ABSTRACT
This chapter introduces three common ethical frameworks used in ethical decision-making, including virtue ethics, utilitarian ethics, and deontological ethics. Virtue ethics focuses on an individual’s specific values and how a decision can reflect an individual’s adherence to those values. In contrast, utilitarian ethics focuses on achieving the best possible outcome from various competing outcomes, considering the utility achieved through each outcome. Finally, deontological ethics allows the decider to consider an ethical outcome from all angles, including that of the least influential person in the scenario. The assumptions and goals of each framework are introduced, then contrasted and compared with other frameworks. Specific examples of decision-making using each framework are offered, and chapter exercises allow students to practice these skills using real-world examples.
