
out, executives at Ford did know about the problem, but after some analysis, they decided it was more profitable for
them to not recall the faulty cars, and instead just settle the eventual lawsuits. Ford saved $90 million, but around 900
people died.
non-economical consequences (health,…)
Martin Shkreli became notorious and gained the sobriquet “pharma bro” when, as chief executive of Turing
Pharmaceuticals in 2015, he raised the price of the newly acquired antiparasitic drug Daraprim overnight to $750 per
tablet from $17.50.
Lecture 1: Introduction 1
, Moral principles
Human rights
…
Moral virtues
Wisdom
courage
…
➜ Teleological ethics
Also known as consequentialist or utilitarianism ethics
One prime basic duty: to do whatever maximizes the best consequences
This perspective judges the morality of an action based on its outcomes or consequences. The most well-known forms is
utilitarianism, which suggests that the most ethical choice is the one that will produce the greatest good for the greatest number.
Philosophers like Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill are key figures in this approach.
Ethical egoism: maximizing the best consequences for one selves
inconsistent: following egoism leads to unhappiness
Utilitarianism: maximizing happiness
act utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of individual actions
rule utilitarianism focuses on the consequences of following certain rules or laws
Lecture 1: Introduction 2
, Imagine you are a doctor with five patients who need organ transplants: one needs a heart, two need kidneys, and two need a liver. A
healthy person walks into your clinic for a routine checkup.
An act utilitarian might argue that it is morally right to sacrifice the healthy person to save the five patients, as this action maximizes
overall well-being.
A rule utilitarian would argue against sacrificing the healthy person, even if it meant saving five lives. This is because a rule that
allows for such actions would lead to a society where no one feels safe in medical institutions, which could lead to greater overall
harm than benefit.
➜ Deontological ethics
Duty-based ethical theorie
This approach is based on the idea that actions are inherently right or wrong, regardless of their consequences. It focuses on the
adherence to duty or moral rules. Immanuel Kant is a notable philosopher in this area, advocating that actions should be guided by
moral laws or principles that are universal and absolute.
Often part of / grounded in religious worldview
Immanuel Kant: rationality and reason as foundation of duty
Kant argued that moral actions are those performed out of a sense of duty and not from emotions or for the sake of some
other goal. For an action to be moral, it must be done with a "good will," which is the will to act according to moral laws or
principles.
categorical imperative: unconditional and must be followed in all circumstances for moral reasons. These are universal (This
means that one should only act in a way that they would want everyone to act in similar circumstances) and see humanity as
an end in itself. This emphasizes the intrinsic value of human beings and prohibits using people merely as tools for
achieving one's own goals.
universal = rule deontology
humanity as an end in itself = act deontology
Ethics and morality
often used interchangeably
Ethics refers to a more individual assessment of values as being relatively good or relatively bad, while morals connotes a more
collective and intersubjective assessment of what is right or just for all affected. Put another way, the “convictions of ethics are
self-regarding, whereas the principles of morality are other-regarding.
Lecture 1: Introduction 3
, 🧸 Article: Should we be talking about ethics or morals?
➜ contemporary relevance
Increased pluralism and fragmentation, leading to increased tension
Disbelief (“incredulity”) towards metabeliefs as frames of reference. (Lyotard: “the end of great narratives”)
Individual ethics are no longer stemming from the same metabeliefs, and will no longer result in an common moral
no longer sufficient to gaze solely at one’s own “ethical navel”
In todays society (and therefore: also businesses) doing the “right” thing is not a matter of an individuals particular values, but a
matter of dialogue in search of consensus.
In order to have a sense of (business) ethics, a company needs to find consensus on business morals
But: a dialogue about morals needs a clear understanding of an drepsect for ethical stands of the participants in this dialogue…
Ethics and the law / regulation
➜ Ethics, morality and the law
Think about….
slavery
abortion
euthanasia
wistleblowing
environmental responsibility
…
🧸 Article: The ethics centre: Ethics explainer (ethics, morality & law)
Lecture 1: Introduction 4
