Gen 300

Abstract

I learned a great deal by completing this ethics assignment. I learned how to self-rate myself in each of the four ethical perspectives and how similar or different each perspective view was from each of the member's of my learning team. I then responded to each of the scenario's in which I wrote a paragraph reflecting how I express my personal ethical statement regarding that perspective. Included are the four different types of ethical perspective: duty-based, goal-based, rights-based, and human-nature, in which I reflected.

Ethics and morals are about the same in that one has to share them in order to maintain a humanistic society. Without ethics ones community would be self-destructing, not knowing the difference from right to wrong. I will now include my perspective of the following scenarios and how I reflect to each one: duty-based, goal-based, rights-based, and human-nature.

Duty-Based (Deontological)

When comparing my ethical perspective to that of the "duty-based" I rated myself at the lower half of the chart. Rating myself at a two, I find that I do not agree with the "Categorical Imperative" part of the theory. For instance I do feel that telling a lie is wrong, but I also feel that I would have no problem telling a lie if it were a life and death situation. In reference to the "Categorical Imperative" part of the theory "if you believe in something, you will always behave in that manner no matter what. So, if you believe it is wrong to tell a lie, you will not lie even if it is to save someone's life."(Introduction to Ethics)

In the first scenario, after much review and discussion, I agree with my teammate Danielle's answer as well as my own. Danielle states "Michael may be struggling with either the assignment or something else in his life that is affecting his ability to perform. Before Donna starts aggressively taking command of the team, she needs to explore the situation further."(Danielle's duty-based ethic scenario response) I also believe that even if Michael is having some problems in his home-life there has to be some kind of repercussion if he is not able to finish his part of the work.

Goal-Based (Teleological)

In reference to the "goal-based" ethical perspective I find myself in the most agreement, rating myself at a four. I am definitely for the "utilitarian" or someone who is for the greatest good for the most number of people. For instance if an action can benefit these one-hundred people but might be detrimental to this one person, one can not make everyone happy and has to think about the people as a whole to be a great leader.

In the first scenario where Corin is blowing off the team because he doesn't care anymore, it appears to me that Corin is an "egoists". An "egoists" is someone who thinks only of himself and that is exactly what Corin's behavior consists of. He is leaving the teammates, who do care about how well they do in the class, in a bind. He is