Basically, ethics can be defined as the moral principles guiding people’s behaviors. It is concerned with what is good for individuals and society at large. That is, it reveals what is considered as right or wrong, just or unjust, and good or bad based on human behavior. More so, ethics gives direction on how individuals should behave towards each other and understand their roles in society. Therefore, ethical principles serve as a guide to behavior on an individual level and they also guide how individuals behave towards one another. This essay describes the deepest ethical principles that guide my behavior towards others in comparison to ethical principles rooted in religion and duty.
The deepest ethical principles that guide the way I behave towards others include the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence. Notably, the principle of beneficence simply means to do good whereas the principle of non-maleficence means to do no harm. The principle of beneficence is all about having a positive attitude to assist other people. Ideally, it is the desire to do what is good especially to those around us. For instance, I once met a lady who could not pay bus fare because her handbag had been snatched by thieves. So I decided to pay her fare and gave her pocket money because I believed that by doing so, I was doing “good” to her. On the contrary, the principle of non-maleficence involves avoiding harm. This implies that individuals’ actions should not be harmful to others. For example, I am aware that eating fast foods comes with various health complications. Therefore, I do not always encourage my friends to consume fast foods because such foods are not healthy and are harmful to their health. Therefore, my relations and behaviors towards other people are guided by these key principles because they are effective in allowing someone to behave in a manner that is fair and just to everyone around.
The alternatives include religion and duty. First and foremost, religion-based ethics suggests that individuals need to act in accordance with their belief systems. In addition, there is the Divine Command Theory which states that individuals should do what God orders them to do. According to this perspective, what God commands people to do is right and moral and so individuals should do anything He commands without questioning. More so, it posits that principles are ethical because it is God who commanded them. Another alternative is ethics based on duty which implies that individuals need to do whatever they have been assigned to do regardless of the consequences. That is, people’s actions are justified by their obligations. According to this principle, an individual needs to perform their duties without considering any consequences predicted.
However, I believe that my ethical principles of beneficence and non-maleficence are better than ethical principles grounded on religion and duty. Even though anything that comes from God is believed to be good, individuals’ behaviors cannot be solely governed by the suggestions of the Divine Command Theory. More so, ethics based on duty cannot be effectively applied in some cases. For instance, one cannot focus on doing their obligations without considering the consequences. Some duties may have harmful effects like malpractice in clinical practice. Therefore, the principles of beneficence and non-maleficence will be appropriate in guiding people’s behaviors because they will result in fair decision-making.