Ethical considerations in research and practice

Ethics Considerations

The idea that man is expected to behave based on a certain order relating to 'right' and 'wrong' is abstract by itself. The forces and influences that define right and wrong are subject to disagreement. This gives us the ongoing academic and philosophical debate on the matter of ethics. The intent of the account provided here is to show that ethics may not be limited to hard and fast rules about that which is good and that which is evil, but instead, it is necessary for all individuals to have an understanding of the theories of ethical behavior so that we may make decisions that meet a positive moral standard

Therefore, it is important to establish a knowledge of what marks ethical or unethical behavior. Essentially, our reading leads to the understanding that ethical behavior is usually that which comes from a rational way of understanding the impact and consequences of one's actions. Individuals who do not engage this process, or who actively and willfully try to negatively impact others by intruding on their personal rights, by violating their property or by abusing their trust, can usually be said to be engaging in unethical behaviors. The difference will usually be based in the places where different people receive their ethical training. Ethical orientation comes from peoples' families, cultures, personal experiences and institutions (school, place of worship, detainment facility, etc.). It will also come from education, experience and personal emotional disposition. All of these things give a person the information with which they will decide what types of behaviors to commit.

For example, a person who is able to justify lying or stealing for one's own benefit seems either unwilling or incapable of seeing how this is negatively impacting another person, and therefore is acting unethically. This shows that the individual who can justify such an act is not totally committed to the ethical ideals that we have discussed. That is why I would disagree with any statement which enables a person to wrong another. By the logic of our readings, this would mean that this person has worked to reduce the commitment that we all have to social order. By stealing from or lying to one, he is deciding that it is acceptable for someone else to make the same justification at his expense, or at the expense of anyone else. This makes a situation where ethical chaos will reign. That is why a person who believes that most others seem to lie and cheat to get what they want is likely to do the same. In many ways, this is simply a way of justifying one's own poor ethical judgment and is therefore something which I do not agree with.

There is, of course, a lot of evidence that people are not always ethical in the modern world. Probably the best example is the way that such major wars have been committed in the past couple years. Unethical leaders both in places like the United States and in Afghanistan would create a conflict where may innocent people would be negatively impacted. The will to create violence and harm innocents was unethical by both sides and politically supported by both sides.