ETHICS ASSIGNMENT

SUBMITTED BY :
SARAH ZAHID FO6- 13 KOMAL BABAR FO6-15 ALINA RUBAB FO6-26 SAMYA SHABBIR FO6-30 YAMNA ALVI FO6-34

SUBMITTED TO :
Mr. KHURRAM AFZAL

ETHICS OF INDIVIDUAL

CONTENTS:
Introduction Individual codes of ethics Individual ethics versus professional ethics Values and ethics

ETHICS OF INDIVIDUAL

INTRODUCTION
Individual ethics is a category of philosophy that determines what an individual believes about morality and right and wrong. This is usually distinguished from business ethics or legal ethics. These branches of ethics come from outside organizations or governments, not the individual's conscience. These branches of ethics occasionally overlap. Personal ethics can affect all areas of life, including family, finances and relationships. There is some disagreement on where personal ethics originate from. Some philosophers use man's sense of morality to support the existence of God. These philosophers typically agree that a divine power instilled personal morality in humankind, creating a basic universal system of right and wrong. Evolutionists might explain humanity's personal ethics through survival of the fittest. They might teach that a species that did not place value on life could have kill itself off gradually, while a species with an ethical system that frowns upon violence and murder would be a given a greater chance to reproduce and evolve, thus passing their peaceful ethics onto new generations. Evolutionists might conclude that modern humanity now genetically inherits the ability to discern between rights and wrongs that benefit the community. Other philosophers argue that ethics are not inherent at all and that children learn right and wrong solely from social conditioning. This could be the cause of the differing personal ethics found throughout the world. These philosophers typically suggest that personal ethics are learned from families, friends and teachers. Some ethics might also be adapted from individual experiences. The purpose of personal ethics is often debated. Ideas can range from pleasing a personal god to creating a thriving community to learning the best way to please oneself. Religion inspires a large portion of personal ethics. Many devoted followers are willing to adhere to a specific morality system on faith alone Others are motivated by humanitarian interests. These personal ethics can breed lofty goals. Some people shape their actions and priorities around ending world hunger, slowing global warming or encouraging world peace. Humanitarian efforts can also be more subtle, such as random acts of kindness for a neighbor or volunteering as a tutor. Sometimes different motivations can blend together. A religious person might make personal ethical choices that simultaneously please her god while also helping her community.

INDIVIDUAL CODE OF ETHICS

A personal code of ethics is the essence of who a person is and his beliefs. It's based on the rules and guidelines an individual uses to govern his life, as well as the manner in which he interacts with others.

Significance
o

A personal code of ethics is a necessary ingredient to achieve success or overcome adversity. In the absence of rules, it's difficult to hold oneself accountable for poor decision-making or bad behavior

Integrity
o

Integrity is a major part of a personal code of ethics. It refers to character and decision-making in various situations. Integrity, as it relates to a personal code of ethics, means not compromising one's beliefs under any circumstances.

Commitment
o

Successful implementation of a personal code of ethics requires commitment to a specific purpose and internal discipline.

Purpose
o

A personal code of ethics must have a definite purpose. In most cases, it is used to correct or eliminate an unwanted behavior. In other instances, it is used to help achieve goals, such as creating a successful marriage.

Benefits
o

Having a personal code of ethics makes it easier to focus on goals. A written code of ethics can be modified as a person grows closer to becoming who she's striving to be. It can be referred to regularly to evaluate successes and identify areas where improvement is needed.

INDIVIDUAL ETHICS VERSES PROFESSIONAL ETHICS

Personal ethics depends highly on personal beliefs and loyalties, and results in behavior in a person's life in his relationships, family and friends. We bind ourselves by our personal ethics as they define who we are, and give us the pride and confidence in our lives. Personal ethics are often deep within us, but not written. Personal ethics can also change depending on major events in our lives. Professional ethics depends highly on the requirements of the profession, looking out for the interests of the organization as well as the customers. We are often bound legally by our professional ethics, such as confidentiality and due diligence. Professional ethics are usually written and signed, and rarely change over time. In summary, the similarity ends at the fact that we bind our action to the ethical rules expected of us. Differences are many. While professional ethics apply only while we are working in our professional, we check our actions by our personal ethics wherever we go.

THE CHARACTER OF VALUES AND ETHICS

Values can be defined as those things that are important to or valued by someone. That someone can be an individual or, collectively, an organization. One place where values are important is in relation to vision. One of the imperatives for organizational vision is that it must be based on and consistent with the organization's core values. In one example of a vision statement we'll look at later, the organization's core values - in this case, integrity, professionalism, caring, teamwork, and stewardship- were deemed important enough to be included with the statement of the organization's vision. Dr. John Johns, in an article entitled "The Ethical Dimensions of National Security," mentions honesty and loyalty as values that are the ingredients of integrity. When values are shared by all members of an organization, they are extraordinarily important tools for making judgments, assessing probable outcomes of contemplated actions, and choosing among alternatives. Perhaps more important, they put all members "on the same sheet of music" with regard to what all members as a body consider important. TO BEHAVE ETHICALLY IS TO BEHAVE IN A MANNER THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH WHAT IS GENERALLY CONSIDERED TO BE RIGHT OR MORAL. ETHICAL BEHAVIOR IS THE BEDROCK OF MUTUAL TRUST. So how do values relate to ethics, and what do we mean by ethics? One of the keys is in the phrase we quoted above from the DA pamphlet: "Values are what we, as a profession, judge to be right." Individually or organizationally, values determine what is right and what is wrong, and doing what is right or wrong is what we mean by ethics. To behave ethically is to behave in a manner consistent with what is right or moral. What does "generally considered to be right" mean? That is a critical question, and part of the difficulty in deciding whether or not behavior is ethical is in determining what is right or wrong. he reason norms are important for a discussion of ethics and values is that norms may allow or even encourage certain behavior as "OK" that is not in keeping with society's or an organization's stated values. When there is a disconnect between stated and

operating values, it may be difficult to determine what is "right." An example might be a company that has among its stated values to treat everyone with dignity and respect, but whose norms have permitted and perhaps even encouraged a pattern of sexual harassment over a number of years. Do those in the organization know that the behavior is wrong, but condone it nevertheless? Is it clear to the Bosnian Serbs that ethnic cleansing is unethical and wrong, or would it fall under the mantle of behavior that is considered to be acceptable in that society? Listen to the arguments in support of ethnic cleansing that have been made, and you will find that many of the perpetrators argued that they did nothing wrong, and were only righting previous wrongs done to them.

REFERENCES: http://www.ask.com/questions-about/Personal-Ethics-Value-System http://www.personal.psu.edu/users/l/f/lfs5011/code%20of%20ethics.html http://www.ask.com/web?q=Personal+Ethics+at+Work&qsrc=6&o=102140&l=dir http://www.susankramer.com/personalintegrity.html