Ethical Decision Making: Your Moral Conscience

Summary

This video script by Global Ethics Solutions delves into the importance of establishing a moral and ethical worldview in the workplace. It emphasizes the necessity of acknowledging the existence of right and wrong and finding a balance between adhering to moral principles and exercising practical judgment. The script advocates for recognizing and acting upon the guidance of one's conscience, and it distinguishes between moral absolutes and relativism. It argues for the adoption of moral absolutes as a foundation for ethical behavior, suggesting that these universal standards are essential for a successful and principled life, both professionally and personally.

Takeaways

• 📌 Understanding the existence of right and wrong is crucial for ethical decision-making in the workplace.
• 🌟 Balancing moral principles with practical judgment is key to maintaining a morally balanced life.
• 🔍 Your conscience, influenced by self-awareness and moral beliefs, guides your ethical choices.
• 🚫 Ignoring your conscience can lead to ethical missteps, so it's important to listen and act on its guidance.
• 🤔 Moral absolutes provide a stable framework for ethical behavior, unlike moral relativism which can be unstable and subjective.
• 🏛 Society relies on a shared set of moral absolutes, such as honesty and integrity, for the functioning of laws, families, and culture.
• 🌐 Recognize that moral absolutes are universal and not just a matter of personal or cultural preference.
• 💡 Ethical balance involves integrating core values like honesty, truth, and integrity into all aspects of life.
• 🔄 Perspective is essential for ethical decision-making, allowing you to see the bigger picture within a principled framework.
• 🔄 Accepting responsibility for ethical shortcomings and making efforts to improve is part of being ethically balanced.
• 🛡 Your character, as a moral anchor, should remain constant regardless of circumstances, guiding your actions.

Q & A

What are the two key steps in understanding one's moral and ethical worldview according to the script?

The two key steps are: 1) Deciding whether there is a concept of right or wrong, and 2) Knowing how to apply these moral principles, either by obeying every rule strictly or allowing personal discretion and situational context to define what's right or wrong.

Why is it important to have a clear stance on the existence of right and wrong in a professional setting?

In a professional setting, having a clear stance on right and wrong is crucial because it guides one's work choices and attitude. Employers and society expect individuals to affirm the existence of moral standards to ensure ethical conduct in the workplace.

What role does one's conscience play in making ethical decisions?

One's conscience plays a pivotal role in making ethical decisions by providing a self-awareness of one's behavior and measuring it against deeply held moral beliefs. It acts as an internal guide to distinguish right from wrong.

How can one ensure they are listening to their conscience and not just their emotions?

To ensure one is listening to their conscience, they must learn to discern the still, small voice of truth from their emotions. It is critical to pay attention to the warnings of the conscience, especially when making choices that could be unethical.

What is the significance of morality in holding laws, families, and culture together?

Morality is significant because it provides a shared sense of right and wrong that underpins the stability and cohesion of laws, families, and culture. It is not a negative term but a necessary guide for ethical living.

What is the difference between moral absolutes and moral relativism as discussed in the script?

Moral absolutes are principles that are considered universally right or wrong, independent of situation or context. Moral relativism, on the other hand, holds that ethics are based on the situation and that morals can change over time, denying the existence of absolute moral truths.

Why should ethical relativism be rejected in the workplace according to the script?

Ethical relativism should be rejected in the workplace because it undermines the foundation of ethical behavior by suggesting that morals can change based on circumstances. This can lead to inconsistent and potentially harmful decisions.

What are some examples of moral absolutes mentioned in the script?

The script mentions that stealing, lying, and doing harm to others are considered moral absolutes, as they are universally recognized as wrong across different societies and cultures.

How can one become ethically balanced in a morally complex business world?

To become ethically balanced, one should integrate moral absolutes like honesty, truth, and integrity into all aspects of life, both on and off the job. This involves reducing emotional and self-interested rationalizations, taking responsibility for ethical shortcomings, and maintaining a consistent character as a moral anchor.

What are the four keys to ethical balance suggested by the script?

The four keys to ethical balance are values, perspective, responsibility, and character. Values are the fundamental principles one lives by; perspective allows for flexible and morally principled interpretation; responsibility is the effort to change and improve; and character is the consistent moral anchor that doesn't change with circumstances.