Ethics 1, #1

Find and provide an appropriate definition, discuss your understanding, and provide illustrative examples for each of the following seven terms: morals, values, personalbias, professional boundaries, confidentiality, right and wrong (100 words each minimum, not including definitions)

Morals
Definition: of, pertaining to, or concerned with the principles or rules of right conduct or the distinction between right and wrong; ethical: moral attitudes. (Dictionary.com)

In my personal beliefs, morals are an unwritten but universal set of guidelines or principles that we as human nature know to follow deep within our soul based on our rights and compassion as human-beings. Morals are also, in part, a form of logic.

There are a lot of emotions tied up in the concept of morals. It has taken centuries for women to earn equal rights in the United States. The battle continues with the fight for gay marriages. Morally and logically it is not right to prevent another human for partaking in something, especially something like marriage, because of some sort of religious doctrine that is thousands of years old and from another time and place. Morally we should all have equal opportunity, and deep down I think the whole of society knows and believes that, but there is an inner struggle to enforce and acknowledge what is true and moral for all human-kind. Logically, we should all have the same rights as the next person within a generic understanding. Obviously when we take the rights of others away though by doing something immoral against them, we also give up some of our own rights as well.

(Word Count: 198)

Values

Definition: the ideals, customs, institutions, etc., of a society toward which the people of the group have an affective regard. These values may be positive, as cleanliness, freedom, or education, or negative, as cruelty, crime, or blasphemy. (Dictionary.com)

Values and Morals are very much similar.  To me, morals are the principles upon which values are built.  Traditions and customs are known to us based on how we are raised, how our mind has evolved from childhood.  These intricacies of our youth allow us to build our personal values and what we hold dear to us based off of our personal moral code, and those of our Ancestors.  Fortunately, childhood values and traditions are usually very pliable, so that those who are raised more closed-minded can eventually open up the walls that have been built up around them to understand and experience new things that are outside of the ideals in which they were raised.

(Word Count: 116)

Personal Bias

Definition: a particular tendency or inclination, especially one that prevents unprejudiced consideration of a question; prejudice. (Dictionary.com)

Personal Bias is, in general, holding a firm opinion about a subject that may influence a decision regarding that subject.  This could be negative or positive, but ultimately the way you feel about the subject, your bias, may determine any decisions you have regarding that subject.  An example I can use for this, is one I am dealing with in my own Grove at this very writing.  A convicted sex offender enters the Grove community (no physical harm done in this offenders case), and when it is revealed of this persons past convictions, emotions immediately flare in the direction of the worst case scenario.  Those that may have had some sort of sexual crime committed against them may feel a very significant (and rightly so) personal bias against this person, even though this person was not the perpetrator of their unfortunate past.  That is a personal bias they have when they view and judge this person in the community.  Personal bias is very difficult to overcome, but it is something that is necessary in order to value all things with a fair and clear mind.

(Word Count: 185)

Professional Boundaries

Definition: boundaries are the limits that allow for safe connections between individuals (SD Chiropractic Professional Boundaries Training)

Professional Boundaries are set restrictions that we put in place to prevent inappropriate, offensive, or uncomfortable positions with peers in situations involving the workplace, religious organizations, schools, etc.  When we set boundaries like this, we are showing what our personal comfort zones are to other people, and in return acknowledging what their personal comfort zones are to create a harmonious and workable environment without drama or strife.  It is a method of placing each other on a level playing field for a common purpose (whether it is work, education, etc.).  In my personal views, I hold strict personal boundaries in my workplace that I do not involve religion or romance in any sort of work environment.  They are both personal and unrelated parts of my life that have no affect on my ability to do my work, therefor they are not conveyed or discussed in the workplace.  In return, my bosses do not ask or infiltrate those parts of my life either, thus we create a reciprocal respect and positive work environment that is focused solely on the tasks at hand.

(Word Count: 181)

Confidentiality

Definition: spoken, written, acted on, etc., in strict privacy or secrecy; secret: a confidential remark. (Dictionary.com)

Confidentiality is, as defined, keeping something such as a conversation or physical act a private conversation or physical act that is not known or repeated to anyone else.  An example would be if someone came to me as an ADF Priest, with the spoken or written acknowledgement that this was a confidential conversation, then I would be held by a token of confidentiality to not repeat what is said or written to any other person.  I do feel there are some personal exclusions to this, however.  If said person was intent on doing harm to someone else, such as murder or rape, then I feel my moral ethics would outweigh in that situation and I would feel the need to report the person.  So that also brings up the relationship between Confidentiality and Morals and how one can reflect and potentially override the other.  It is my moral duty to keep confidentiality whenever possible, but it is also moreso my moral duty to protect people from harm, moreso than confidentiality.

(Word Count: 170)

Right and Wrong

Definition: Ethics (also known as moral philosophy) is a branch of philosophy that addresses questions about morality — that is, concepts such as good and evil, right and wrong, justice, virtue, etc. (closest I could find to a definition, FastWeb)

Right and Wrong are the judgments we make as individual based on our morals and ethics.  Each situation we have to look at from our own moral perspective and determine whether the actions of those involved were right when compared to our morals, or wrong.  An example would be, if I were to reference the situation of the sexual offender again, would allowing this person to be a part of our community be a right or wrong thing to do, especially if we have individuals it might affect?  Based off of our own personal morals we have to make the call on whether it is right or wrong based off the history, facts, and our viewpoints when it comes to fairness and humanity.  Right and Wrong is not always so black and white or “one or the other”.  There are many gray areas in-between that bleed into one another which is where the term “for the greater good” comes from.  Can we deny someone from being part of the community due to their past if they have served their time?  We could if it became a huge detriment to the community, but is that right or wrong, or both?  Essentially Right and Wrong is a judgment call of morals, fairness, and ethics.

(Word Count: 212)