Ethics of AdministrationEthics of Administration

Chapter 1Chapter 1

Imposing your values?Imposing your values?

Values are more than personal Values are more than personal preferencespreferences

Human beings are moral agentsHuman beings are moral agents

Duty to make choices in responsible Duty to make choices in responsible wayway

Moral ClaimsMoral Claims

Not value judgments that Not value judgments that belong to a personal or group belong to a personal or group preference preference

Ethical ReasoningEthical Reasoning

Possible and importantPossible and important

Ethical decisions are not just a matter of Ethical decisions are not just a matter of preferencepreference

Ethical decisions can be based on reasons Ethical decisions can be based on reasons that others can understandthat others can understand

Ethical decisions are often made under Ethical decisions are often made under complex and ambiguous circumstancescomplex and ambiguous circumstances

Moral PrinciplesMoral Principles

Moral reasoning has a moral pointMoral reasoning has a moral point

Moral dilemma – What is the right Moral dilemma – What is the right thing to do?thing to do?

Right, ought, just, fairRight, ought, just, fair

Duties or obligationsDuties or obligations

Facts Facts

Relevant to deciding an ethical issueRelevant to deciding an ethical issue

Not sufficient – can not tell what is Not sufficient – can not tell what is right or fair by themselvesright or fair by themselves

Moral ConflictMoral Conflict

How do you decide between How do you decide between conflicting ethical principlesconflicting ethical principles Identify the PrinciplesIdentify the Principles

Fairness and Parents RightsFairness and Parents Rights HierarchyHierarchy

Why should the principle be Why should the principle be considered?considered?

What purpose does it serve? What purpose does it serve?

Learn Moral ReasoningLearn Moral Reasoning

Identify conceptsIdentify concepts Use intuitive moral reactions about Use intuitive moral reactions about

what is right or wrongwhat is right or wrong Describe principles that underlie your Describe principles that underlie your

feelingsfeelings Test “gut” feelings by supporting Test “gut” feelings by supporting

with moral principleswith moral principles

Ethics of AdministrationEthics of Administration

Chapter 2Chapter 2

Consequential Consequential

Principle of Maximum BenefitPrinciple of Maximum Benefit Judges what is right or wrong by known Judges what is right or wrong by known

consequencesconsequences

Whatever gains the greatest good for Whatever gains the greatest good for the most number of peoplethe most number of people

Ex. utilitarianismEx. utilitarianism

Non-consequentialNon-consequential

Principle of equal respectPrinciple of equal respect People are moral agents that have equal People are moral agents that have equal

worthworth

Follow the Golden RuleFollow the Golden Rule

Respect individual freedom of choice Respect individual freedom of choice even if we don’t agreeeven if we don’t agree

Need both FrameworksNeed both Frameworks

Consequential ProblemsConsequential Problems Requires information you don’t always Requires information you don’t always

knowknow Utilitarianism can produce morally Utilitarianism can produce morally

abhorrent consequencesabhorrent consequences

Non-Consequential ProblemsNon-Consequential Problems How can one decide a moral law?How can one decide a moral law? How do we express the moral principal How do we express the moral principal

that underlies it?that underlies it?

John Stuart MillJohn Stuart MillThe Marketplace of IdeasThe Marketplace of Ideas

Ideas are tested to discover truth.Ideas are tested to discover truth.

Truth is best sought by process of Truth is best sought by process of criticism and debate. Debate helps criticism and debate. Debate helps us remember why we hold ideas.us remember why we hold ideas.

CON---------------NONCONCON---------------NONCON

Informing the Informing the public is a servicepublic is a service

How can voters How can voters make a decision make a decision without informationwithout information

Contributes to Contributes to welfare of societywelfare of society

Contributes to Contributes to personal happinesspersonal happiness

Promotes personal Promotes personal growth through growth through debatedebate

Individuals have Individuals have the responsibiblity the responsibiblity to make decisions to make decisions for themselvesfor themselves

Duty to make wise Duty to make wise choiceschoices

Right to evaluate Right to evaluate and chooseand choose

Intellectual LibertyIntellectual Liberty

Is the teacher free to express Is the teacher free to express her opinions in the her opinions in the newspaper or does the state newspaper or does the state of negotiations of the district of negotiations of the district have precedence?have precedence?

Freedom of ExpressionFreedom of Expression

Inquiry to discover the truthInquiry to discover the truth

Ideas are tested in debate to refine Ideas are tested in debate to refine ideasideas

Debate promotes personal growthDebate promotes personal growth

QuestionsQuestions

Does free press include the right to Does free press include the right to be wrong? be wrong?

Rights are general, not absolute. Rights are general, not absolute. Conflict can occur between rights Conflict can occur between rights and interests of different parties. and interests of different parties.

How is balance found?How is balance found?

(Both Con and Noncon theories are needed, neither (Both Con and Noncon theories are needed, neither is sufficient to make a decision alone.)is sufficient to make a decision alone.)

Realization of Free Moral AgencyRealization of Free Moral Agency

Free moral agents of equal worthFree moral agents of equal worth

Have the ability to make moral Have the ability to make moral decisionsdecisions

Have responsibility to make decisionsHave responsibility to make decisions

Duty to make choices wiselyDuty to make choices wisely

Resolve the ConflictResolve the Conflict

Presuppose the principle of equal Presuppose the principle of equal respect of persons.respect of persons. Why? People are of equal intrinsic worth. Why? People are of equal intrinsic worth. Con – Be concerned with the benefit of people so Con – Be concerned with the benefit of people so

that they will be as well off as possible. that they will be as well off as possible. Everyone’s happiness is of equal value.Everyone’s happiness is of equal value.

Noncon –Value the welfare of others equally to Noncon –Value the welfare of others equally to my own. Respect people even if it results in my own. Respect people even if it results in less happiness.less happiness.