ethics life

8/2/2019 Ethics Life

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Applications of and Approaches

to Ethics in All Aspects of LifePresented at Session on Ethics at the Winter

Meeting of the American Nuclear Society

November 8, 2010

by Vic Uotinen, Consultant


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Ethics in Daily Life

ETHICS is a formal academic discipline that is studied

and written on by academicians. We think of ETHICS

primarily as having to do with what we do in the

workplace , in business, in government, and in otherimportant spheres of activity.

But ethics also comes into play daily in decisions we

make in our everyday lives, although often we arenot aware of it.


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Ethics Decisions in Daily Life

1. TRUTH TELLING Ethics says I must tell the truth in

every situation - to spouse, children, parents,

teachers, employers, coworkers, the government.

2. PROMISE KEEPING Ethics says I must keep all the

promises I make - to spouse, children, parents,

teachers, employers, coworkers, the government,verbally and in writing.


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Ethics Decisions in All of Life, cont.

3. KEEPING CONFIDENCES Ethics says I should keepsecret the things Ive been told in confidence. I should not

share confidences with others .

4. RESPECTING PROPERTY RIGHTS OF OTHERS Ethicssays I should respect other peoples property rights. I must

not take what is not mine and I should not use others

property without asking, as my own.

5. DEALING FAIRLY Ethics says I should always deal fairlywith other people. I should not take unfair advantage of some

situations or people or show favoritism.


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Ethics in Everyday Life

We face decisions almost daily in all of these

categories. Questions come up daily:

Shall we tell the truth?

Shall we keep promises weve made?

Shall we keep secrets ?

Shall we take or use property that isnt ours?

Shall we deal fairly with others?

Every such decision is an ethical decision.


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Ethics in Big Business and in Government

Most people would agree that insisting on high ethical

standards in business and government is important.

Unethical performance in these realms is widelycondemned, and those responsible are punished.

We tend to hold businesses and governments

to a very high ethical standard.


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But in our private lives.

Often, were not so careful with decisions we

make in daily life

Im afraid we have a tendency to be unethical

too often in such small matters

But, There is no such thing as a minor lapseof integrity. - Tom Peters


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Common Views about Ethical

Decisions in Private Life

Nobodys expected to be absolutely ethical.

Everyone lies or cheats if he/she can get

away with it. Everyones doing it.

Ethics is relative, and is determined by the

culture one lives in.

There are no universal rules of ethics.


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Are There no Universal Rules of Ethics?

Although some would say, There are no universal

rules of ethics.

One can argue that there is, indeed, substantial

agreement among most of the worlds religions, on

how we should treat each other

The common thread among all the major religions of

the world is found in what is commonly known as the

The Golden Rule


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All Major Religions Have Some Kind of

Golden Rule or Ethic of Reciprocity

This is true of Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam,

Confucianism, Judaism and Christianity

Although there are very deep differences in theworldviews these religions believe, and especially on

the prescribed way of salvation, on this they agree

This seems to argue that there is such a thing as abasis for a universal ethic


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Buddhisms Golden Rule

Hurt not others in ways that you

yourself would find hurtful.

Udana-Varga 5,1


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Hinduisms Golden Rule

One should never do that to another which

one regards as injurious to ones own self.

Anusana Parva, Section CXIII, verse 8


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Islams Golden Rule

Hurt no one so that no

one may hurt you.

- Muhammad, The Farewell Sermon


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Confucianisms Golden Rule

Never impose on others what you

would not choose for yourself.

Confucius, Analects XV.24


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Judaisms Golden Rule

What is hateful to you, do not

do to your fellowman.- Talmud, Shabbat 3id

Love your neighbor as yourself.- Leviticus 19:18


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Christianitys Golden Rule

Do unto others as you would have

others do unto you.Matthew 7:12

Paraphrased: Treat others as you yourselfwould like to be treated.


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Ethics of the Golden Rule Acknowledged

by >80% of Worlds Population

o So, although there are many fundamental differences

between these religions , on this they are in agreement. Every

major religion contains a Golden Rule; sets a high standard

for an ethic of reciprocity

o More than 80% of the worlds people follow a religion that

states: doing any hurtful thing to others is wrong

o So, for those who belong to one of these religions, we canappeal to their own scriptures to demonstrate the validity of a

high ethical standard


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The Ideal vs. Reality

o Although all major religions have a high ethical

standard, most humans fail to live up to this high

standard regularly - even those who follow one of

these religions.

o Christianity is one religion that accepts this as a

given, stating categorically that all human beings are

innately sinful and in need of a Savior. (All have

sinned. and The good that I intend to do, I do not

do. (St. Paul) We all struggle to live as we should.

(Christian concept of Original sin.)


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So What Shall We Do?

Those of us who are followers of a religion, should

practice what our religion says. We should obey the

Golden Rule in how we treat others.

We have committed the Golden Rule to memory; let

us now commit it to life. - Edwin Markham

To those who have no religion, I would recommend

practicing the principles of the Golden Rule anyway.Thats what ethics is all about; and thats what makes

civilized life possible in the world


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We Need to Make Ethical

Living a Habit

We should all make ethical living a habit, starting

with our private lives

If I make it a habit to act ethically in my private life,

Ill find it easier to be ethical in the practice of my

profession

If Im in the habit of acting un-ethically in my private

life, Im more likely to act unethically in my work

I must avoid living by a double standard of ethics


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Ingrained Ethics

Ideally, ethics should become so habitual so

ingrainedinto us - that in every circumstance

we will choose to act according to

high ethical principles.


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How to Develop the Habit of Being Ethical

Habits are built by repeated repetition

A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong gives it a

superficial appearance of being right. - Thomas Paine

I must discipline myself to THINK in terms of ethics,

even in my daily life

It takes a conscious effort . Not automatic.

Even if I fail sometimes, I must keep at it


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Lets Begin Today

Lets begin today to think ethically,

and to act ethically, even in our private lives.

Lets begin to live by the Golden Rule.


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Statement of Authors Personal Basis for

Making Ethical Choices Vic Uotinen

My personal basis for making moral and ethical choices is based on my faith as a Christian. I serve as the director of the

Christian Nuclear Fellowship (CNF), an informal, interdenominational group of Christians who work in various capacities in

the field of nuclear science and technology. We are a group of professional colleagues united by our faith in Christ as our

Lord and Savior, and in our acceptance of the basic truths of historic, biblical Christianity as expressed, for example, in the

Apostles Creed. The CNF is not affiliated with any particular denomination or church. We share a commitment to the core of

historic Christianity to what C. S. Lewis called Mere Christianity. (See for example,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mere_Christianity) .

Believing that Christ is Lord of every aspect of our lives, our purpose is to encourage each other to live out our

Christian faith day-by-day and to apply Christian principles, Christian ethics, and a Christian worldview in all aspects of our

personal and professional lives. In this way, by faithfully serving and following Christ, we endeavor to serve as effective

witnesses to the gospel and agents of positive transformation not only in our families and our communities, but also in our

places of work and within our profession. We carry out this purpose of encouraging each other in these things through

national meetings that we conduct twice each year and by publishing occasional literature related to integrating our faith

with our work as nuclear technology professionals.

The CNF is one of many professional and academic fellowship networks that connect Christian colleagues within variousprofessions and encourage Christian professionals to seek to apply Christian ethics and Christian principles in the practice of

their professions. See for example the listing of such groups at InterVarsity Christian Fellowships web site for Christian

Professional and Academic Societies (http://www.intervarsity.org/gfm/faculty/resource/christian-professional-societies).

For more information about the CNF, please visit our web site at www.usnuclearenergy.org/cnf .
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mere_Christianityhttp://www.intervarsity.org/gfm/faculty/resource/christian-professional-societieshttp://www.usnuclearenergy.org/cnfhttp://www.usnuclearenergy.org/cnfhttp://www.intervarsity.org/gfm/faculty/resource/christian-professional-societieshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mere_Christianity

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