What Constitutes Ethical Or Unethical Behavior

[clabrat]

Ethical behavior refers to that conduct that is beyond reproach and is in accordance to the laid down standards of a society, organization or institution.

Ethical behavior in society
This varies from place to place. The behaviors considered unethical in one society can be acceptable in another. For instance, it is an unethical social behavior to engage in favoritism in the public. Refusing to relate with others on the basis of their age, sex and race are also unethical social behaviors.

Ethical behavior within the work place
This refers to conduct that organizations expect their employees to hold while at work. Most organizations have formulated documents referred to as ‘codes of conduct’, that set out the accepted behaviors within the work place. They have set out the rules and regulations that need to be adhered to by those in their employ. This is mainly because an individual’s conduct can affect the relationships within an organization, thereby taking a negative toll on the overall performance of an organization.

Employee’s unethical behavior
In any organization, it is unethical of an employee to be corrupt. One is not supposed to accept or give out bribes in exchange for services or goods. An employee who engages in corruption is said to have acted in an unethical manner. Taking excessive breaks or repeated sick leave are also unethical behaviors. This should only happen when there is a serious need to do so. Mild headaches do not count. Again, taking office supplies home is extremely unethical. Office property should be kept separately from one’s personal property. In some organizations, this conduct can be translated to theft.

Employer’s unethical behavior
It is not only employees who can behave in unethical ways. Employers also have a common code of conduct and are required to act in a given manner. For instance, an employer is not supposed to use the company money for his personal expenses.

Ethical behavior in academic institutions
For students within learning institutions it is unethical behavior to cheat during examinations.

Ethical behavior is to be cultivated within an individual from an early age. Without strong moral convictions, one can be easily swayed to engage in contrary behaviors.

[themaster]

Looking for a real debate? not gonna happen with me..

You define ethics/judging.. or good and evil is its real breakdown.. or you can let society define it.. which in this case is for example..

Your evil if you:
- Murder
- Touch children inappropriately (eww!)
- Staple something wrong
- Don't buckle your seatbelt..

The best truth is not to judge..

[Jarreddo]

Kant's Categorical Imperative is the best rule I've found. When asking if something is ethical, ask yourself what would happen if EVERYone did it.

Taking office supplies is unethical because if everyone did it, offices would be running out of everything and things would grind to a halt.

Cheating on a test is unethical because if everyone did it, the test would be pointless, everyone would pass.

[180]

In the philosophical sense of thing, ETHICAL means not harming others and providing a service or benefit to others or yourself.

In the realistic applicable sense of being ethical, I root it to what I would be proud of saying and sharing with others. That's sort of my PH test to my actions. If I can tell my friends or family and feel like they would be proud of me for doing what I did, then I get the green light.

[nhaasch]

Originally Posted by Jarreddo

Kant's Categorical Imperative is the best rule I've found. When asking if something is ethical, ask yourself what would happen if EVERYone did it.

Taking office supplies is unethical because if everyone did it, offices would be running out of everything and things would grind to a halt.

Cheating on a test is unethical because if everyone did it, the test would be pointless, everyone would pass.

While I understand the usefulness of this rule, I'm not that found of it. I say this simply because there are some roles and actions that are meant to be fulfilled by individuals and not by the collective. This is the whole point of specialization.

For example we send people to explore the space beyond our planet. What would happen if EVERYone did it? Well, we would run out of resources in the process of sending everyone to space. Now I will claim there is nothing inherently unethical with spending those resources to explore space. (you could argue otherwise)

Still the overall point remains. There are some things that special individuals get to do. The are some things that EVERYone should not be doing that is still ethical for some people to do.