Ethics writing assignment about Anony Moose Data Corporation (AMDC) scenario

Ethical Analyses and Decision-Making

ethics

First, the 1-35W Bridge Video

ethics

Seebauer Ethical Decision-Making Process

* Adapted from “Fundamentals of Ethics”, 2001. E.G. Seebauer and R.L. Barry

ethics

Seebauer Ethical Decision-Making Process Involves:  constructing event trees

(event diagram) to represent a methodical way of identifying the options and sub-options being considered and the consequences that can result

 conducting a net-goodness analysis (NGA) about the consequences of the actions

* Adapted from “Fundamentals of Ethics”, 2001. E.G. Seebauer and R.L. Barry

NGA Math Analogy Net goodness of consequences from an option ~

∑(goodness) x (importance) x (liklihood) (1) (2) (3)

• (1) with respect to how the consequence squares with the virtue(s)…good or bad…

• (2) how good or bad the outcome is, as viewed by an outside impartial observer…high, moderate, low

• (3) qualitative assessment as to probability (cumulative) of occurrence…high, moderate, low

The net goodness of all the consequences from the option are “summed” to arrive at the overall net goodness for each option….and overall net goodness for options are subsequently compared to arrive at the best choice

* Adapted from “Fundamentals of Ethics”, 2001. E.G. Seebauer and R.L. Barry

NGA Math Analogy Net goodness of consequences from an option ~

∑(goodness) x (importance) x (liklihood) (1) (2) (3)

• (1) with respect to how the consequence squares with the virtue(s)…good or bad…

• (2) how good or bad the outcome is, as viewed by an outside impartial observer…high, moderate, low

• (3) qualitative assessment as to probability (cumulative) of occurrence…high, moderate, low

The net goodness of all the consequences from the option are “summed” to arrive at the overall net goodness for each option….and overall net goodness for options are subsequently compared to arrive at the best choice

* Adapted from “Fundamentals of Ethics”, 2001. E.G. Seebauer and R.L. Barry

NGA Math Analogy

 Initial focus is on exterior dimension of moral actions (not including the role of intention)

 Some consequences may be far more important than others and some might be far more likely than others

 The NGA approach is a way to balance consequences from an action considering both importance and likelihood

 Resembles the way an engineer risk-benefit analysis is sometimes done (later classes)

 Mathematical analogy is only an analogy not to be taken literally through “quantification of moral variables”

* Adapted from “Fundamentals of Ethics”, 2001. E.G. Seebauer and R.L. Barry

References Slide

Number

2 https://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Reports/HAR0803.pdf