Thinking and Acting Ethically

This subject has the following teaching availabilities in 2010:

Moral decision-making is a practical skill which we exercise many times a day confidently and accurately. Sometimes, however, we face situations of moral complexity or novelty, where it is not obvious what we should do. In this subject, we look at the ways in which moral theory can assist us to think about such situations, particularly as they arise in our working life. The subject will provide an account of moral reasoning, and its application to a number of ethical issues in professional life, including conflicts of interest, the relationship between ordinary and role morality, cross-cultural values, autonomy and paternalism, and privacy and confidentiality. We will also look at the ways in which ethics can be designed to organizations, occupations etc, through such devices as codes of ethics, and complaints and discipline systems. Case studies will provide a focus for reflective work: students will be encouraged to develop case studies from their own experience, and pursue their own interests in this subject.

• Be familiar with key concepts and theoretical tools in ethics.
• Be able to apply these to the understanding of morally complex situations, including in their own working life.
• Be able to contribute in an informed and reasoned way to ethical debate about such situations.

Required text: Subject reading pack.

Indicative Readings:

Andrew Alexandra and Seumas Miller Ethics in Practice: Moral Theory and the Professions Sydney: University of New South Wales Press, 2009.

Andrew Alexandra and Seumas Miller Integrity Systems for Occupational Groups Farnham: Ashgate, 2009.

Margaret Coady and Sidney Bloch Codes of Ethics and the Professions, Melbourne: MUP,1996.

Neil Levy Moral Relativism: A Short Introduction Oxford: Oneworld, 2002.

Mike Martin Meaningful Work: Rethinking Professional Ethics, New York: OUP, 2000.

Larry May The Socially Responsive Self: Social Theory and Professional Ethics, Chicago: University of Chicago Press,1996.

Justin Oakley and Dean Cocking Virtue ethics and professional roles. Melbourne: Cambridge University Press, 2002.

William Shaw and Vincent Barry Moral Issues in Business (8th ed.) Florence, KY: Wadsworth, 2001.

Dennis ThompsonRestoring Responsibility: Ethics in Government, Business, and HealthcareCambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2004.

Bernard Williams Morality: An Introduction to Ethics Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1993.

This subject is not available as a breadth subject.

• Displayed the ability to engage critically with academic theorising.
• Developed high-level skills in argument analysis and presentation.
• Developed skills in research and analysis that will enable them to undertake further independent research work of greater length and originality.
• Displayed the capacity for independent study.