Prof. Raquel P.

Bermudez, MSIT
Computer Science Department
Adamson University

Professional Ethics
Types of Ethical Systems
Ethical Dilemma:
Mary stole a copy of the final for Honors Biology and circulated it among her friends.
You have an opportunity to see the final and are particularly torn about if you should look or
not. You are in about the middle of this class grade wise and only those students who score
in the top 50% will be allowed to go on to the advanced class (which is highly regarded on a
college application.) Of course if you say nothing your chance of being in that 50% is pretty
slim.

RELATIVISM
• Rita: I think that in today's society cheating of this sort is so usual that there is no
particular reason not to look at the test.
• Roger: I’ve heard of those schools with strict honor systems and if you went there
you might feel differently, but we’re here… You know, when in Rome do as Romans
do.
• Robert: Yea, look at all the security around testing; it wouldn’t be necessary if they
didn’t think we were going to cheat. It’s like they almost expect it.

DIVINE COMMAND
• Donna: First of all it seems that having this information is a form of stealing
information that is not yours. Didn’t we learn as children in Sunday school that we
shouldn’t steal?
• Doris: Yeah, and if I use this information to get better score aren’t I representing
myself as being more knowledgeable than I really am? This sounds a lot like bearing
false witness that I’ve always learned is wrong.
• Dick: But, also remember, the Lord helps those who help themselves.

UTILITARIANISM
• Tim: I think the real issue here is, do the ends justify the means?
• Terry: On the whole, cheating may be bad but in this case the greater good might
come because I can do a decent job on this test and be able to take that next class.
• Tina: When you look at all the alternatives, like doing poorly, dealing with mad
friends if you turn them in, or just using the answers, and weigh the pro’s and con’s
it seems like just using the answers comes out on top for me.
• Tony: In this case, keeping quiet offers the greatest benefit for the least cost.
• Teresa: Maybe for you, but I think the costs of a guilty conscience and fear of being
discovered outweigh the risks of telling.

DEONTOLOGY
• Deb: It seems like I ought to look at the moral rules that come into play in a
situation like this.
 • Dahlia: Yeah, what about justice, equal treatment and refraining from evil?
• Dan: Maybe the best thing to do would be to see which rules you feel most bound by,
qualified by the specifics of this situation.
• Dillon: I think this balancing ought to take into account how we are using ourselves
and other people… can the decision we make be applied to others beyond just the
person in this exact situation.

VIRTUE ETHICS
• Valerie: I think to deal with this dilemma you ought to look deep inside yourself and
see what your motives are for the action you might take.
• Vince: Like if you ratted on your friends just to call attention to yourself, you
wouldn’t really have made any progress on this issue at all… you just would have
done another wrong.
• Victor: I think I would feel better about myself if I overcame the temptation to use
the answers because I knew it was wrong instead of just because I knew it was
expected of me, or I was afraid of being caught.

Ethical Systems Summary

DESCRIPTION
ETHICAL RELATIVISM- No
principles are universally
valid. All moral principles
are valid relative to cultural
tastes. The rules of the
society serve as a
standard.
DIVINE COMMAND
THEORY- Moral standards
depend on God who is all-
knowing. Any act that
conforms to the law of God
is right; an act that breaks
God’s law is wrong.
UTILITARIANISM-Actions
are judged right or wrong
solely by their
consequences. Right
actions are those that
produce the greatest
balance of happiness over
unhappiness. Each
person's happiness is
equally important.
DEONTOLOGY - Emphasis
is on moral rules and duty.
If not willing for everyone
to follow the rule, then it is
not morally permissible.
Emphasis on autonomy,
justice and kind acts.
STRENGTH/WEAKNESS
S- Brings about tolerance of other
cultures. Keeps societies from
falling apart.
W- Confuses what ought to be
done with what is currently done
S- standards are from a higher
authority than humans. Gives
reasons why man should behave
morally. Gives worth to all
equally.
W- Can be arbitrary depending on
interpretation. Can we know the
true divine authority?
S- Promotes human well-being
and attempts to lessen human
suffering.
W- One person's good can be
another's evil. Hard to predict
accurately all consequences.
S- It provides a special moral
status for humans. Moral rules
are universal.
W- It says nothing about other
living things. Rules can be
abstract.
EXAMPLE/S
South Seas Islanders
practice cannibalism.
Cannibalism is strictly
prohibited in the U.S.
Christian religions point
believers to rules like the
Ten Commandments.
The U.S. dropped the
atomic bomb on Japan in
WWII believing it was
worth the loss of life to
gain the end of the war
and stop the higher loss of
life if the war continued.
In the U.S. a continued
emphasis on human rights
for all people stems from a
willingness to reason that
justice and equal
treatment ought to be
applied universally.
People treated as ends,
never means.
VIRTUE ETHICS - Morals
are internal. It seeks to
produce good people who
act well out of spontaneous
goodness. It emphasizes
living well and achieving
excellence.
S- It internalizes moral behavior.
W- Offers no guidance for
resolving ethical dilemmas.
A faculty determines that a
student council officer with
a genuine interest to serve
deserves more recognition
than one who just wants to
beef up his resume.
Ethical Systems: Activity #1
“The Thinking Behind Ethical Systems”

In high school Joan was a three-time Iowa state champion discus and javelin thrower.
She is currently attending a state university on an athletic scholarship for these events.
Many of her competitors are using anabolic steroids to increase their performances and Joan
finds it increasingly difficult to maintain her number one position in her conference. Joan is
considering taking steroids herself but decides to ask for advice from five friends. Each of
these friends operates from a different moral philosophy and ethical system. What kinds of
thinking would each engage in when giving advice to Joan?

Rita, the Relativist, would reason:

Everybody else is doing it. It's expected that athletes use steroids especially for
increasing strength.

Doris, the Divine Command ethicist, would reason:

The Bible says that your body is the temple of the Lord and God certainly wouldn't
want you to abuse it. Besides, if you're on steroids it's like you're lying because it's not your
true performance.

Tim, the Utilitarianist, would reason:

Maintaining your top position in conference means additional years of scholarship.
The end justifies taking the drug. They haven't really proved that the steroids will affect your
health that much.

Dan, the Deontologist, would reason:

You are a valuable human being and you shouldn't take a chance on risking your
health just for a championship and the glory to the school.

Valerie, the Virtue Ethicist, would reason:

How could you even think of doing such a thing? The action of taking steroids is not
the right or good thing to do. How could you live with your conscience?

Thoughts to Ponder:

When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad. That's my religion.
-Abraham Lincoln