Lesson 2 What is Ethics? Day 1

What is Ethics? What’s Your Verdict? (Page 19) Day 1 Ethics is deciding what is right or wrong in a reasoned, impartial, manner.reasonimpartial To involve ethics, a decision must affect you or others in some significant way.

Cultural Diversity Culture refers to a society’s’ shared values, beliefs, and behaviors. Values reflect the goals a society considers important, and express the culture’s ideas of how people should act, and what is good, rights, and desirable. Culture expresses a society’s ethics. Sharia Law Day 1

Business Ethics Ethical principles used in making business decisions. Sometimes what is ethical might conflict with what is best for the business owners (share holders). Day 1

Business and the Law Day 1

Day 1 Assignment Complete the Ethics Activity and start page 1 of the Lesson 2 Review Sheets. Please keep the pages stapled together. We will work on these in future days. Day 1

Day 2 Assignment 1. Complete pages 7 and 8 of the Lesson 2 Review Sheets. 2. Answer the “Think about legal concepts ” questions on textbook page Analyze one of the cases on page 21 of the textbook (10 points). 4. Homework: Take Home Quiz Lesson 2-1 (15 points). Day 1

Day 3 Basic forms of ethical reasoning Consequence-based reasoning Rule-based reasoning What’s Your Verdict? (Page 22) Ethics reflected in laws – most laws are based on what is best for the majority and therefore more like consequences-based ethical reasoning. Day 3

Ethical reasoning based on consequences 1. Describe alternative actions 2. Forecast consequences 3. Evaluate Consequences How will you determine right and wrong? Who is affected? Day 3

Fundamental Ethical Rules Decisions based on authority (i.e. law or religious text) Decisions based on reasoning o Universalizing: picturing everyone in the world doing the action. In this case … Day 3

Day 3 Assignment: 1. Complete pages 9 and 10 of the Lesson 2 Review Sheets. 2. Answer the “Think about legal concepts ” questions on textbook page Analyze one of the cases on page 24 of the textbook (10 points). Day 3

Day 4 Assignment: 1. Complete Ethics Activity 3 (15 points). 2. Homework: Take Home Quiz Lesson 2-1 (15 points). Day 4

Day 5 Our laws reflect ethics based on consequences. What’s Your Verdict? (page 25) Is this ethical? Is this rule-based ethics or ethics based on consequences? Day 5

Majority rule Elected representatives vote for laws that reflect the desires of those they represent (which should be the majority of the population). In this system, laws are judged to be right or good when they affect the majority of the people positively. Day 5

Laws may conflict with morality. What’s Your Verdict? (page 25 - #2) Is this ethical? Is it legal? Our laws reflect rule-based ethics. In some cases the majority may benefit from unjust laws. Civil rights (liberties) specified in the U.S. Constitution offer protection. Our federal judges are appointed for life to avoid influence of voters and elected officials.. Day 5

Law and the Internet The case set a precedent. This will impact future cases as judges look to past cased when making their decisions. Day 5

Other Ethical Concepts Consistency is necessary. Obligation : We are obligated to obey the law because: 1. Ethical reasoning demands it. 2. We have agreed to obey it. 3. By obeying it we avoid punishment. Day 5

Other Concepts Integrity is the capacity to do what is right even in the face of temptation or pressure to do otherwise. Fidelity bond: an insurance policy that pays the employer money if their employee(s) steal from them. Civil disobedience is an open, peaceful, violation of a law to protest its alleged (supposed) injustice. Scofflaws are people who do not respect the law. Day 5

Day 5 Assignment: 1. ATB Presentations 2. Complete the Lesson 2 review sheets (finish at home if necessary Day 5