Types

Meta-ethics:- about the theoretical meaning and reference of moral propositions and how their truth values may be determined. Normative ethics:- about the practical means of determining a moral course of action; Applied ethics:- about how moral outcomes can be achieved in specific situations. Descriptive ethics:-also known as comparative ethics, is the study of people's beliefs about morality;

Importance of Ethics
Satisfying Basic Human Needs: Being fair, honest and ethical is one the basic human needs. Every employee desires to be such himself and to work for an organization that is fair and ethical in its practices. Creating Credibility: An organization that is believed to be driven by moral values is respected in the society even by those who may have no information about the working and the businesses or an organization. Infosys, for example is perceived as an organization for good corporate governance and social responsibility initiatives. This perception is held far and wide even by those who do not even know what business the organization is into. Uniting People and Leadership: An organization driven by values is revered by its employees also. They are the common thread that brings the employees and the decision makers on a common platform. This goes a long way in aligning behaviors within the organization towards achievement of one common goal or mission.

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Improving Decision Making: A mans destiny is the sum total of all the decisions that he/she takes in course of his life. The same holds true for organizations. Decisions are driven by values. For example an organization that does not value competition will be fierce in its operations aiming to wipe out its competitors and establish a monopoly in the market. Long Term Gains: Organizations guided by ethics and values are profitable in the long run, though in the short run they may seem to lose money. Tata group, one of the largest business conglomerates in India was seen on the verge of decline at the beginning of 1990s, which soon turned out to be otherwise. The same companys Tata NANO car was predicted as a failure, and failed to do well but the same is picking up fast now. Securing the Society: Often ethics succeeds law in safeguarding the society. The law machinery is often found acting as a mute spectator, unable to save the society and the environment. Technology, for example is growing at such a fast pace that the by the time law comes up with a regulation we have a newer technology with new threats replacing the older one. Lawyers and public interest litigations may not help a great deal but ethics can.

Ethics as a formal subject in high schools

The word ethics is not just a mere word in the dictionary written before the word ethnic, but it has some real significance, where slow and steady no more wins the race, instead fasts and smarts, regardless of the paths chosen by them are the scene stealers in todays world. Right from early childhood competitions winning, losing, habits good or bad, friends- right or wrong is being inculcated in a child through various ways may be value education classes or through other co- curricular activities. But such classes are never given enough importance but are considered a fun activity class like art and craft or music for instance. But why is it that this topic ethics which addresses questions about morality that is concept such as good and bad, noble and ignoble, right and wrong, justice and virtue never taken seriously by educators, unlike math or science.

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At a school level, a child unaware of ethics can do various harmful things such as: Cheating during exams. Bullying schoolmates Making obscene video-clips Gunfire or hitting schoolmates If children endure at school, ethics as a subject than they would grow into a matured, tactful, tolerant and moral enough good professionals or global citizens. And not someone who puts individual interest above group responsibility. At company level, when a Chartered Accountant no matter how best he is in his field if he lacks ethics in him that would only lead to forged balance sheets. Or a sales executive just as shown in the recent movie Rocket Singh- the salesman doesnt need to think twice before hacking into his own companys databases. (to take revenge). Instead he could have just confronted his bosses. But the chap lacked ethics and his faith in it. Had it been a formal subject in high school he would be sure that the people around him do know what is right and what is wrong, what is fair and what is unfair.

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But sometimes just sometimes, when you are eating vada pau on the street and a poor kid comes and asks you for one, then you question your ethics as to should I or should not? Or when for the president of a country like India which has observed peaceful relations with even its enemies, should I or should I not fight a war killing thousands?. When questions like this arise it is difficult to stay ethical but as one of the philosophers John Stuart Mill trumpets the principle of the greatest good for the greatest number can be observed according to my point of view. As I feel that an attempt of sharing your vada pau with that little boy at least once in a lifetime would be prized for both the parties. Or for the president talks with the opponent might minimize the intensity of the war, considering the greater good love for mankind. Additionally, if ethics is made a formal subject in high school it would not only give the students an idea about its principal areas and including them in their daily life but would also give them an insight into the study of philosophy which rarely is considered a subject equivalent to Commerce or Sciences after high school. My friends often tease me to be the Aristotle or Socrates of modern world, but I guess I am just like an old wine in a new bottle.

The pros and cons of ethics The good things Considers the pleasure and pain of every individual affected by an action. Considers everyone to be equal; does not permit an individual to put his or her interests or relationships first. Attempts to provide an objective, quantitative method for making moral decisions. The drawbacks Cannot assign a quantitative measure to all pleasures and pains. Does not address the issue of some pleasures and pains that cannot or should not be measuredsuch as human life or human suffering. Suggests the ends justify the means. Would lying or cheating be considered ethical if the end result is positive? Emphasizes the amount of pain an action causesnot to whom. What if the harm is to your mother rather than a stranger? Assumes outcomes always can be determined before an action is takenyet, often, outcomes are unpredictable.