Moral Theories of Ethics

[Name of the Institute]

Moral Theories of Ethics

Introduction

The ethical code of conduct can be ideally defined as the spiritual and the ideological foundation of a given human society. This concept helps the individuals comprehend their fellow human beings and the surrounding environment and then use this information to take the adequate decisions. The success of any human society has been attributed to the overall ideological and ethical beliefs, as they contribute in the development of the majority of the societal norms and the rules. The most significant factor regarding the concept of ethics is based on the relativity factor, and the different interpretations of ethics found in the major global societies. It would be incorrect to consider ethics as a completely universal term which cannot be interpreted differently. The fact is that the ethical code of conduct for any given society is heavily influenced by several external factors. Religion is generally considered as the strongest component which helps develop the ethical guidelines in a given society (Nguyen et Al, 2008). This is the r4eason why different region of the world have adopted different ethical principles, and have based their societal infrastructures as per these relative ideologies.

Theoretical Framework: Kantian Duty, Care Ethics & 'Absolutism vs. Relativism'

This paper discuses the most prominent moral theories of ethics, analyzes these theories and compares them in order to deeply grasp the understanding of the concept of ethics. The specific theories discussed in the paper includes the Rule Utilitarianism theory which focuses on the long term impact and application of ethical rules, the Kantian Duty Ethics which provides the justification of the intrinsically good activities within a society, Care Ethics theory with a Feminist Approach and the concepts of Absolutism vs. Relativism.

Discussion

In the traditional perspective the concept of ethics was closely interlinked with the religious factors, and this is why the global human society was highly isolated and differentiated. However in the context of the contemporary era, the global human society has become highly integrated and thus has led to the adaptation of similar ethical code of conducts. The human society realized that although religion proved to be a highly successful and influential ethical guideline, the overall progression of the global society was based on the rational and scientific thought. It is due to this reason that the most popular and widely used ethical theories in the contemporary society have been based on the rational and scientific notions. This is the biggest difference that can be viewed in the traditional and the contemporary perspective of the global ethical code of conduct.

Rule Utilitarianism

Utilitarianism can be considered as one of the most popular and widely implemented ethical ideologies in the modern society. The theory is based on the concept of valid rules which will provide the greatest benefit to the overall society.

Philosophical Construct and Practical Implications

Instead of focusing on a single given instance or scenario the theory focus on the long term impact and application of rules and their relevance to the human ...