The Army Professional Ethic

Enhancing Moral Character

Development
CH (MAJ) Roger McCay

Resources
http://cape.army.mil
AKO CAPE
The Future of the Army Profession by Don M.
Snider and Lloyd J. Matthews
The Profession of Arms An Army White
Paper

Learning Objectives
Develop a framework for defining Moral
Character
Be able to describe the Moral Character
Development model
Be able to conduct a facilitated discussion
towards Moral Character Development in
subordinate Soldiers.
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Essential Characteristics
of the Army Profession
The Army Profession
Trust
Essential Characteristics
Trustworthiness

Military
Expertise

Esprit de
Corps

Honorable
Service

Stewardship
of the
Profession

Moral & Legal Foundation

American Values, Constitution & Statutes
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Criteria for Professional Certification

The Army Profession (Two Components)

Recommended Criteria for Army Professionals

Three criteria are recommended for identifying those
who have attained the status of Army professional:
1. COMPETENCE in Expert Work: The
Professionals work is expert work related to the
design, generation, support, and application of land
combat power and the individuals competence has
been certified by the Army commensurate with the
level of certificate granted

2. Moral CHARACTER requisite to being an

Army professional The Armys expert work creates
a moral responsibility to act on behalf of a client
rather than self and thus demands a moral character
of sacrifice and service to ones own and the Armys
Duty to the nation
3. Resolute COMMITMENT to the Army
Profession: By observation and evaluation it is
clear that the professional has developed a personal
calling requisite to an abiding commitment to
effective, ethical, and honorable service in the Army
and to the nation

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Professional Soldier
Competence
Military
Intellectual
Physical

Moral Character
Human Spirit
Ethical
Social

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Holistic Soldier
Development
Military
Intellectual
Physical
Human
Spirit
Ethical

Professional

Social

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Moral Character
An individuals moral being in which is
stored moral experience and motivation.
Who we are morally (Maturity/Identity) and
what we are morally ready and willing to
do (Strength).

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Character Components

Moral
Maturity

Moral
Strength

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Character Components
Moral
Maturity:
Who we are

Inter
actions

Moral
Strength:
What we are ready
and willing to do

Personal characteristics
Initially formed by life experiences with family
and culture
Active in all environments we are in
including Professional Military environments.
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

10

Moral Maturity Components

Moral
Maturity
Identity
Self-image comprised of
sub-identities that arise out
of situational environmental
interactions

Judgment
Experience and skill acquired
when dealing with
observations and situations,
and evaluating courses of
action
Ownership
Guidelines required to employ
a greater extent of
character

Self Awareness
Awareness of ones abilities
and internal processes
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Moral Maturity Components

Moral
Maturity
Identity
Judgment
Self-Awareness
Ownership

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Moral Strength Components

Courage
Fortitude to perform actions
despite pressures from either
inside or outside of the
organization to do otherwise.
Confidence
Ones belief that ones ability to
act will achieve the desired
purpose
Self-Discipline
Goal-directed self-regulation to
realize ones commitments

Moral
Strengt
h
Resilience
A reservoir of resources
built up through experience
and perseverance in tough
situations

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Character Components
Moral
Strength
Courage
Confidence
Self-Discipline
Resilience

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Character Components
Moral
Strength

Moral
Maturity
Identity
Judgment
Self awareness
Ownership

Inter
actions

Confidence
Courage
Self Discipline
Resilience

Moral Maturity
A persons makeup and ability to use relevant information to interface with the
environment.
Moral Strength
A persons motivation and resolve concerning situations in the environment.

Interactions
Maturity and Strength constantly interact reinforcing/modifying each other as
we gain experiences from our environment.
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

15

Moral Character Development

Identity
Judgment
Self awareness
Ownership

Inter
actions

Feedback

Character
Strength

Character
Maturity

Confidence
Courage
Self Discipline
Resilience

Ethical Processing
Recognize
the Ethical
Conflict

Thinking

Evaluate
the
Options

Commit to
a Decision

OUT
VIRTUE RULES
COMES

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

ACT

Motivation

16

Character and Environment

Create New
Experiences

Environment
Change
Conditions

Take Ethical
Action

Moral
Strength

Moral
Maturity
Identity
Judgment
Self awareness
Ownership

Vote on Laws
& Codes

Inter
actions

Define Cultural
Norms

Confidence
Courage
Self Discipline
Resilience

Experiences
can change
Character
Character
can change
the
Environment

Make
Resolutions

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

17

Moral
Maturity

Moral
Strength

Moral
Courage
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Moral Courage
Few men are willing to brave the disapproval of their fellows, the censure of their
colleagues, the wrath of their society. Moral courage is a rarer commodity than
bravery in battle or great intelligence. Yet it is the one essential, vital quality for those
who seek to change a world which yields most painfully to change.
Robert F. Kennedy
Last, but by no means least, courage-moral courage, the courage of one's convictions,
the courage to see things through. The world ;is in a constant conspiracy against the
brave. It's the age-old struggle-the roar of the crowd on one side and the voice of your;
conscience on the other.
General Douglas MacArthur
It is curious - curious that physical courage should be so common in the world, and
moral courage so rare.

Mark Twain

Reaction to New Environment

Moral
Strength

Moral
Maturity
Identity
Judgment
Self awareness
Ownership

Inter
actions

Confidence
Courage
Self Discipline
Resilience

Army
Professional
Sub-identity

Civilian Environment
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Persons
form a new
sub-identity
into which
they gather
information
20

Reaction to Reinforcing
Environment
Moral
Strength

Moral
Maturity
Identity
Judgment
Self awareness
Ownership

Inter
actions

Confidence
Courage
Self Discipline
Resilience

Army
Professional
Sub-identity

Drill
Sergeants

The subidentity
becomes
better defined
as more
information is
added and
existing
pertinent info
is reinforced

BCT Environment
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

21

Continued Learning and

Environment
Moral
Strength

Moral
Maturity
Identity
Judgment
Self awareness
Ownership

Inter
actions

Confidence
Courage
Self Discipline
Resilience

Army
Professional
Sub-identity

Army
Environment

Other
Soldiers
and
Leaders

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

As Soldiers
reflect upon
the Army, their
place in it and
the importance
of the Army
Ethic, the subidentity
becomes better
integrated with
the Soldiers
Character
22

Integrating Army and Moral

Identities
Integration of Identities takes time
Old identities are resistive to change
New identities need to be fortified by
reinforcement to maintain relevancy

Integration requires comparison and analysis

achieved during reflection
The person sees value in them due to a good fit
in their current character or have a desire for
change.
Changes to Character can be accelerated if
reinforced by repeated experiences containing
similar values/morals.
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

23

Professionals Battlespace
Professional
Ethics &
Ethos
Army
Culture &
Values

Unit
Leadership,
Culture &
Norms

Operating
Environment

Physical &
Psychological
State

Soldier Thoughts
And Behavior

Laws,
Regulations
& ROE

Human
Spirit

Personal
Virtues, Ethics
& Morals

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

24
24

Supporting Soldiers
Ethical command climate serves three key
functions for Soldiers in combat
environments:
Helps to define and strengthen Soldiers moral
identities
Enables Soldiers to carry out missions that may
require them to kill and perform other morally
aversive acts
Strengthens Soldiers resistance to ethical
breakdown from moral stress / moral disengagement
caused by combat by increasing their moral
resilience.

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

25

Developing Character through

Ethical Climate
Ethical unit climate is making ethics stand above other
activities including pressure to accomplish missions and
get results.
Unit leaders build ethics into the formal structure and
informal norms of the unit. Research shows that unit
members are most inspired by leaders who:

Demonstrate ethical leadership,

Develop unit positive cohesion,
Emphasize personal and professional development, and
Integrate ethics and ethical considerations into everyday unit
structures and processes (policies, practices, rules, routines,
rewards, etc.).
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

26

Moral Character Development in the Battlespace

REGULATIO
NS

OPERATIONAL ENVIRONMENT
JUST WAR
PRINCIPLES

ARMY
CULTUR
E

actions

RO
E
Recognize
the Ethical
Conflict

Thinking
ORDER
S

Inter

Moral
Strength
Confidence
Courage
Self Discipline
Resilience

Feedbac
k

UNIT
CLIMATE

Moral
Maturity
Identity
Judgment
Self awareness
Ownership

ARMY
NORMS

Evaluate
the
Options
VIRTUE

OUT
RULES COMES

SOP
s

Professional
Battlespace

Commit
to a
Decision

ACT

Motivation
CIVIL
MILITARY
RELATIONS

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

ARMY
VALUE
S

WARRI
OR
ETHOS
27

Reflection
Professional Development
Reflection allows us to:
Understand larger issues and challenges from specific details
Ground the larger context in everyday details
Connect multiple perspectives through collective reflection
Look at what were doing, where weve been, where were
going
Personal Development
Reflection enables us to:
Think critically about military experiences and Army Values
and apply them to our identities and personal virtues
Challenge (although not necessarily change) attitudes,
beliefs, assumptions and prejudices about ourselves and the
military profession
Link thought and action
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

28

Promoting Reflection &

Character Development
Thoughts into Responses
Writing/Journaling
Contributing to discussion

Shift in questioning techniques/strategy

Make it personal
What would YOU do/How do YOU feel/What do YOU
think?
What Courses of Action would YOU consider?
Compare/contrast what YOU do/think/feel to the story.
Take the part/focus of different characters in the story.
Push persons out of their comfort zones

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

29

Clarity Increases Development

Highlight the Importance of moral/ethical
issues
1. Keep issues in humanistic terms
2. Discourage euphemisms and sanitizing
language (e.g., collateral damage)
3. Encourage responsibility /accountability
4. Point out injurious effects of potential
actions
5. Prevent dehumanization of victims.
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

30

Intensity Increases
Development
Raising the perceived level of moral/ethical
intensity during ethical discussions increases
development of Character
1.Modify the story What if .
Increase the danger - more enemy
Higher complexity more non-combatants
Twist the plot change a parameter/condition
2.Stress the participants
Less time to make decision
Less information to make decision

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

31

Take Aways
Concepts for Facilitators
Accurate information, reinforced
Integration is accelerated by examples, stories,
responses to deeper-level questions
Reflection

Soldiers integrate Army Values, Warrior

Ethos, etc. at different rates based on
individual internal process
Providing info in many forms (vignettes, stories,
examples in TX & FTX) aids the process
Facilitation of stories/vignettes to teach Soldiers
how to think about and reflect on ethical issues.
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

32

Questions?

Break

The Army Professional Ethic

Applying Ethical Processing
CH (MAJ) Roger McCay

Sources and Resources

http://cape.army.mil
AKO CAPE
APET/MAPET Courses
The Future of the Army Profession by Don M.
Snider and Lloyd J. Matthews
The Profession of Arms An Army White
Paper

Learning Objectives
Be able to describe the steps of Ethical Processing.
Be able to identify the relationship of the construct of
Moral Character to Ethical Processing during ethical
decision making.

Be able to apply Ethical Processing in the Ethics

Battlespace by preparing typical questions to be used
during a facilitated discussion and giving rationale for
each.
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

37

What is the Army Ethic?

A working definition:
The moral values, principles and martial
virtues embedded in Army culture that
inspire and regulate ethical behavior by both
Soldiers and the U.S. Army in the
application of land combat in defense of and
service to the Nation.
LTC Pete Kilner, M.A., Ph.D
Infantry, USAMA Professor

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Ethical Processing Model

Recognize
the
Conflict

Acknowledging
that an Ethical
Conflict exists,
defining it, and
identifying the
conflicting
rules/values/
outcomes/etc.

Evaluate
the
Options

List COAs
Ethical Lenses

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Using the Ethical Lenses

(perspectives)

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Using the Ethical Lenses

(perspectives)
RULES

Is there a Rule/Regulation that applies to the Course

of Action (CoA)? Aspects of the Armys Professional
Ethic? Know the difference between guidance and
orders.

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Using the Ethical Lenses

(perspectives)
RULES

OUTCOMES

Is there a Rule/Regulation that applies to the Course

of Action (CoA)? Aspects of the Armys Professional
Ethic? Know the difference between guidance and
orders.
Think of and compare possible outcomes for the CoA.
A CoA benefitting the greatest number of affected
persons may be the best solution.

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Using the Ethical Lenses

(perspectives)
RULES

OUTCOMES

VIRTUES

Is there a Rule/Regulation that applies to the Course

of Action (CoA)? Aspects of the Armys Professional
Ethic? Know the difference between guidance and
orders.
Think of and compare possible outcomes for the CoA.
A CoA benefitting the greatest number of affected
persons may be the best solution.

Finally, look at the COA in light of personal

virtues. COAs that seem to be applicable to a
conflict but can not be reconciled with the Army
Values, Soldiers Code (Warriors Ethos), etc.
and your Core Virtues are suspect for leading to
moral/ethical error.
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Ethical Processing Model

Recognize
the
Conflict

List

Evaluate
the
Options

Commit to
a Decision

Choosing
and
committing
OUT
COAs VIRTUE RULES COMES
to the best
Ethical
course of
action.
Ethical Lenses

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

ACT

Acting
on your
Ethical
decision.

Character Development Using Ethical

Processing

Identity
Judgment
Self awareness
Ownership

Inter
actions

Feedback

Moral
Strength

Moral
Maturity

Confidence
Courage
Self Discipline
Resilience

Ethical Processing
Recognize
the Ethical
Conflict

Thinking

Evaluate
the
Options

Commit to
a Decision

OUT
VIRTUE RULES
COMES

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

ACT

Motivation

45

Professional Character Development

Maturity
UNIT
CULTURE

ARMY
NORMS

REGULATIONS

Professional
Character

Strength

Identity
Judgment
Self-Awareness
Ownership

Courage
Confidence
Self Discipline
Resilience

Ethical Processing
SOPs
Recognize
the
Conflict

Thinking

Evaluate
the
Options
VIRTUE

OUT
RULES COMES

Commit
to a
Decision

ROE

ACT

Motivation

ORDERS

The Professionals Battlespace

Feedbac
k

OPERATIONAL
ENVIRONMENT

JUST WAR PRINCIPLES

ARMY
VALUES

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

WARRIOR
ETHOS

Scenario

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Consider the statement

Targeting Children.

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Video Intro

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Video Discussion
What is going on here?
What are some options CPT Barringer
faced?
COAs
Ethical Lenses

What decision would you make in such a

situation?
What are some difficulties in taking action?
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Video Conclusion

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Video Discussion
What does CPT Barringers decision say
about his character?

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Questions for Reflection

What is the one key insight that you are
taking away from this experience and will
put into practice?
What did you learn from the conclusion or
from hearing the rest of the story of the
vignette?
How could you prepare for this situation
now?
CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Questions?

CAPE Army Profession and Ethic Trainer

Break

Morality and Ethics

CH (MAJ) Roger McCay

Resources
http://cape.army.mil
A Study of the Ethical Thinking of Dietrich Bonhoeffer
Roger McCay
Biblical Christian Ethics David C. Jones
The Elements of Moral Philosophy by James Rachels
Ethics by Dietrich Bonhoeffer
The Right Thing To Do: Basic Readings in Moral
Philosophy by James Rachels
The Use of the Ethical Triangle in Military Decision
Making by Jack D. Kem
Ethical writings by Plato, Aristotle, Kant, Mills, Hume

Learning Objectives
Be able to discuss the underlying thought behind the
three lenses of the Army Ethical Model along with
their strengths and weaknesses.
Be able to make the right ethical decision in
concrete situations.

58

Thinking Check

Which is the right action?

Ethical Action
or
Action according to the law/rules

Are you going to follow the rule to

failure?
- CSM Rory Malloy

Exploration of the 3 Lenses

What were they?

RULES

OUTCOMES

VIRTUES

Based on Dr. Jack Kems Ethical

Triangle

Exploration of the 3 Lenses

The Kem Triangle
RULES

Consequence Based
Ethics
OUTCOMES

Principle Based Ethics

Virtue Based Ethics

VIRTUES

Three alternative bases for ethics

Completely different criteria of ethical evaluation
To only use one method is one-sided
Sometimes they conflict

Exploration of the 3 Lenses

RULES

= Principle Based
Ethics
Immanuel Kant
Thomas Hobbes
Moral action is essentially that which is
according to the rules/laws

RULES

= Principle Based
Ethics
Kant - Categorical Imperatives
Act only on that maxim through which you can at the
same time will that it should become a universal law.
Act in such a way that you always treat humanity,
whether in your own person or in the person of
another, never simply as a means, but always at the
same time as an end.
Founded in reason
No emphasis on outcomes
Morality is found in following rules that are absolute with
no exceptions whatsoever in all circumstances

RULES

= Principle Based
Ethics
Thomas Hobbes Social Contract
Natural Law
Mans nature is determined by the sum of all his
experiences and abilities
As a result, there is a common understanding of what is
right and wrong

Morality consists in the set of rules, governing

how people are to treat one another, that rational
people will agree to accept, for their mutual
benefit, on the condition that others follow those
rules as well.

RULES

= Principle Based
Ethics
Strengths

Limits uncertainty
Consistent
Considers the means
Objective basis for moral decisions (Social Contract)

Weakneses

Does not account for consequences

No solution for conflicting rules (Kant)
Is blind to concrete situations
Does not take into consideration those who cannot
enter into a social contract (Social Contract)

Exploration of the 3 Lenses

OUTCOMES

= Consequence Based
Ethics

Primary philosopher John Stuart Mill

Bentham, Hegel, Hume
Utilitarianism/Consequentialism
Do what is the greatest good for the
greatest number.

OUTCOMES

= Consequence Based
Ethics

John Stuart Mill Utilitarianism

Actions are to be judged right or wrong solely
by virtue of their consequences. Nothing else
matters.
In assessing consequences, the only thing
that matters is the amount of happiness or
unhappiness that is created. Everything else
is irrelevant.
Each persons happiness counts the same.

OUTCOMES

= Consequence Based
Strengths
Ethics

Accounts for consequences

Recognizes concrete situations
Conflicting rules are not a problem

OUTCOMES

= Consequence Based
Ethics Weaknesses

Subjective - agent determines what he/she believes is

right/wrong/best for all
Sets persons against rules. Rules define the
responsibility of persons.
Depends on an impossible calculation of consequences
Tendency to focus on the ends despite the means
Tendency towards self-serving anti-nomianism
At odds with justice
At odds with individual rights

OUTCOMES

= Consequence Based
Ethics Weaknesses

Requires too great a demand on us - would require us to give up

most of our material resources i.e. Which is more important
entertainment or feeding starving children?
Impartiality to all Disrupts personal relationships intimacy, love,
affection, and friendship fly out the window
Misunderstands the nature of happiness
Happiness is not something that is recognized as good and sought for
its own sake, with other things desired only as a means of bringing it
about. Instead, happiness is a response we have to the attainment of
things that we recognize as good, independently and in their own right.

Exploration of the 3 Lenses

VIRTUES

= Virtue Based Ethics

Aristotle, Plato, Jesus, St. Augustine,

Bonhoeffer
Finds roots in philosophy and religion (2
examples)
Character Matters
Do unto others as you would have them do
unto you.

VIRTUES

= Virtue Based Ethics

Aristotle, Plato/Socrates (Philosophers)

Focus is not on what one should do, but rather what kind of
person should one be?
Plato It is skills learned from others
Aristotle It is goodness of the soul; categories of intellectual
and moral: i.e. Wisdom and Understanding are intellectual
virtues and Liberty and Temperance are moral
The Golden Mean
A lifetime endeavor to master
i.e. Confidence is necessary too much is rashness and
too little is cowardice The golden mean of confidence is
courage

VIRTUES

= Virtue Based Ethics

Virtue
Virtue a trait of character, manifested in habitual
action, that is good for a person to have.
Virtues are important because the virtuous person
will fare better in life. (Aristotle)
Needed to conduct our lives well.
Differ from person to person. (Nietzsche)
Differ from society to society. (Rachels)
Yet, there are some virtues that will be needed by all
people in all times.

VIRTUES

= Virtue Based Ethics

Foundation

Bonhoeffer
(Christian)

Christ as center
Ethics are not a set of ideals and program principles
that must be applied to shape the world, but the form
of Jesus Christ (who is at the center of time and
space) in the world.

Rejection of two-sphere reality

There is only one reality, and that is the reality of
God, which has become manifest in Christ in the
reality of the world.

VIRTUES

= Virtue Based Ethics

Bonhoeffer

Making Ethical Decisions

Purpose of Ethics the achievement of participation
in the reality of the fulfilled will of God
Ethics - responsible action in concrete times and
concrete places not timeless and placeless
First question of Ethics - What is the will of God?
Gods commandment fixes the boundaries that
ethics define in concrete places and times.

VIRTUES

= Virtue Based Ethics

Bonhoeffer

How to Know the Right Ethic

Simplicity A clear focus on the truth of God
Wisdom The ability to recognize the significant
in the factual; sees reality as it is, and...sees
into the depths of things...the essential nature of
things.
It is...only by simple steadfastness in the truth of
God, by training the eye upon this truth until it is
simple and wise, that there comes the experience
and the knowledge of the ethical reality.

VIRTUES

= Virtue Based Ethics

Bonhoeffer

Responsible Action
The responsible individual, in simplicity and wisdom,
does what has to be done and then lets God be the
judge.
The responsible individuals actions are relative to the
reality of a given situation.
Only the selfless man lives responsibly and this is in
complete surrender of ones own life to the other
man.
In simplicity and wisdom, he sees in the given
situation what is necessary and what is right for him
to grasp and do.

VIRTUES

= Virtue Based Ethics

Bonhoeffer

Necessity
Laws are limited in that they are static.
Laws can at times go counter to responsible
action.
Ultimate necessities
In the course of historical life there comes a
point where the exact observance of the formal
law of a state...suddenly finds itself in violent
conflict with the ineluctable necessities of the
lives of men...

VIRTUES

= Virtue Based Ethics

Bonhoeffer

His critique on Principle Based Ethics

Duty fails as an ethic because it does not
allow for the deed coming from ones own
free responsibility.
What is commanded is seized upon as being
surest...The man of duty will end by having to
fulfill his obligation even to the devil.

VIRTUES

= Virtue Based Ethics

Bonhoeffer

His critique on Consequence Based

Ethics
Not bound by duty, conscience, reputation, or
principles
Can end up a tragedy will easily consent
to the bad, knowing full well that it is bad, in
order to ward off what is worse, and in doing
this he will no longer be able to see that
precisely the worse which he is trying to avoid
may still be the better.

VIRTUES

= Virtue Based Ethics

The Golden
Ethic
Christianity So whatever you wish that others would do

to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the

Prophets. Jesus in Matthew 7:12 (ESV)
Confucianism - Do not do to others what you would not
like yourself. Then there will be no resentment against you,
either in the family or in the state. Analects 12:2
Buddhism - Hurt not others in ways that you yourself
would find hurtful. Udana-Varga 5,1
Hinduism - This is the sum of duty; do naught onto others
what you would not have them do unto you. Mahabharata
5,1517

VIRTUES

= Virtue Based Ethics

The Golden
Ethic
Islam - No one of you is a believer until he desires for
his brother that which he desires for himself. Sunnah

Judaism - What is hateful to you, do not do to your

fellowman. This is the entire Law; all the rest is
commentary. Talmud, Shabbat 3id
Taoism - Regard your neighbors gain as your gain, and
your neighbors loss as your own loss. - Tai Shang Kan
Yin Pien
Zoroastrianism - That nature alone is good which
refrains from doing another whatsoever is not good for
itself. - Dadisten-I-dinik, 94,5

VIRTUES

= Virtue Based Ethics

Strengths
Simple; not simplistic
Deals with concrete situations
The Golden Ethic is an almost universal teaching of world
religions
Based on love of fellow human beings (Golden Ethic;
Bonhoeffer)
Grounded in the transcendent (Bonhoeffer)

Weakneses
Requires educated thought, wisdom, and a character of
quality (both)
Faith/Religion based ethic requires one to be a member of
that religion (i.e. a Christian for Bonhoeffers)

The 3 Lenses
The Kem Triangle
Principle Based Ethics
Act as if the maxim of your
action was to become a universal
law of nature.

Consequence Based Ethics

Do what produces the
greatest good for the
greatest number.

Virtue Based Ethics

Golden Ethic: Do to others
what you would have them do
to you.

Kems Army Ethical Decision

Making Model
Define the problem (ethical dilemma) i.e.
the right vs. right
Consider alternative COAs
Test the COAs against the ethical triangle
Consider additional alternative courses of
action (i.e. win-win or no decision)
Choose the course of action that best
represents Army values
Implement the course of action

Some Other Lenses

Cultural Relativism
Ethical Subjectivism
The Divine Command
Theory
The Theory of Natural
Law
Ethical Egoism
Ethics of Conscience

Pragmatic Ethics
Positivistic Ethics
Tragic Morality
Hierarchicalism
Case Analysis
And more

Conclusion
We are discussing no small matter,
but how we ought to live.
- Socrates, in Platos Republic

Questions?