Response Guidelines

Respond to the post of at least one of your peers concerning universalized ethical codes from the perspective of a non-Western European culture. If applicable, share your experience with alternative decision-making approaches and engaging ethical standards from other cultures. Ask questions that will help you better understand the post and contribute to expanding the discussion. Make substantive suggestions that will provide food for thought.

Student post down below:

Ethical norms and values can compete with specific approaches depending on the factors, but the cultural factors which are considered to be the individual’s, or our upbringing, religion, philosophical outlook, normative do’s and don’ts, and our education can be prevalent within the society and can all play the key role in how it influences and shapes our ethical norms and values. Aristotle counseled that we could only become virtuous people because of inborn potential, but that good character does not just happen (Sommers-Flanagan & Sommers-Flanagan, 2015). Aristotle is implying that our virtues are not genetic, although we can develop the capacity of virtues within us. What can become problematic with our attitudes and values on diverging from the organizational ethics is the development of the habits of not wanting or being open to trying the new or unknown, which can cause us to implement our personal views and values when making ethical decisions within an environment of cultural diversity. Many organizations have a distinct culture, which helps shapes the organization’s ethical outlook.

If deontology and utilitarianism require us to think or behave in manners that are not possible or sustainable in quotidian life, these modern defenders of virtue ethics contend, this should temper our enthusiasm for adopting them as moral ideals (Slingerland, 2011). I believe the utilitarianism principle of ethics holds to acting morally right if the benefits over the costs are more significant for all affected than other possible choices. When a situation is presented unto us with specific facts, we can approach the problem without putting our values and ethics in the decision process. Making significant ethical decisions requires a trained sensitivity to ethical issues and a practice method for exploring the ethical aspects of the decision and weighing the considerations that should impact the choices we make within the course of action.