Ethical Systems and Me

Ethical Systems and Me

Ethical Systems

Ethics is a systematic and critical analysis of morality and moral considerations that guide human conduct in a society or a particular activity. When moral values, rules and duties staff is subject to ethical analysis, their relationship with human interests that are common to all, whatever their cultural context is particularly important. Following are some of the major ethical systems being practiced in today's world:

Virtue Ethics

Virtues are principles and ethical values of kindness, honesty, truthfulness, uprightness and righteousness in personality and behavior that direct an individual towards moral and ethical excellence and keep him away from immorality (Beauchamp, 2001). According to Aristotle, virtue is a balance point between a deficit and a surplus of an attribute.

Utilitarianism

The Utilitarianism is a system of morality and ethics that, unable to objectively define what is good and evil, is proposed to be ignored by setting the "useful" as the first principle of action.

Social Contract

Social contract theorists view ethics as a human creation. They judge ethical systems in terms of how well they function at promoting the interests of the contractors.

Deontology with Goals (Hinduism and Buddhism)

Hinduism is the religion most prevalent in India. It is one of the oldest religions in the world. Hindus are polytheists: that is to say, they believe in many gods who are in fact different facets of a single entity, the Brahman. Hindus believe in reincarnation of the soul according to the deeds done in past lives and present. Buddhism began as an offspring of Hinduism in India. Buddhist philosophy is based on the theory of Dharmas. It is important to understand that Buddhism has a very particular emphasis on the meaning of ethical behavior. This emphasis is arguably very important for us in our time and culture (Wundt & Benett, 2009).

Deontology with Divine Authority (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam)

The deontology with Divine Authority is the faith in a supreme power. Judaism, Christianity and Islam come under this category as these three religions believe in one God.

Relativism (Individual and Cultural)

Relativism is the philosophical position that all points of view are equally valid and that all truth is relative to the individual (Lutzer, 2008). This means that all moral positions, all religious systems, all art forms, all political movements, etc. are truths that are relative to individuals.

Deontology with a Categorical Imperative (Kant)

Kantian ethics emphasizes that despite being illustrated root has religious connotations. Another key point of Kantian ethics is the categorical imperative is unconditional rule considers necessary and absolute, and that should be the rationale of all moral conduct. For Kant moral choices are only valid if they can be adopted by all and at all times, the categorical imperative is a command to be obeyed as a moral duty above individual interests but by choice (Hare, 1997).



Ethical System Most Prevalent in United States

The ethical system which is most prevalent in the United States as well as the world is Christianity closely followed by Islam. The Christians believe in the Gospels of ...