ABSTRACT
Thinking, talking, or writing about ethics is often a fragmented process. Codes of ethics such as the ICOM Code of Ethics for Museums are written in sections and each section is a fragment of the ethical ideal. The application of ethics is generally considered in relation to a particular situation and results in a fragmented approach. A section of a code may be analyzed and used whereas another section may be interpreted to give a different meaning or fulfill a different purpose. This approach causes fragmented thinking about ethical endorsement. A particular part (fragment) of a code of ethics may be embraced while another part is ignored or denied. Fragmentation causes uncertainty and often results in a form of situational ethics as a division between accepted and unaccepted actions. The whole of the code must be considered and accepted for a person to be properly informed about ethics.
