Moral Development

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What is moral philosophy?

A study of human values and conduct, this body of thought focuses on the basis of human choices and decision-making. The two primary philosophies to be examined in our study are teleology and deontology; however, egoism, utilitarianism, relativist, virtue ethics, and justice are extensions of the aforementioned philosophies often applied to decision-making.

Teleology

Teleology represents a moral philosophy where the impact of a behavior is assessed through evaluating related consequences. This philosophy entails the discernment of the conduct and values of an individual according to the outcomes or results attained, in areas such as pleasure, knowledge or career growth as examples. Some further examples of teleology are listed below:

· Ethical Egoism: an endeavor is morally acceptable if the consequence maximizes self-interest, as determined by the individual.

· Ethical Altruism: an activity is morally acceptable if the consequences of the action are more favorable than unfavorable to everyone except the individual acting.

· Ethical Utilitarianism: an action is moral if the consequences of the action are more favorable than unfavorable to all affected.

Deontology

Deontology, to the contrary, focuses upon the rights of the individual and the objectives associated with a chosen behavior rather than the end results achieved. In order to assess the appropriateness of a specific behavior, deontologists evaluate adherence to moral principles. However, as with teleologists, diversity of views emerges. In deontology, some focus intently on the rules of morality while others evaluate the scope and intent of the action itself. Some examples of deontology by form are listed below.

· Divine Command: unarguably the most common form- Christians posit that actions are acceptable if in unison with the laws of God.

· Duty Theories: from a platform of duties and obligations, actions are acceptable when in the compliance.

· Rights Theories: this form asserts the acceptability of an action if the rights of all are preserved.

· Contractarianism: an action is morally acceptable if it is in line with and congruent with rules established prior to entry into a working relationship.

In summary, regardless of the orientation of an individual to the above, the moral compass again is the cognitive tool of decision making; understanding the basis of moral philosophy enables one to better understand the grounded thoughts of the individual entering into analysis of an ethical issue.

Additional Materials

Click here for an article for more information on perceptions on business ethics.

Click here for an article for more information on an industry's ethical dilemmas.

Click here for an article on how companies use ethics in decision-making.

Click here for an article that discusses an important theory on Moral Development.