Module 7 assignment – Ethics v. Right and Wrong

As the pace of change in the world increases, there is discussion among people about whether long-held ideas of ethical/unethical and right/wrong still hold true. In this position paper, you will argue your agreement or disagreement with the proposition Ethical=Right, Unethical=Wrong.

General Requirements:

Use the following information to ensure successful completion of the assignment:

This assignment uses a rubric. Please review the rubric prior to beginning the assignment to become familiar with the expectations for successful completion.

Doctoral learners are required to use APA style for their writing assignments. The APA Style Guide is located in the Student Success Center.

You are required to submit this assignment to Turnitin. Refer to the directions in the Student Success Center.

Directions:

Write a paper (1,000-1,250 words) that explains the arguments for and against the proposition Ethical=Right, Unethical=Wrong. Include the following in your paper:

A discussion in support of the proposition.

A discussion in opposition to the proposition.

A research-based statement of and rationale for your position.

 

MORE INFO 

Ethics v. Right and Wrong

Introduction

Ethics is a controversial topic. Some people think it’s all about doing what’s right, and others think that ethics are about not doing wrong things. But in reality there isn’t one answer: ethics can be defined in many different ways. In fact, there are two types of ethics—moral and ethical—and each has its own unique definition!

Wrong is just that, wrong.

Wrong is just that, wrong. There are things that are wrong, and there are things that are not wrong. Some things may be more wrong than others, but in the end all of these categories can be placed under one umbrella: “wrong.”

Right and wrong don’t exist in a vacuum; there’s always some context for their existence. Rightness or wrongness depends on what you’re talking about—and why? In the case of ethics it’s because we want to live in harmony with each other and with nature (or at least not cause harm).

Ethics is not the same as values.

Ethics is about doing the right thing. Values are about what you believe is right, and how you want to live your life in accordance with those beliefs. Ethics are universal and apply to everyone; values can be personal or cultural.

Ethics involves principles of right and wrong, while values deal with ideals or standards of behavior that may vary from person to person or culture to culture.

Ethics can be a moving target.

Ethics are a shifting, subjective language that can be difficult to understand. If you ask someone what is wrong with lying, they may say that it’s unethical or immoral. However, if you ask a different person the same question and they answer “Lying isn’t wrong,” then their answer may be completely different from yours!

For example: If I say “I’m going to work at McDonalds today,” and then my boss asks me why I left early yesterday afternoon after talking with her about lunching together (which was an option on my shift), then my answer would change depending upon whether or not it was considered ethical by other people around me (or even just one person).

Your definition of ethics depends on who you talk to and what country you live in.

Ethics are a subjective matter, and they depend on who you talk to and what country you live in. In some cultures, there’s a high value placed on honesty; in others, it’s considered rude to lie or even forget your own name when introduced. Your definition of ethics also depends on your religion and political views: Are people who disagree with me evil? If not evil, then how can I say anything bad about them?

Ethics are also influenced by personal beliefs—what do I personally think is right or wrong? Will my actions benefit society as a whole or only myself personally?

Ethics are about doing the right thing when no one else is looking.

Ethics are about doing the right thing when no one else is looking. You might be asked to lie, or steal something from someone else, but if you know that it’s wrong and go ahead anyway, then you have committed an ethical violation.

Ethics can also be defined as “the study of moral behavior in accordance with social rules or laws.” It’s this definition that makes ethics so interesting—because what counts as right or wrong depends on who you ask! For example: If I were born into a family where everyone agreed with each other 100% of the time and only ate meat because it was delicious (and not because they were vegetarians), then my parents would probably say eating meat is unethical because it goes against their own personal beliefs. However, if I grew up in another culture where eating animal products was considered normal but cooking raw fish wasn’t allowed until adulthood because people didn’t want their children exposed too soon after birth…then perhaps these same people would consider eating raw fish unethical according to their cultural norms!

Ethics are individually driven and differ from person to person.

Ethics are not universal. They are shaped by culture, religion and upbringing. Ethics also depend on the society you live in – what is right or wrong can change over time, or even be influenced by what you read and see on TV.

You can define ethics in your own way, but you’ll never escape the fact that there is right and wrong.

You can define ethics in your own way, but you’ll never escape the fact that there is right and wrong.

Ethics are about doing the right thing when no one else is looking. They’re about being honest, and not lying, cheating or stealing—even when it’s hard. Ethics tells us what we should do if we want to be successful in life (or at work), but also how we should treat others around us as well as ourselves.

Conclusion

Ethics is a complicated subject. You can think of it in all kinds of ways, but you’ll never escape the fact that there are right and wrong. Ethics are about doing what’s best for society as a whole, not just yourself. But ethics also come from within each individual—you might choose to do something because letting others down would be too much for you to handle.