Medical Ethics and End-of-Life Decisions Morality depends on the cognitive dimension of our behavior or our thought processes – the way we conceptualize right or wrong and make decisions and reason about how we should behave. Moral issues concern both behavior and conduct. They arise when people are faced with such questions as: “What should […]
What are the Moral Considerations in Physician-Assisted Death Read More »
Do all Religions and Cultures Believe in the Same Set of Values? The existence of a common set of values across religions would go far to explain why different cultures and societies believe that the Golden Rule is the basic standard of behavior. Rushworth Kidder, the founder of the Institute for Global Ethics, wrote a
The Search for a Common Set of Moral Values Read More »
The Pathway to Principle-Based Decision Making I recently wrote a blog on my Workplace Ethics Advice site on Principle Centered Leadership. Basic principles of ethics can help us lead a more fulfilling life whether on a personal or professional level. However, our commitment to act in accordance with ethical principles is often challenged because of pressures
Why Do We Need Ethics? Read More »
Strengthening Intuitive-Based Decision Making When faced with an ethical dilemma, how do you respond? Many people simply rely on common sense to reason through the conflict and decide on an appropriate course of action. Many common things are not easy to do and may require effort and skills. This is where ethical reasoning methods come
Common Sense Ethics Read More »
Doing Good by Being a Good Person What makes one person speak out and blow the whistle on wrongdoing while another remains silent? Is it a “moral sense,” as Thomas Jefferson wrote, that instinctively motivates a person’s thoughts and actions? Is it motivated by avoiding harm to others? The other day, a reader sent in
When Are Our Actions Morally Praiseworthy? Read More »
Cost-Benefit Analysis Can’t Hide Unethical Behavior by Car Companies Finally, an agreement with German car maker Volkswagen AG. On June 28, the automaker agreed to spend up to $14.7 billion to resolve federal and state civil allegations of cheating on emissions tests and lying to customers. The company has admitted that it rigged diesel vehicles
Corporate Irresponsibility: VW Settlement Underlies Ethical Problems Read More »
The Ethical Link Between Our Beliefs and Our Actions A highly ethical person knows his or her values, principles, and beliefs. Those values, principles, and beliefs would then determine one’s actions when faced with an ethical dilemma. A person who does not understand or fully know his or her values, principles, and beliefs might act
Cognitive Dissonance and Ethical Decision-Making Read More »
Virtues Underlie Workplace Behavior Writer Robert McKee famously said, “True character is revealed in the choices a human makes under pressure — the greater the pressure, the deeper the revelation, the truer the choice to the character’s essential nature.” This is a profound statement that I use to teach ethics to my accounting students, many
Character and Trust Are the Keys to Ethical Decision-Making Read More »