Ethics

A simple way to describe ethics is as a moral compass for what is right and wrong, but the complexity of the topic of ethics is more complex than it seems. Ethics encompasses different areas of life, from business, economic, media, research, education, environmental, and so on. Regardless of which category of ethics one is delving into, what’s ethical and what’s unethical can be hard to define, as ethics are often looked at through the same angle as morality. Ethics typically concern fairness and justice and seep into every facet of life. While views of morality and ethics are not universally agreed upon, they can set the framework for codes of conduct and principles, as well as assist in the analysis of moral dilemmas in society.

Although laws can enforce ethical behavior, it is also important to make the distinction that what is ethical isn’t necessarily what is legal, what is socially acceptable isn’t always ethical, and ethics are not bound to religion. Additionally, feelings of morality can blur the lines of what people see as ethical, and like laws, feelings can also “deviate from what is ethical (Velasquez et al).” The importance of ethics is that ethical or unethical decisions can have great impacts on the way we behave as individuals, but also affect how societies, institutions, medical researchers, and businesses behave by setting a standard of moral principles. The role of ethics today has a high priority in all fields and implementing ethical standards is crucial because they can prevent governments, elites, and corporations from conducting practices that are detrimental to humans and the environment.

When it comes to ethics and the environment, different theories of environmental ethics have much variation that can dictate how policies centered around sustainability are carried out. Biocentric views of sustainability promotes wilderness preservation and restoration, such as the creation of national parks and protected lands separate from humans, whereas anthropocentric views are more utilitarian in that nature is viewed as something to be preserved for future generations. While biocentric ethical views and approaches to conservation can be successful in Western countries without having any adverse impacts on humans, this approach ignores the inequalities and interconnections that have historically existed between people and their environments in developing countries. When Western concepts of conservation have been applied in India, it has often resulted in uprooting villages and people from their homes. This can further de-stabilize those who are already living in poverty, and unfortunately, those in poverty are most likely to be forcefully relocated, while setting aside new wilderness areas has “resulted in a direct transfer from the poor to the rich (Guha).”

Looking at ethics through the lens of power, it’s apparent that the greater the power the murkier the line between being ethical and unethical comes into play. With more power, an individual or an entity (such as a large corporation or government institution) has the influence to be able to side step ethical or legal issues; as is the situation of one of the provisions of the TPP, which would allow corporations to bypass laws if they interfere with profits (Warren). In many cases, power translates to money. With money involved, people and opinions are susceptible to being bought and dismissing ethical standards whether they are legislated or not and adhering to strong ethical standards can help hold parties accountable for human rights and environmental violations, while raising consciousness of issues in the public sphere.

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Works Cited

Guha, Ramachandra. “Radical American Environmentalism and Wilderness Preservation.” Environmental Ethics, 11 (1989): 71-83. Print. 8 July 2016.
Velasquez, Manuel, et al. “What is Ethics?” Santa Clara University: Markkula Center for Applied Ethics. 2010. Web. 2 Dec. 2015.
Warren, Elizabeth. “The Trans-Pacific Partnership Clause Everyone Should Oppose.” The Washington Post. 25 Feb. 2015. Web. 29 Nov. 2015.