Applied ethics tackles real-world moral dilemmas in fields like bioethics, business, and environmental ethics. It applies ethical theories to complex issues, balancing stakeholder interests, consequences, and moral principles in practical contexts.

Ethical decision-making models guide us through tough choices, weighing conflicting obligations. This section explores how we can use these frameworks to navigate contemporary ethical challenges in policy, technology, and society.

Contemporary Ethical Issues

Bioethics and Environmental Ethics

• Bioethics addresses ethical issues in biology and medicine including genetic engineering, stem cell research, and end-of-life care
• Environmental ethics examines moral relationships between humans and nature focusing on climate change, conservation, and sustainable development
• Both fields involve complex intersections of technology, globalization, and societal values
• Require nuanced analysis considering multiple stakeholder perspectives
• Examples:
  • Genetic modification of crops for increased yield (bioethics)
  • Balancing economic development with habitat preservation (environmental ethics)

Business Ethics and Applied Ethics

• Business ethics examines ethical principles in corporate environments covering corporate social responsibility, whistleblowing, and fair trade practices
• Applied ethics involves practical application of moral considerations to specific issues in various contexts
• Requires identifying relevant moral principles, stakeholders, and potential consequences
• Examples:
  • Ethical sourcing of materials in global supply chains (business ethics)
  • Balancing patient autonomy with public health concerns in vaccination policies (applied ethics)

Ethical Theories in Practice

Applying Ethical Frameworks

• Ethical theories provide frameworks for moral reasoning and decision-making in applied contexts
• Major theories include utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics, and care ethics
• Application involves identifying moral principles, assessing consequences, and considering rights and duties
• Real-world cases often present conflicting moral obligations requiring careful analysis
• Examples:
  • Using utilitarian calculus to evaluate public health interventions
  • Applying Kantian ethics to questions of truth-telling in medical contexts

Ethical Decision-Making Models

• Principle of double effect helps determine ethical permissibility when actions have both good and bad consequences
• Utilitarian calculus and Kant's categorical imperative offer systematic approaches to evaluate moral dimensions
• Application often reveals limitations or conflicts between different moral frameworks
• Necessitates nuanced approach to ethical reasoning
• Examples:
  • Using double effect principle in end-of-life care decisions
  • Applying virtue ethics to professional conduct in journalism

Moral Dimensions of Public Policy

Evaluating Ethical Implications

• Public policies and social practices have far-reaching ethical implications affecting various stakeholders
• Evaluation involves considering principles of justice, equality, autonomy, and common good
• Requires balancing universal moral principles with cultural relativism
• Must consider both intended and unintended consequences, short-term and long-term effects
• Examples:
  • Analyzing the ethics of affirmative action policies in education
  • Evaluating the moral implications of carbon pricing in climate policy

Distributive Justice and Harm Reduction

• Distributive justice crucial in evaluating fairness of resource allocation and policy impacts
• Principle of harm reduction often applied balancing pragmatic concerns with ideal ethical outcomes
• Critical analysis requires consideration of power dynamics, systemic inequalities, and historical context
• Examples:
  • Assessing the ethics of progressive taxation systems
  • Evaluating harm reduction approaches in drug policy (needle exchange programs)

Ethical Argumentation and Positions

Constructing Ethical Arguments

• Well-reasoned arguments require clear identification of moral issues and relevant ethical principles
• Involve presenting clear thesis, supporting evidence, consideration of counterarguments, and logical reasoning
• Apply principle of charity when addressing opposing viewpoints
• Consider practical implications and feasibility of proposed solutions
• Examples:
  • Developing an argument for or against animal testing in medical research
  • Constructing an ethical case for or against capital punishment

Interdisciplinary Approaches

• Use analogies and thought experiments to clarify principles and test consistency of moral reasoning
• Incorporate interdisciplinary knowledge drawing on scientific, social, or legal information
• Apply principle of reflective equilibrium to reconcile intuitive judgments with ethical theories
• Examples:
  • Using trolley problem thought experiment to explore ethical decision-making
  • Incorporating psychological research on cognitive biases in ethical arguments about decision-making

Ethical Decision-Making in Context

Stakeholder Approach and Collaborative Methods

• Stakeholder approach involves identifying and considering interests and rights of all affected parties
• Collaborative approaches like ethical committees provide diverse perspectives on complex issues
• Navigate conflicts between personal, professional, and societal ethical standards
• Examples:
  • Using stakeholder analysis in corporate decision-making about environmental practices
  • Employing ethics committees in hospital settings for difficult treatment decisions

Ethical Problem-Solving Models

• Structured approaches like PLUS Ethical Decision Making Model guide addressing complex dilemmas
• Consider moral psychology and cognitive biases to mitigate factors impairing ethical judgment
• Develop moral imagination to anticipate challenges and explore creative solutions
• Examples:
  • Applying PLUS model to resolve conflicts of interest in academic research
  • Using scenario planning to anticipate ethical challenges in emerging technologies (AI ethics)