Final Project Throughout this semester, we have discussed numerous ethical theories. Not only have I learned new things related to ethics, but I have been able to relate them to my own life, which may benefit me in the future. Out of the numerous theories that we discussed, a few of them stuck out to me. The first theory was Cultural Ethical Relativism. According to Cultural Ethical Relativism, each culture on their own decides what is moral, based on their traditional values and what has been passed down through the generations. In this theory, everyone is right and there is no objective standard that can be used to judge a society’s moral code as being better than another’s (Rachels and Rachels 16). With each culture deciding what is right
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As a future social worker, I will be working with numerous cultures that all have their own beliefs. Which may cause problems when it comes to trying to help the clients. However, even with these different opinions about what is right and wrong, we must remain tolerant of the other cultures. In addition to Cultural Ethical Relativism, the Divine Command theory made me think about how this theory and the ethical viewpoint relates to my life. In the Divine Command theory, a higher power decides what is right and wrong. The actions that God commands are moral and the actions God forbids are morally wrong, any other actions are morally neutral and permissible (Rachels and Rachels 51). No action is good or bad until God decides if it is moral or not.
In the Euthyphro, Socrates is skeptical and wonders if an action is right because God commands it to be or do the God’s command it because the action is right (Rachels and Rachels 51). In other words, will the action still be right if God is taken out of the picture. Just because a higher power says or commands that an action is right, does it truly make it right? Examples of this include stoning to death, sacrifice, and rape. As long as God commands it, any action can be deemed as moral and right. If someone believes in this theory, they are not allowed to question any of the higher power’s commands, no matter what the act is they are meant …show more content…
This theory focused on achieving the greatest happiness for the greatest number. This statement is the foundation of morals and legislation. Utilitarianism requires that each individual’s happiness receives equal consideration (Rachels and Rachels 110). Meaning that everyone receives an equal chance at happiness. However, Utilitarianism may treat someone unfairly in the hope that it will be better for the overall picture, due to the fact that the consequences of an action matter more than a person’s rights do. For example, an innocent person may be convicted of a crime as long as the good consequences outweigh the bad consequences (Rachels and Rachels 113). As a social worker, part of my job will be to consider the consequences of different actions, but it is also important to try and protect the rights of the clients. Social workers may also look at what programs create the greatest good for the greatest number of people, and try to figure out what types of programs may need to be
As a future social worker, I will be working with numerous cultures that all have their own beliefs. Which may cause problems when it comes to trying to help the clients. However, even with these different opinions about what is right and wrong, we must remain tolerant of the other cultures. In addition to Cultural Ethical Relativism, the Divine Command theory made me think about how this theory and the ethical viewpoint relates to my life. In the Divine Command theory, a higher power decides what is right and wrong. The actions that God commands are moral and the actions God forbids are morally wrong, any other actions are morally neutral and permissible (Rachels and Rachels 51). No action is good or bad until God decides if it is moral or not.
In the Euthyphro, Socrates is skeptical and wonders if an action is right because God commands it to be or do the God’s command it because the action is right (Rachels and Rachels 51). In other words, will the action still be right if God is taken out of the picture. Just because a higher power says or commands that an action is right, does it truly make it right? Examples of this include stoning to death, sacrifice, and rape. As long as God commands it, any action can be deemed as moral and right. If someone believes in this theory, they are not allowed to question any of the higher power’s commands, no matter what the act is they are meant …show more content…
This theory focused on achieving the greatest happiness for the greatest number. This statement is the foundation of morals and legislation. Utilitarianism requires that each individual’s happiness receives equal consideration (Rachels and Rachels 110). Meaning that everyone receives an equal chance at happiness. However, Utilitarianism may treat someone unfairly in the hope that it will be better for the overall picture, due to the fact that the consequences of an action matter more than a person’s rights do. For example, an innocent person may be convicted of a crime as long as the good consequences outweigh the bad consequences (Rachels and Rachels 113). As a social worker, part of my job will be to consider the consequences of different actions, but it is also important to try and protect the rights of the clients. Social workers may also look at what programs create the greatest good for the greatest number of people, and try to figure out what types of programs may need to be