1. Ethics – what is it? eth·ics [eth-iks]–plural noun
1.(used with a singular or plural verb ) a system of moral principles: the ethics of a culture.
2. The rules of conduct recognized in respect to a particular class of human actions or a particular group, culture, etc.: medical ethics; Christian ethics.
3. Moral principles, as of an individual: His ethics forbade betrayal of a confidence.
4. (usually used with a singular verb ) that branch of philosophy dealing with values relating to human conduct, with respect to the rightness and wrongness of certain actions and to the goodness and badness of the motives and ends of such actions.

2. The four basic fields of Ethical theory
Meta-ethics
Normative ethics
Descriptive ethics
Applied ethics

3. Meta-ethics (What does right even mean?)
Studies the nature of ethical claims.
What is the meaning of moral terms or judgments?
What do the words ‘good’, ‘bad’, ‘right’, and ‘wrong’ even mean?
What is the nature of moral judgments?
Are they objective or relative?
How may moral judgments be supported or defended?
How can we know if something is right or wrong? Is it even possible?

4. Meta-ethical views: Realism
Evaluative claims are factual statements. The truth or falsehood of such claims do not depend on beliefs or attitudes towards what is evaluated
Ethical intuitionism
Everything boils down to objective moral properties (good/bad) and we have an intuitive awareness of these moral properties
Ethical naturalism
The meanings of ethical sentences can be expressed without the use of ethical terms (e.g., "good" and "right"), and these non-ethical terms refer to natural properties.

5. Meta-ethical Views: Anti-realism
There are no objective values
Ethical Subjectivism
Moral statements are true/false depending on attitudes of people
In order to be right, it must be approved by society or
A deity must approve of it – people obey the divine will or
There are as many scales of good/evil as people in the world or
A hypothetical ideal observer determines good/evil
Non-cognitivism
Ethical sentences serve to express emotion
Moral statements replace imperatives
Ethical sentences can be called ‘true’ or ‘false’ even without support
Error theory
All ethical sentences are false.

6. Normative Ethics (How should people act?)
Concerned mainly with classifying actions as right or wrong
Consequentialism: The morality is based on the end result
An action is right if it leads to the greatest good for the greatest number of people/the least pain for people
An action is right if it maximizes good for the self
Deontology: Decisions should be made based on duties and rights
Rooted in humanities rational capacity and asserts inviolable moral laws (Golden rule)
Virtue Ethics
Based on character, rather than consequences or rules. It promotes living based on exhibiting certain virtues.

7. Personal Ethics survey results:
Values picked at #1:
Family (6m/8f)
Religion (5m/8f)
Love (2m/2f)
Respect (2m)
Personal Goals (2f)
Happiness (1f)
Friends (1f)
Relationship (1m)

8. Survey results (cont.) Values picked in the Top 5 1m Power/Status
5m/6f Intelligence
6m/7f Education
1f Money
7m/5f Honesty
1f Talent
1f Profession
1m/1f Equality
1f Beauty
3m/6f Trust
1m Tenacity
5m Athletic Prowess
1m/3f Confidence

9. Descriptive Ethics (What do people think is right?)
Study of the moral beliefs and practices of different peoples and cultures. It aims not only to elaborate such beliefs and practices but also to understand them insofar as they are conditioned by circumstance.
Non-judgmental – it looks at why people hold moral beliefs, how they reach those beliefs, etc.
Lawrence Kohlberg’s stages of moral development. Kohlberg divided people’s moral thinking into levels/stages of development, based on complexity of reasoning.

10. Descriptive Ethics (Lawrence Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development Level One)
Preconventional level: typically childish responses. Good and bad are recognized but only in terms of consequences or fear of the physical power of those in charge. This level contains three stages:
0. Egocentric. Good = what I want; Bad = what I don’t want. There is no concept of rules other than personal desire.
1. Physical consequences determine right/wrong, rather than values.
2. Instrumental relativist. Right = what satisfies personal needs. This may or may not include needs of others (quid pro quo).

11. Descriptive Ethics (Lawrence Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development Level Two)
Conventional level: Conformity to personal and group expectations.
3. “Good boy/Nice girl”. Good behavior = approved behavior. Also, intentions matter (s/he meant well).
4. Law and order. Stage 4: The "law and order" orientation. Good behavior = duty, respecting authority, and maintaining the social order for its own sake. Fixed rules are important

12. Descriptive Ethics (Lawrence Kohlberg’s Stages of Moral Development Level Three)
Autonomous or Principled level: Individual defines moral values that are valid regardless of the group
5. Social contract: Right is defined by agreed upon societal standards and personal values. Laws are supported, but subject to change if need be.
6. Universal ethical-principle: Right is defined by self-chosen ethical principles that appeal to logical comprehensiveness, universality, and consistency. These principles are abstract and ethical; they are not concrete moral rules like the Ten Commandments. At heart, these are universal principles of justice, of the reciprocity and equality of the human rights, and of respect for the dignity of human beings as individual persons.

13. Applied Ethics (what it all means in the ‘real world’)
Environment
Medicine
Law
Workplace
Politics
Education
Daily life (the little things)