Ethics Awareness Inventory Analysis

Ethics Awareness Inventory Analysis

Kecia Franklin

University of Phoenix-Butler Campus

Interdisciplinary Capstone Course

GEN/480

Tom Eason, BA, MBA, CPA

December 13, 2005

Week Two

Ethics Awareness Inventory Analysis

This paper will include an analysis of the results of my Ethics Awareness Inventory. The Ethics Awareness Inventory refers to a combination of broad characterizations representing four categories of ethical philosophy, which are Character, Obligation, Results, and Equity, which has been designed to assist in the development of a deeper understanding of personal ethical perspectives and styles. These descriptions are used to analyze some of the characteristics of my own perspective on ethics according to my answers. There are no right or wrong answers for the choices I made in completing the inventory. It provides me with an awareness of the basis I use for determining what is right or wrong. These descriptions are used to analyze some of the characteristics of my own perspective on ethics according to my answers.

The table below is my scoring summary, followed by my results.

C O R E

MOST 6 6 9 3

LEAST 3 3 3 15

COMBINED SCORE 3 3 6 -12

My ethical perspective is most likely to be based on RESULTS, and my ethical perspective is least likely to be on EQUITY. I tend to base my ethical perspective on the results or consequences of my actions. I believe that conduct should be directed toward promoting the greatest good for the greatest number of persons, which is most closely aligned in philosophy with the Utilitarian Theory of Ethics (Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill). The goal of ethics is to achieve the greatest possible good for society as a whole.

In judging whether an individual's actions are ethical, I look for concrete evidence. It is not enough for an individual to "talk the talk." Results are needed to indicate that she/he is "walking the walk." In my opinion, what really counts in ethical debates is the "bottom line."

My Ethical Style

I believe that we each have a moral right to experience the "good life." This "goodness" can be measured, in part, by the level of satisfaction expressed by the majority of the persons who make up our society. If most people are unhappy,