Salomon Jose
Drexel Id :14200881
Course Instructor: Prof. James Stieb
Phil 315
Engineering Ethics Midterm
A.
3)What is an ethical or moral dilemma? How does a moral argument differ from a non-moral one? Discuss the implications of the “naturalistic fallacy.” (by which I mean the “is-ought fallacy”).
Answer:
Ethical or moral dilemma
Dilemma is a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially equally desirable or undesirable ones. An ethical or moral dilemma is a complex situation that often involves a seeming mental struggle between moral requirements, in which to obey one would result in transgressing another. (yourdictionary.com)
Moral argument vs non-moral argument
Arguments …show more content…
What are some problems with Harris et als view that personal ethics should ordinarily be given up in favor of professional ethics.
Answer
Harris et al defines Professional ethics as “Professional ethics is the set of standards adopted by professionals insofar as they view themselves acting as professionals”. And every profession has its professional ethics. It is usually stated in a formal code which is not the same as in the case of common morality. The codes of ethics of a given profession focus on the issues that are important to that profession. (Harris et al,10)
Professional ethics always presides personal morality in a professional relationship. This has both advantage and complications. The advantage is that a patient or client can justifiably have certain expectations of a professional, even if the patient or client has no knowledge of the personal morality of the professional. Cases where either the client knows or don’t know about the personal morality of the professional, the expectations are based on knowledge of the professional ethics of medicine and engineering, not on knowledge of the professional’s personal morality. The conflict occurs when the professional’s personal morality and professional morality do not match even though in some professions, provision to professional obligation is based on conscience. e.g.; physicians supporting and opposing abortion. (Harris et …show more content…
2)What are Ladd’s arguments against codes of ethics?
Answer.
Code of ethics is intended to serve as a guide to the everyday professional conducts. But it is not devoid of defects. Having a code will give a sense of complacency about conduct. Codes of ethics were always considered controversial documents. When looking into the history it can be seen that some writers have suggested that codes of professional ethics are pointless and unnecessary. Others believe that codes are useful and important, but disagree about why. John Ladd has argued that codes of ethics serve no good purpose. Ladd argues that ethics should be open-ended and reflective. According to him relying on a code of ethics is to confuse ethics with law. Special ethics for professionals which is separate from the ethics of ordinary human beings within a moral society is wrong according to him. Professionals, according to him, have no special rights or duties separate from their rights and duties as moral persons, and therefore codes of ethics are meaningless and possibly spiteful.
A code just says what is required minimally. This does not say about the maximum extent to which something can be done. This might encourage a professional to deliver what is to be done minimally rather than the best he can do. So a professional is not working according to his full potential. (Prof.Steib, PowerPoint
Drexel Id :14200881
Course Instructor: Prof. James Stieb
Phil 315
Engineering Ethics Midterm
A.
3)What is an ethical or moral dilemma? How does a moral argument differ from a non-moral one? Discuss the implications of the “naturalistic fallacy.” (by which I mean the “is-ought fallacy”).
Answer:
Ethical or moral dilemma
Dilemma is a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially equally desirable or undesirable ones. An ethical or moral dilemma is a complex situation that often involves a seeming mental struggle between moral requirements, in which to obey one would result in transgressing another. (yourdictionary.com)
Moral argument vs non-moral argument
Arguments …show more content…
What are some problems with Harris et als view that personal ethics should ordinarily be given up in favor of professional ethics.
Answer
Harris et al defines Professional ethics as “Professional ethics is the set of standards adopted by professionals insofar as they view themselves acting as professionals”. And every profession has its professional ethics. It is usually stated in a formal code which is not the same as in the case of common morality. The codes of ethics of a given profession focus on the issues that are important to that profession. (Harris et al,10)
Professional ethics always presides personal morality in a professional relationship. This has both advantage and complications. The advantage is that a patient or client can justifiably have certain expectations of a professional, even if the patient or client has no knowledge of the personal morality of the professional. Cases where either the client knows or don’t know about the personal morality of the professional, the expectations are based on knowledge of the professional ethics of medicine and engineering, not on knowledge of the professional’s personal morality. The conflict occurs when the professional’s personal morality and professional morality do not match even though in some professions, provision to professional obligation is based on conscience. e.g.; physicians supporting and opposing abortion. (Harris et …show more content…
2)What are Ladd’s arguments against codes of ethics?
Answer.
Code of ethics is intended to serve as a guide to the everyday professional conducts. But it is not devoid of defects. Having a code will give a sense of complacency about conduct. Codes of ethics were always considered controversial documents. When looking into the history it can be seen that some writers have suggested that codes of professional ethics are pointless and unnecessary. Others believe that codes are useful and important, but disagree about why. John Ladd has argued that codes of ethics serve no good purpose. Ladd argues that ethics should be open-ended and reflective. According to him relying on a code of ethics is to confuse ethics with law. Special ethics for professionals which is separate from the ethics of ordinary human beings within a moral society is wrong according to him. Professionals, according to him, have no special rights or duties separate from their rights and duties as moral persons, and therefore codes of ethics are meaningless and possibly spiteful.
A code just says what is required minimally. This does not say about the maximum extent to which something can be done. This might encourage a professional to deliver what is to be done minimally rather than the best he can do. So a professional is not working according to his full potential. (Prof.Steib, PowerPoint