LES 305 Exam 1 Clark Questions With
Complete Solutions
Ethics Manner by which one lives one's life according to a standard of right or wrong
behavior
- In both how one thinks and behaves towards others and how one would like them to think and
behave towards others
Factors That Influence Ethics - One's upbringing
- One's religion
- One's social traditions and beliefs
- Society: Structured community of people bound together by similar traditions and customs
Understanding Right and Wrong Moral Standards: Principles by which judgments are
made about good and bad behavior based on:
1. Religious Beliefs
2. Cultural Beliefs
- Culture: Particular set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices that characterize a group of individuals
3) Philosophical Beliefs
, LES 305 Exam 1 Clark Questions With
Complete Solutions
Source of Beliefs Family and friends
Ethnic Background
Religion
School
Media
Personal role models and mentors
Morality: Collection of influences built over a person's life
** Sources add up to morality
How Should One Live? - Standards of ethical behavior are absorbed by osmosis from
everyone around
- Ethical behavior can be based on religious morality or experience of human existence
- Morals and values: Set of personal principles by which one aims to live one's life
- Value System: Set of personal principles formalized into a code of behavior
Intrinsic Value Quality by which a value is a good thing in itself -> Pursued for its own
sake, whether anything comes from that pursuit or not (Ex: happiness, health, self-respect)
, LES 305 Exam 1 Clark Questions With
Complete Solutions
Instrumental Value Quality by which the pursuit of one's value is a good way to reach
another value (Ex: money is valued for what it can buy rather than for itself)
Value Conflicts - Impact of a value system on individuals is how much their daily lives
are influenced by those values
- Occur when one is presented with a situation that places one's value system in direct conflict
with an action
- Personal Value System: Specific choices and responses to a situation by an individual
The Golden Rule - Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
- Problem with the rule is the assumption that others would follow the same principles as one
would do
Ethical Theories Virtue Ethics, Utilitarianism, Universal Ethics
Virtue Ethics - Living one's life according to a commitment to the achievement of a clear
ideal
- Criticism: societies can place different emphasis on different virtues
, LES 305 Exam 1 Clark Questions With
Complete Solutions
Utilitarianism - Ethical choices that offer the greatest good for the greatest number of
people
- Criticism: idea that the ends justify the means
Universal Ethics - Actions that are taken out of duty and obligation to a purely moral idea
rather than based on the needs of the situation (Universal principles are seen to apply to
everyone, everywhere, all the time)
- Criticism: Reverse of the weakness in ethics for the greater good
Ethical Relativism Traditions of one's society, one's personal opinions, and the
circumstances of the present moment define one's ethical principles
- Implies some degree of flexibility as opposed to strict black and white rules
- Offers the comfort of being a part of the ethical majority in the community or society
Ethical Dilemmas - Situations where there are no obvious right or wrong decisions, but
rather a right or right answer
Complete Solutions
Ethics Manner by which one lives one's life according to a standard of right or wrong
behavior
- In both how one thinks and behaves towards others and how one would like them to think and
behave towards others
Factors That Influence Ethics - One's upbringing
- One's religion
- One's social traditions and beliefs
- Society: Structured community of people bound together by similar traditions and customs
Understanding Right and Wrong Moral Standards: Principles by which judgments are
made about good and bad behavior based on:
1. Religious Beliefs
2. Cultural Beliefs
- Culture: Particular set of attitudes, beliefs, and practices that characterize a group of individuals
3) Philosophical Beliefs
, LES 305 Exam 1 Clark Questions With
Complete Solutions
Source of Beliefs Family and friends
Ethnic Background
Religion
School
Media
Personal role models and mentors
Morality: Collection of influences built over a person's life
** Sources add up to morality
How Should One Live? - Standards of ethical behavior are absorbed by osmosis from
everyone around
- Ethical behavior can be based on religious morality or experience of human existence
- Morals and values: Set of personal principles by which one aims to live one's life
- Value System: Set of personal principles formalized into a code of behavior
Intrinsic Value Quality by which a value is a good thing in itself -> Pursued for its own
sake, whether anything comes from that pursuit or not (Ex: happiness, health, self-respect)
, LES 305 Exam 1 Clark Questions With
Complete Solutions
Instrumental Value Quality by which the pursuit of one's value is a good way to reach
another value (Ex: money is valued for what it can buy rather than for itself)
Value Conflicts - Impact of a value system on individuals is how much their daily lives
are influenced by those values
- Occur when one is presented with a situation that places one's value system in direct conflict
with an action
- Personal Value System: Specific choices and responses to a situation by an individual
The Golden Rule - Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
- Problem with the rule is the assumption that others would follow the same principles as one
would do
Ethical Theories Virtue Ethics, Utilitarianism, Universal Ethics
Virtue Ethics - Living one's life according to a commitment to the achievement of a clear
ideal
- Criticism: societies can place different emphasis on different virtues
, LES 305 Exam 1 Clark Questions With
Complete Solutions
Utilitarianism - Ethical choices that offer the greatest good for the greatest number of
people
- Criticism: idea that the ends justify the means
Universal Ethics - Actions that are taken out of duty and obligation to a purely moral idea
rather than based on the needs of the situation (Universal principles are seen to apply to
everyone, everywhere, all the time)
- Criticism: Reverse of the weakness in ethics for the greater good
Ethical Relativism Traditions of one's society, one's personal opinions, and the
circumstances of the present moment define one's ethical principles
- Implies some degree of flexibility as opposed to strict black and white rules
- Offers the comfort of being a part of the ethical majority in the community or society
Ethical Dilemmas - Situations where there are no obvious right or wrong decisions, but
rather a right or right answer
