Ethics Essay
ETH/316
UOP
Introduction
Ethics, virtue and morality are very important aspects of life. These things determine your character as a person as well as your decision making. Not only decision making in your person al life but also in the business world. I will be discussing Virtue Theory, Utilitarianism, and Deontological Theory, how they are similar and differ as it relates to virtue, morality and values. I will also share a personal experience and in conclusion how the three theories relate to everyday decision making.
Similarities and Differences
There are many similarities as well as differences when it comes to Virtue Theory, Utilitarianism, and Deontological Ethics. Virtue Ethics is based on character ethics and has been around for over 2,300 years. The problem with this theory is that it is based on what is good or ethical. Good or ethical to whom? What one person may deem ethical another may not. Aristotle claimed that what is good or ethical is based off of your life experiences and that the population would mostly agree on the topic. Aristotle’s explanation is much like Utilitarianism in that it is based off of the majority rules notion. Utilitarianism is doing what is right for the great good of the population. It is a quantitative take on ethics based on putting the needs of the group before your own. If it benefits the group but you feel the action is wrong you should still benefit the group. This is where Utilitarianism and deontological ethics differ, Demonological ethics is based on what is right not what consequences you face from making a decision. It is based off the morality of the action or how it is your duty to do the right thing much like Virtue Theory.
Personal Experience
I have experienced all three of these decision making theories at different points in my life, however the most recent is Utilitarianism. During one of my classes at University of Phoenix I was faced with a very difficult decision. This was the first class at UOP for all of the students in the class except me; it was my third class even though it was Intro to UOP. There were only five students in the class and we had an assignment due which the instructor failed to mention the previous class. All four of the students had failed to complete the assignment. When the Instructor addressed the assignment she started by saying how she forgot to remind us of it and if no one had completed it she would not count it against us. I was immediately upset by this information, I did complete the assignment in fact I worked very hard on it. I could see the relief on the faces of the other students. I kept quiet for the benefit of the group. Had I used Virtue Theory I would done the same thing because to me the right thing to do was to not hurt my classmate’s grades. Had I used Deontological Ethics I would have informed the instructor that I had completed the assignment because telling the truth and receiving the points I earned was the right thing to do at that moment regardless of the consequences for the other students.
Conclusion
In conclusion it is easy to see how these theories differ from one another and are also very similar. The main thing to keep in mind is none of them are the right thing to do in every situation. You must take into consideration several variables before coming to a proper theory to use along with the most ethical decision for the circumstance.
