Final Product: Google Site link

Here's the link to my google site:

https://sites.google.com/site/howdoyoumakedecisions/

#7-Calculating Consequences: the Utilitarian Approach to Ethics

CALCULATING CONSEQUENCES: THE UTILITARIAN APPROACH TO ETHICS

By: The Markkula Center for Applied Ethics (Santa Clara University)

• many of us use a type of moral resaoning in our daily decisions
• Utilitarianism offers a relatively straightforward method for deciding the morally right course of action for any particular situation we may find ourselves in
• we first identify the various courses of action that we could perform
• we choose the course of action that provides the greatest benefits after the costs have been taken into account
• Utilitarians also differ their views about the kind of question we ought to ask ourselves when making an ethical decision
• apparently utilitarianism cannot be the sole principle guiding our decisions
• utilitarianism is a powerful reminder that morality calls us to look beyond the self to the good of all

http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/calculating.html

2.      Winter 1989 

3.      Santa Clara University

4.      Does not cite any sources, but has many authors.

 

Interview with Christopher Freiler

PART A

1.      Christopher Freiler is a teacher here at Hinsdale Central that teaches Philosophy & Ethics and AP-Euro. He wrote the AP-Euro textbook which many use around the state.

2.      Mr. Freiler is a reliable source because he knew so much about ethics including the emotional and mental aspects. Since he wrote the AP-Euro textbook, he is quite confident in this subject, plus since he teaches ethics.   

3.      On Wednesday, April 25th, I went into his classroom to talk with him about ethics, etc.

PART B

1. Questions & Answers: 

a.) How can the Approaches, such as Utilitarian, Rights, or Justice, affect your decision?

• ethical theories
• many people don't have a strong familiarity with these theories
• many use them in a shorthand way, especially Utilitarian
• we really do live in a utilitarian society
• when addressed with a situation, people don't go through the process of each Approach to make a decision 

b.) Can ethics be included in the daily activitites you experience each day?

• you have to make it a reflective situation
• ex- was stuck in traffic, saw a woman on the side of the road who was having car trouble, and stopped to help her
• circumstantialism- if you don't relaly have it in your mind to keep a lookout for how you can act in a way that reflects values and the way you think of yourself
• most people will go on through their days checking things off their list
• if your feeling positive towards your fellow human being can affect whether or not you help someone else

c.) Can't ethics be included in religion? Why or why not?

• most religions have an ethics to them
• negative effects include - religious wars, terrorists, crusades, tolerance
• every religion has a spirit of some kind of ethical teachings whether it be Jesus, etc.
• there is some type of social contract that human beings have; there's a moral order to the universe

Blog Post #5: the process of decision-making

a.      Decision-Making, Chapter 5 (Steps to Making Good Decisions, Julie Parker

• Step 1- Ask yourself, "What's my main goal?"
• Step 2- Explore all the options.
• Along with Step 2: there are more options than the ones presented; just be creative and find them
• Step 3- Gather information and other helpful input
• Step 4- List the arguments for and against (pro and con) a certain choice
• Step 5- Ask yourself if this decision hurts you or someone else
• (step 5): a decision that hurts you or others is wrong (immoral) and should be avoided
• Step 6- Think through the consequences or results of your decision
• (step 6): before making a decision, think through what might happen as a result
• ask yourself how might you benefit or lose from different outcomes
• consider how your decision would affect anyone else involved in the situation
• Step 7- Take time to make your decision
• Step 8- Make your decision

c.      Write the 5 sentence summary:

 In this book, Julie Parker explains the multiple steps to making a good decision, gives specific examples, and also includes advice with what you need to do.
One reason/fact/example that supports this main idea is the multiple sections that give a specific example where each step was used . Another reason/fact/example that supports this main idea is how after each "story" where the process of each step was used, Julie Parker shows the reader how to correctly deal with each situation present and what to do when confronted, etc. Finally, the author gives the reason/fact/example of each step in the decision-making process to aid the reader in their situation; to support the main idea.
These ideas are to similar to ethics in a way that using this process can be used in situations where religion, etc. are being questioned because you will be able to decide what to choose.  

A Framework For Thinking Ethically

A Framework For Thinking Ethically - http://www.scu.edu/ethics/practicing/decision/framework.html

           a. May 2009

           b. Santa Clara University

           c. From a debate at the Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University.

• Ethics are not the same as feelings
• Ethics is not religion
• Ethics is not following the law
• A good system of law does incorporate ethical standards
• Indentifying ethical standards is hard due to what we base our ethical standards on
• 5 sources of ethical standards include: The Utilitarian Approach, the Rights Approach, the Common Good Approach, the Fairness or Goodness Approach, and the Virtue Approach
• Each approach helps determine what behavioral standards can be considered ethical
• Many approaches don't answer the question, "What is ethical?"
• Having a method for ethical decision making is essential
• Framework for Ethical Decision Making includes these steps: Recognize an Ethical Issue, Get the Facts, Evaluate Alternative Actions, Make a Decision and Test It, and Act and Reflect on the Outcome

Blog Post #3 - Ethics

DATABASE USED: Encyclopaedia Britannica 
TITLE: Divisions of Philosophy > Ethics

What I learned:

• concerned mostly with morality
• ethics play a large role in the way people live
• morality-conformity to the rules of right conduct
• some scientists have said there are definite standards for human behavior
• decisions should be based mostly on the situation in which one finds oneself
• relativism- any theory holding that criteria of judgement are relative
• relativists say that ethical decisions are related to specific circumstances
• this branch of philosophy is close to religion

QUESTIONS:
1.) What are types of situations where one could find oneself?
2.) What are types of ethical decisions?

LINK: http://www.school.eb.com/comptons/article-206435?

1st Article on Decisions

LINK: http://ic.galegroup.com/ic/suic/ReferenceDetailsPage/ReferenceDetailsWindow?displayGroupName=Reference&disableHighlighting=false&prodId=SUIC&action=e&windowstate=normal&catId=&documentId=GALE%7CA165166613&mode=view&userGroupName=hins30136&jsid=858d55f567b134b26fad2a3ee1b0ba20

What I learned:

• decisions are made in the frontal cortex of the brain, along with where risks and benefits are weighed
• the exploration of drugs' effects on decisions making are linked to drug abuse and addiction
• drug addiction is associated with decision making and your fail to learn from repeated errors
• there are chemical "labels" that help woth decision making diseases
• many therapies to study decision-making
• drugs lead to destructive decisions; genetics and environment
• dysfunction in decision making which predisposes a person to drug abuse
• those dysfunctions might lead scientists to an effective treatment for men and women who's lives are diminished by decisions that bring them harm

Questions that I have:
-What could be those therapies used?
-If one has a specific dysfunction, how could one get rid of it?
-How could the environment have a threat to those who make poor decisions?
-If scientists were to study more of the brain, where could they find the specific part that makes those decisions for us?

How do people make decisions?

Sub-research questions:
1.) Does conforming/nonconforming affect your opinion?
2.) Do your ethics change who you are? Or what you choose?
3.) How do people shape their ethics?

What I already know about this topic-
I know that if you were to follow with others, or conform, then that could affect your future, especially if you end up successful, or even happy. If you were to go your own way, or not conform, you could be praised or scolded for that decision. There are multiple ethics in the world today, especially with religions, and that could affect whether or not you do something that someone else is doing. You could be born with specific morals, ethics, or opinions but those could be changed with what you see or hear. Even magazines/TV can change that.