PHL 218 Project Template: Ethical Frameworks Related to Human Actions

Part One: Background: Ethical frameworks are organized collections of moral principles and guidelines for proper human behaviour. Cultural values and beliefs are intertwined with judgments of what is morally good and wrong (What Is an Ethical Decision-Making Framework? n.d.). Ethical frameworks help individuals navigate complex ethical dilemmas by providing guidelines on behaving in a given situation.

Ethical principles overshadow people’s behaviour by offering a guideline or a respected norm to follow when making their choices. One way to adopt individual moral responsibility is through adherence to frameworks that help people consider the consequences of their actions and how they align with their values and beliefs. Ethical standards are tools each person may use to arrive at decisions that are considerate of other people and the community at large.

Morals and values, as opposed to ethics, are a person’s notions about what is good and wrong, whereas ethics is a set of precepts that regulate human conduct using societal standards (Máhrik, 2018). A person develops morals depending upon personal experiences, upbringing, values, and environment, while morals are affected by the cultural values, norms, and beliefs in a particular society or community.

The principle of professional ethics is attached to the code of behaviour among given professions or fields. Global ethics guides the relations and interactions of people or communities globally. Professional ethics are important for protecting a profession’s image and reputation, while global ethics are based on mutual collaboration and respect.

Western, Eastern, and Indigenous Tribal Ethics

Western ethics are built on individualism, autonomy, and rights. Western ethical systems place a lot of stress on individual rights and freedom but also on individual responsibility and accountability, as this is one of the most vital aspects. Western ethical codes mostly favour reason, logic, and the concepts of justice and fairness.

Eastern ethical ideas focus on harmony, balance, and interconnectedness. The other side of moral systems in Eastern cultures is the attention to relationship, community, and community well-being. Filial piety, humility, and compassion are the virtues that are often the centre of attention of Eastern ethic systems.

The heritage and moral values of Indigenous Tribes are close to the traditional customs and rites of indigenous nations. What is ensured is that good relations between nature, people and where land is the centre point of these frameworks. Indigenous Tribal value systems put respect for the elders at the forefront, ecologically upright practice and unified whole-life care that sees everyone as a key part of everything (Kovach, 2021).

Using Ethical Frameworks

The aim of the ethical framework, as it contains the theme of rich nations’ duty to help poor nations, is to provide a moral guide for making decisions and functioning. People, organizations, and countries use ethical criteria to deal with complicated questions of ethics to guide their activities according to generally accepted values and principles (Dale, 2020). Rich countries’ aid for the poor reveals a moral framework whereby the powerful nations will be answerable to needy people. Ethical frameworks tackle social injustice, poverty, and global inequality and tell about the standards that should be pursued to eliminate these inequalities.

Maya Parker Ear Pain Shadow Health Subjective Data

Values, attitudes, and behaviours fit the ethical conduct that becomes a part of society’s culture. Cultural norms and moral principles completely characterize moral principles and function as guidelines for people to choose what is good among different cultures or not in the cultural context. Cultural diversity can also influence the variety of ethical frameworks across different societies and communities.

Part Two: Analyze the Responsibility of Rich Nations for Aiding Poor Nations

Ethical Framework of My Topic.

Richer countries have a role in providing aid to poorer countries, as stipulated by the universal moral standard of global distributive justice. This framework is based on the idea that all people are equal and deserve the same distribution of resources on a global scale; unlike traditional distribution methods, this framework puts the poor first and spreads access to some of these resources via aid to struggling nations.

Ethical Framework Influenced Historical Decision Making.

Historically, ethical frameworks greatly influenced rich countries in extending support to poor countries. Utilitarianism is primarily driven by the necessity to develop general well-being and happiness through international aid and anti-poverty initiatives in developing poor countries. Moreover, the principle of beneficence provides for the obligation to foster good and prevent harm (Gilabert, 2016). The principle of beneficence has been accorded in policy management regarding responding to the needs of the poorer nations.

Impact of Ethical Decisions

The ethical dilemma facing wealthy countries over their contributions to the assistance of poor ones is among the issues that have led to the profound evolution of the global society. Foreign aid such as grants, loan write-offs, and developmental projects have transformed many people’s lives in poor societies, brought down poverty levels and raised prospects for economies in developing countries (Marseille & Kahn, 2019). These actions have not only benefited the aid of poorer nations but have also influenced the entire world’s destabilization and maintenance of the status of security, as well as the building of cooperation and partnership among them.

Alternative Perspective

From an alternative perspective, such as an Indigenous Tribal ethical ideology, the responsibility of rich nations for aiding poor countries may be viewed through a different lens. Indigenous societies remain dominant due to ancestral harmony, collective responsibility, and nature. In such a concept, stress is reduced on material prosperity as well as development economics, especially those that align with respect to diverse cultures, indigenous knowledge, and environmental sustainability.

By forming the basis of the reasoning from an Indigenous Tribal ethical standpoint, the plausibility of such perspective could be demonstrated by the comprehension of the interconnectedness of all living beings and the importance of maintaining harmony and balance within the community and the natural world (Marseille & Kahn, 2019). This perspective is based on mutual respect, reciprocal relations, and collective responsibility for resource usage and, therefore, offers a valuable component to overcoming the global problems of poverty and social inequality.

Part Three: Reflect on Ethical Decision Making

My Morals and Values

My moral and ethical views are the mixture of my socio-cultural environment, my decisions throughout my life, and the society I live in. Being raised in a community emphasizing kindness, politeness, and equality, I became accustomed to being mindful of the needs of others, particularly those who are in a less fortunate situation. This has instilled in me a strong sense of responsibility to help those in need, which is reflected in my interest in the responsibility of rich nations to aid poor nations.

As per Kohlberg’s theory on moral development, my ethical beliefs and principles may stem from the cultural background I belong to, coupled with the experiences that I encounter as an individual (Zhang & Zhao, 2017). Over the years, as I have developed and grown up, I have become capable of internalized morals such as empathy, altruism, and justice, which are dominant in my cultural setting. Such values act as erudite foundations for my ethical decision-making and are the basis of my point of view on matters of global disparity and poverty.

My Cultural Bias

Despite the professionally neutral and impartial approach to my decision-making, my personal and cultural background plays a significant role in the values I establish regarding helping third-world countries. Being part of a society that enjoys the dominant place, I am inclined to hold my biases previously embedded in my experiences and my position as a member of most people. These prejudices can be quite evident, but in some cases, they may be misunderstood as saying that all citizens have access to the same opportunities and resources or even the role of the societal barriers that lead to poverty, inequality, and so on.

Research shows that cultural biases are sometimes so deep and inbuilt that they can influence our ethical decisions without our contributions. When I come to terms with my biases and examine how they might impact my point of view on the rich nations’ obligation to assist the poor countries, I can view this issue with the utmost honesty and empathy.

Impact of Cultural Influences

The cultural factors pertinent to me are the main contributors in deciding my ethical responsibilities due to the affluent nations helping those nations that are considered poor. In developed societies, the overall allegiance toward social equality and equity ensures the desired drive to achieve global goals while offering support to disadvantaged communities. This cultural atmosphere has cemented my trust in the importance of solidarity and cooperation as a tangible tool for eradicating poverty and alleviating inequality in our global development.

Studies have confirmed that culture is a determinant of ethical judgment and moral reasoning, which helps evaluate what is accepted and goes by virtue. Against the backdrop of global socio-economic imbalance, the norms that recognize the significance of having compassion and responsibility in social terms are a platform from which we enact actions and behaviour meant to counter the roots of poverty and pursue equity in resource distribution.

Diverse Ethical Perspectives

Various ethical views can contribute significantly to the need for rich countries to help poor, established nations. By appreciating varied perspectives, I can grasp the complex nature of aid and developmental work and comprehend it more objectively. Philosophical outlooks, such as Utilitarianism, deontology, and virtue ethics, are designed to give perspectives from which wealthy countries can ascertain how to aid those in need.

The principle of Utilitarianism implies that of the two examples given, the first advocates for reducing the suffering of individuals by maximizing welfare. On the other hand, the second one can be used by wealthy nations as a useful rationale for allocating resources to International aid and development programs. From a deontological standpoint, obligatory aspects, such as taking responsibility for removing poor countries from poverty and setting the standards of global fairness, are highlighted.

Virtue ethics underpin the significance of loving behaviours like sympathy and complication in the fight against social injustices and general oppression. Including varied ethical opinions will help enrich our ethical approach while developing more robust and nuanced solutions on appropriate responsibilities for wealthy nations in assisting poor nations.

In conclusion, cultural influences, personal biases, and ethical views contribute to the final definition of my approach to the ethical riddle of unemployed nations and have a huge impact on my logic. Contemplating those facets and including various ethical perspectives will contribute to clarifying this intricate problem in a well-thought-out discussion of a topical global problem.

 

References

Dale, S. (2020). Utilitarianism in crisis. Voices in Bioethics, 6.

Gilbert, P. (2016). Justice and beneficence. Critical Review of International Social and Political Philosophy, 19(5), 508-533. https://doi.org/10.1080/13698230.2016.1183749

Kovach, M. (2021). Indigenous methodologies: Characteristics, conversations, and contexts. University of Toronto Press.

Máhrik, T. (2018). The golden rule of morality – an ethical paradox. Ethics & Bioethics, 8(1-2), 5–13. https://doi.org/10.2478/ebce-2018-0004

Marseille, E., & Kahn, J. G. (2019). Utilitarianism and the ethical foundations of cost-effectiveness analysis in resource allocation for global health. Philosophy, Ethics, and Humanities in Medicine, 14(1), 5.

What is an ethical decision-making framework? (n.d.). Plone Site. https://aese.psu.edu/teachag/curriculum/modules/bioethics-1/what-is-an-ethical-decision-making-framework

Zhang, Q., & Zhao, H. (2017). An analytical overview of Kohlberg’s theory of moral development in college moral education in mainland China. Open Journal of Social Sciences, 5(8), 151-160.