LAWS 1038-24W

Course Introduction
Lecture 1 G.R. Labbé 1
 Introduction to Ethics
WHAT IS ETHICS?

❑ Ethics is a term that we often hear, but it can be a difficult thing to define.

❑ Ethics is the study of:

➢ Right and Wrong
➢ Good and Evil
➢ Obligations and Rights
➢ Justice
➢ Social and Political ideals

❑ Ethics is a set of moral principles that guide our actions, behaviours, decisions and
practices.

❑ Ethics is one of the four main branches of philosophy which are:

❖ Logic, Epistemology, Metaphysics and Ethics.

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 LOGIC
▪ Is the attempt to codify the rules or rational thought.
▪ It is a particular way of thinking, especially a way that is reasonable and
based on “Good Judgement”.

EPISTEMOLOGY
▪ Is the study of knowledge itself. It is the extraction of knowledge from
evidence.
▪ The part of philosophy that is about the study of how we know things.

METAPHYSICS
▪ Is the study of the nature of things. It reason about such things as
whether or not people have free will, in what sense abstract objects
can be said to exist and how the brain is able to generate minds.
▪ The part of philosophy that understand existence and knowledge.

ETHICS
▪ Is the study of right and wrong and good and evil.
▪ It is the foundation of morality and the practical considerations of the
fine details of moral conduct.

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 Principles of Ethics
o The Principles of Ethics help us define, analyze, evaluate and resolve
moral problems.

o They help us develop good moral criteria to guide human behaviour

with the goal of differentiating between good and bad or right and
wrong.
o Our Principles of Ethics originated from four (4) prominent
philosophers who are:
✓ Aristotle
✓ John Locke
✓ Immanuel Kant
✓ John Stuart Mill

o We will explore each of their theories, which have evolved over

centuries and are still relevant in the application of Ethics today.

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 ARISTOTLE
384 BC – 322 BC ► Aristotle was a Greek philosopher during the Classical period in Ancient
Greece. He has been called the “Father of Western Philosophy” because of his writings and
teachings on many subjects: physics, biology, zoology, logic, ethics, poetry, linguistics,
economics, and politics and government. His philosophy has had a unique influence on
almost every form of knowledge in the West and continues to be a subject of contemporary
philosophical discussion.

✓ Key Principle:
Virtue Ethics: Aristotle observed that the goodness of an act, object, or
individual depended on their function or goal.

✓ Key Points:
The quality of one’s character is measured by the virtues that are inherent in
that individual. Every virtue is a compromise between two extremes or vices.
The goal of all individuals should be to find the perfect balance between the
extremes of excess and deficiency.

✓ In Practice:
The lessons to be learned from Aristotle’s theory come from the need to seek a
compromise or happy medium or balance in order to resolve an ethical dilemma.

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 JOHN LOCKE
1632 – 1704 ► John Locke was an English philosopher and physician. He has been regarded as
one of the most influential thinkers of the Enlightenment and is commonly called the “Father of
Liberalism”. His work greatly influenced the development of epistemology and political
philosophy. His contributions to classical republicanism and liberal theory are reflected in the
American Declaration of Independence.

✓ Key Principle:
Rights Ethics

✓ Key Points:
Locke’s rights-based theory suggests that everyone has rights that arise from their
very existence as human beings.
The rights of the individual must be recognized because we all have a duty not to
infringe on each other’s rights.

✓ In Practice:
Locke’s ideas have formed the foundation of political thought in Britain, France, the
United States, and Canada. His theory provides the basis for constitutional
governance, including Canada’s Charter of Rights and Freedoms. In addition to
individual rights, Locke has identified other rights related to the working
environment, discrimination, and employer responsibilities.
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 IMMANUEL KANT
1724 – 1804 ► Immanuel Kant was an influential German philosopher in the Age of the
Enlightenment. He believed that reason is the source of morality and that aesthetics arise
from a faculty of disinterested judgment, His views continue to have a major influence on
contemporary philosophy, especially in the fields of epistemology, ethics, political theory,
and post-modern aesthetics.

✓ Key Principle:
Duty Ethics

✓ Key Points:
According to Kant’s duty ethics (also called formalism), every individual has a
fundamental duty to act in an ethical manner. This is based on the belief that each
individual’s conscience imposes an absolute imperative to follow the proper
course of action. Kant calls this the “Categorical Imperative”. This theory
emphasizes that it is the intention to do one’s duty that is significant, not the
actual results or consequences.

✓ In Practice:
Kant’s theory applies the universal concept of being honest, being fair, not hurting
others, keeping promises, and obeying the law. In general, Kant believes that
every individual has a duty to prevent harm to human life and to consider the
welfare of society as being paramount.
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 JOHN STUART MILL
1806 – 1873 ► John Stuart Mill was a British philosopher, political economist, and civil servant. He
was one of the most influential thinkers in the history of classical liberalism as contributed widely to
social theory, political theory, and political economy. He is commonly referred to as “the most
influential English-speaking philosopher of the nineteenth century”. His conception of liberty
justified the freedom of the individual in opposition to unlimited state and social control.

✓ Key Principle:
Utilitarianism

✓ Key Points:
According to Mill’s utilitarianism, the best choice in an ethical dilemma is that which
produces the maximum benefit for the greatest number of people. This theory provides
the most common justification for ethical decisions in modern society. This theory
emphasizes that it is the intention to do one’s duty that is significant, not the actual
results or consequences. Three factors can be used to determine the “maximum
benefit” that can be achieved in the decision making process: Intensity, Duration, and
Number of People Affected. The benefit to oneself must not be given any greater value
or importance than the same benefit to any other individual.

✓ In Practice:
The utilitarian theory is consistent with the concept of democracy. Benefits should be
calculated without regard to discrimination on the basis of nationality, creed, colour,
race, language, sex, etc. This theory informs contemporary ideas about civil rights.

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Principles of Ethics in Action Today
❖ How is it that these ancient philosophers are still relevant
today?

❖ These classic ethical theories have evolved into modern

customs and laws. The principles of criminal and civil law are
formal, codified statements of these ethical theories.

❖ In fact, criminal codes are remarkably similar.

❖ Ethical theories also prompt professional associations to write

and enforce regulations, by-laws, and Codes of Ethics. These
Codes of Ethics outline acceptable conduct for engineers,
technologists, nurses, and a variety of other professions.
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 NEXT
➢We’ll continue with Ethics in the Workplace

➢Very interesting video from TED Talk on

Train Track Ethical Dilemma available on
YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yg16u_bzjPE

➢Don’t forget to submit your Self-Reflection

in its respective Drop Box no later than
18:00 hour on 7th January.

Lecture 1 G.R. Labbé 10