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Abstract
Life can present complex choices that are often in unpredictable situations. Our decisions are subject to multiple factors, some of which are uncontrollable. Preferences are influenced by education, culture, psychosocial environment, and genetic predisposing factors. Morality is a societal balance gained through popular consensus on how individuals should behave. The ethical decisions driven by the behavior should be morally and legally acceptable to the larger community. Discussion on morality raises various challenging questions. What is appropriate and what is inappropriate in the drive of one's actions and behavior? Are there any normative rules to be followed, and, if yes, how can one assess their rightness? This article attempts to explore three philosophical positions on morality: utilitarianism, deontology, and virtues-based ethics in the context of human behavior.
Key words: Behavior; Consequentialism; Deontology; Ethical theories; Morality; Utilitarianism; Virtue-based ethics
Morality and Ethical Theories in the Context of Human Behavior
A thoughtful, reflective exploration of various ethical theories could inspire clinicians to reflect on these important concepts and relate them specifically to health care or medical decision making. Ethics consultation at bedside, ethics deliberation in counseling, normative ethics as a tool for moral distress, or the ethics in end-of-life scenarios could all be reference points for characterizing a practical model for ethical theories in human behavior. Normative ethics, as a branch of philosophical ethics, attempts to provide the frameworks for living and investigate how one ought to act. However, this paper attempts to describe only a subset of normative ethics in human behavior.
There are three competing points of view that determine whether an action is right or wrong. Utilitarianism is part of a vast ethical theory called consequentialism, which conveys a set of moral theories that pertain to benefits, outcomes, and consequences. Utilitarians believe the only way to judge whether an action is morally correct is to determine whether it maximizes the best consequences and happiness for the greatest number of people. The act is justified as long as it leads to a majoritysupported outcome that is perceived as a benefit. The outcome, however, could very well be an immoral result. For example, the Nazis' executions were a majoritysupported program. In other words, utilitarians think the ends justify the means and the costs justify the...