What Is Ethical Issues?
What are ethical issues?
Ethical issues arise when someone or a business must decide whether or not an act or situation conflicts with moral principles. This can happen in any setting, from personal relationships to business dealings.
Many people are interested in ethical questions and want to know the right answer, but sometimes this is not possible. For instance, if two people disagree about an ethical matter, it may be difficult to come to a resolution without engaging in an argument.
One explanation is that people have different viewpoints about moral questions. These ‘isms’ vary in what they consider to be a true moral principle and how they treat those who make moral judgments or statements.
The most prevalent ‘ism’ is moral realism, which states that there are objective facts about good and bad that exist in the world. This view has been supported by numerous philosophers, particularly those working in ethics.
Another ‘ism’ is moral subjectivism, which holds that moral judgments are the result of someone’s feelings or attitudes rather than objective reality. This view has been supported by some psychologists and philosophers in the field.
Most people, however, value having an ‘right answer’ to ethical questions. They believe there is a single, definitive way of thinking about these matters so they can move forward with their lives more easily.
In some cases, this can be achieved – though it may take a lengthy and drawn-out process. On other occasions, however, it may be done quickly and effortlessly through applying certain guidelines or principles to each case in order to give parties involved clear options.
For instance, the NAEYC Code of Ethics lays out a set of ideals and principles that guide our decisions when responding to parental requests for ethical action. This code serves as a great resource when determining how best to respond in such instances.
An essential aspect of ethical decision-making is keeping your supervisor and all involved parties informed throughout the procedure. This step is especially critical since it may take time to find an ideal resolution to an ethical quandary.
Professional Codes of Ethics
Many professionals, such as lawyers, doctors and nurses, must abide by a code of ethics set out by their professional organization. These codes tend to be quite stringent; any violations can lead to disciplinary action taken against those found breaking them.
Some community intervention programs have their own ethical standards and procedures in place, designed to guarantee the service provided is of the highest quality. These standards and policies may include confidentiality, consent, disclosure and competence; creating them ahead of time can save programs many headaches when questions arise later on.
