Essay Example on Ethics: Values, Rules, and Principles for Moral Living

Introduction

Ethics or moral philosophy is concerned with what is good for society. Ethics does not provide the right answers to ethical issues but rather serves as a guide to moral living by establishing values, rules, and principles upon which people should base their behavior. This way, moral philosophy can give rise to ethical disagreements since people have varying perceptions of what is right or wrong. Ethical conflicts, according to Audi (2008), occurs when people have differing world views within an open mind. This situation happens because an action that one deems an abomination may be regarded as perfectly acceptable in other quarters. People should find the causes of moral conflicts and resolve ethical disagreements in their societies because it triggers misunderstandings, mistrust, and hostile communication.

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Consequences of Moral Conflicts and Ways of Resolving Them

Ethical disagreements pave the way for hateful actions. The reason is that disputants tend to behave immorally, even according to their standards of behavior. The effects are severe whenever a group of people is regarded as morally depraved because of how they see specific issues. This situation leads to human rights violations. The effects are severe when disputants have radically different ways of making sense of human life (Pearce & Littlejohn, 2006).

Such disagreements cause strained and hostile communication. This situation occurs, although the rhetoric of moral conflicts involves exchanging reasons in a quest to come up with shared beliefs. In such cases, violent actions replace arguments intended to persuade another group about what is wrong with their worldview. Strained relationships and hostile communication develop whenever disputants rely on rigidly held ideology to articulate why their social beliefs are morally superior to that of another group (Barash, & Webel, 2013).

Moral conflicts lead to misunderstandings as people with different worldviews develop feelings of distrust towards one another. Communication is strained whenever individuals of different cultures rely on radically different vocabularies to emphasize the essence of certain values (Coleman, Deutsch, & Marcus, 2014). This aspect results in mistrust, making it difficult for one party to articulate the logic of other people's social world in a way that they will accept.

There are several ways of resolving moral conflicts. The most effective way is to dialogue. This approach involves in-depth communication that allows the disputants to know each other and also identify their commonalities. Through dialogue, the parties will be able to manage their ethical conflicts in a way that minimizes adverse effects on both groups. While they may not fully resolve their disagreements, they will at least develop boundaries through improved understanding, empathic listening, and respect (Pearce & Littlejohn, 2006).

Another approach to resolving ethical disagreements is the use of third parties to redefine or reframe conflicts. Third parties help address the issue by guiding the disputants to seek mutually beneficial strategies instead of competitive, win-lose outcomes. Even if the individuals may not fully resolve their moral differences, third parties would help them to share their interests and also develop a sense that each side has a right to practice their traditions.

Ethical Norms

Values and beliefs shape ethical norms since through ideals shared by people of a given culture about what is desirable or undesirable, good or bad for the society. People tend to make ethical decisions whenever they comply with the values and beliefs held in their cultures. Values serve as a guide for human behavior since they motivate people to act in specific ways.

Customs and traditions contribute to ethical norms because it promotes behaviors that are seen as appropriate in specific cultures. Traditions involve the transmission of beliefs, values, and customs from one generation to another. So, traditions and customs shape ethical norms because it requires people to behave in a particular manner in specific environments.

Science and faith play a role in ethical norms. Religion has a moral component that requires people to live a life that is worth living besides claims that describe what is deemed right. Science shapes ethical norms since it guides people to live in a certain way based on facts. Science of environmental ethics, for instance, promotes social responsibility.

Theories and practice is the foundation of making decisions when ethics are in play. Theoretical modes represent viewpoints from which people seek guidance whenever they intend to make critical decisions. Theories outline the benefits and the consequences of specific actions, thus contributes to ethical norms. Practice also reinforce ethical norms since it provides people with an understanding of the effects of specific decisions based on past experiences.

Disagreements on Ethical Standards

Disagreements on behavior and ethical standards trigger moral conflicts, misunderstandings, and mistrust. The reason is that people's ethical standards are the foundation of trust and integrity upon which they conduct their everyday activities. People engage in conflicts whenever they do not agree on ethical standards because of differences in judging whether certain behaviors and practices can be justified and their effects on human welfare.

Individuals and societies can resolve ethical disagreements by using moral reasoning. In this approach, the society would evaluate the rights of individuals and their obligations to others, which, in turn, forms the basis of setting ethical standards. Also, people may dialogue, debate, and weigh the moral choices of different ethical standards and adopt one that has minimal adverse effects. For nations, ethical disagreements can be resolved through legislation and dialogue as a way to establish widely accepted ethical standards.

References

Audi, R. (2008). Rational Disagreement as a Challenge to Practical Ethics and Moral Theory: An

Essay in Moral Epistemology. Epistemology, 225-248. doi: 10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199264933.003.0010

Barash, D. P., & Webel, C. P. (2013). Peace and conflict studies. New York, United States: SAGE Publishing.

Coleman, P. T., Deutsch, M., & Marcus, E. C. (2014). The handbook of conflict resolution: Theory and practice. New Jersey, United States: John Wiley & Sons.

Pearce, W. B., & Littlejohn, S. W. (2006). Moral conflict: When social worlds collide. New York, United States: SAGE Publishing.