Is Ethics Right Or Wrong

The foundations of morality and ethics have been philosophically studied for well over the past millennium. Ethics and morals pertain to what is “right” and “wrong” behavior. Although these terms are often used interchangeably, they have different foundations by which they are developed. Ethics is the innate understanding of what is right and wrong. Morals are the principles that individuals develop regarding what is right and wrong behavior that are provided by external sources such as religious or societal standards of behavior. In a sense, it can be said that morals are a value system and a knowledge of what is right, whereas ethics is what is right and wrong.
Ethics goes beyond the limitations of culture, religion, and time as it embodies …show more content…
Contrarily, I do not feel that cruel or unethical actions should or can be used to create good or favorable results. Good ethics and morals are a vital aspect in good leadership and a leader cannot use unethical methods to justify a good outcome. For example, I believe that it is not possible for war to ever create peace; that is to say, an act that is bad or evil cannot promote good as violence can only breed violence. Niccolo Machiavelli coined the term “the ends justifies the means no matter the cruel means to achieve them” (Hefele, 1933). Machiavelli also believed that people are generally bad and are only good out of necessity. However, I believe that most people have a desire to be good and ethical and that unethical behaviors are most often carried out for personal gain. Though I do feel unethical actions are a result of an underlying evil or bad personality trait that serves as a driving force. It is most often likely that this type of behavior is learned or developed through …show more content…
Leaders should always strive to chose a path that is right in their efforts towards the end goal and I feel that there is always an option to make good and right decisions. When leaders are found to make unethical decisions, the impact it has on those they are leading is unfavorable. Followers will likely lose trust and faith in leaders who are found to make unethical decisions and ultimately lose desire to follow the guidance of that so called leader. Unethical behaviors represent a lack of respect for those that are affected by the unethical actions. Kant believed that it is our duty to treat others with respect and that we should "act so as to treat people always as ends in themselves, never as mere means” (Bailey, 2011). Unethical actions in leadership seems to be an implication that the leader sees others as a means to their own goals and that they are not interested in what would be the greatest benefit of those they are leading. Beauchamp and Bowie (1988) pointed out that "Persons must be treated as having their autonomously established goals and must never be treated purely as the means to another person 's