Running head: SOCIAL ETHICS IN THE COMMUNITY 1

Social Ethics in the Community

Name

Institution

Social Ethics in the Community

Introduction

Community engagement in various activities is always met by various ethical challenges.

At some point, such initiatives fail to meet the ethical requirements that are outlined by the social

structure of that particular community. The current ethical issues are traced back to the times of

philosophers like Plato, Aristotle and Socrates. These philosophers discussed ethics and some

values that make humankind to behave in a negative way or a positive way and later concluded

them as a general pattern of the free action. In this context, ethics refers to as the study of moral

duty and obligation or as the way of being which gives rise to particular type of life through free

action (Debeljuh, 2013). This essay examines descriptive analysis of the ethical issues, theories,

arguments, outcome, and possible solutions to ethical issues in our community.

Ethical Issues

Ethical issues involve those who are determined to deals with other people in a manner

that they are all subjected to a code of conduct in communal involvements. There are, however, a

figure of formal moral codes typically fixed down by qualified organizations such as social

workers, clergy, medical professionals, public officials, and others. Such ethical issues include;

Confidentiality

One of the mostly known ethical issues in community is confidentiality since it is the one

most repeatedly dishonored. In our community, it is a rule that secretes of the community should

be confidential and can only be shared among our community members. In health sector, health

record of the patient should be confidential and can only be shared with the family members. In

communication, we have only specific leaders who are supposed to deliver information to

community members either though talks, printed form and others. However, as a universal rule,

privacy is the best in the community. Its major role is to defend all the members and the groups
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against of leakage of private issues, and creates union of confidence between the members and

the groups. Depending upon different platforms, confidentiality in our community is still under a

variety of challenges which has not yet be solved e.g. health officers still share the client record

with their fellow workmate with an aim of consolation. All the members should be informed to

be aware of any of the information to be shared.

Conflict of Interest

This is an area whereby someones personal attentiveness could sway his conclusion and

action. In our community, conflicts of interest have led to difference in the way agenda is run and

how resources are used up. It has also affects the way our community members manage their

daily life basis. A good example is a case whereby one of the community member is a leader of

the community project. Instead of hiring qualified personnels to offer quality services to the

community, he only employ his relative who may not be qualified to provide services needed in

the project.

Competence

All organization within our community is competent to finish their goals within the

required period. They are supposed to hires capable and organized members who are able to

deliver administration, and ensure that the whole thing is done. They promise community

members about all the amenities needed in the area it offers and ensure that they are accessible.

If service appears to be unsuccessful and risky, it is the moral duty of the platform to look for

capable staff out to improve and attempt more useful way to solve such problems. In case of a

situation where by an administrator, through assistance from team leader, is not competent to

perform the work, then he would be warned and also sacked.

Exposure
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Just like other ethical issues, exposure in this circumstance is violated in our community in

various ways, for instance, a case whereby a study is to be conducted in the community but the

participants do not have prior information about the research study ideas. Members are

guaranteed with a right to know if they will be involve in the study, if they will participate in the

agenda, and hence enables them to comprehend the role of that study. A number of

administrations and entities set some of these exposures in script form, and then ensure that

every participant has a copy and understands its content. Therefore, they will understand

whatever they are involved in.

Theories of Ethics

Various ethical theories have been put forward so to explain the reasons behind the

existence of ethical issues in our societies today. These theories help in evaluating different

course of actions from an ethical point of view. Some of the theories discussed include the

following;

Deontological Theory

This theory maintains that there are certain acts that are ethically right or wrong no matter

the consequences e.g. suicide, abortion, rape, adultery, theft, murder and others (Russel, 2012). It

is considered formal because its main principles lie in the conformity of an action to some set of

rules. Like other theories, deontological theory is supported by some argument that tries to

explain it in real life situation as discussed below;

Argument

Deontological norms are taken from the point of view of the existence of the order of

nature.
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It is argued that everything is equipped with all its qualities and a faculty that enables it to

perform the task proper like for example, human being has hands to do work, intelligence to

reason in order to make decision in life. If the nature of human beings is not regarded and

respected then the consequences will be demanding and fatal. Deontologist in various

organization such as law firms, hospitals, and other areas are supposed to avoid decision made

with an aim of self-benefit but should instead practice the best ethical criteria. This will help

cooperating with the colleagues as well as enhancing a sense of faithfulness, dependability and

harmony at work.

Another argument is the use of common sense. Before undertaking any theory, we reflect

that decision-making is very tricky, may be not because of any consequences it causes. The

typical objective is that, if something is wrong or right in itself, then it is right or wrong no

matter what it may results (Ross, 2009). It allows that something can be wrong in itself in one

case, even though it would have been much better. Example, in hospital within our community

whereby patient information should be kept confidential only between two parties that is; doctor

and the patient, then afterwards the doctor shares patient information with a third party may be

the family member, then confidentiality shall have been violated. However, it is right to share the

information with the family members (Debeljuh, 2013).

Teleological Theory

This theory hold that the rightness or wrongness of an action is exclusively determined by

the good or evil action or consequences produced by an action. As long as good consequences

prevail over bad ones, the action is ethically right, example, a murder or a rapist is morally right,

if it is the only safe means to safeguard the victim

They are also called consequentialism or proportionalism due to their dependence on the result

object that seeks pleasure and happiness on this temporary world.

Argument

An argument lies on goals of an activity i.e. if one is faced with two evil, one must chase

the lesser evil, or if confronted with two good options, you go for the best one. In case of

consequentialism, the judgment focuses on the decision. When the outcome of an

accomplishment is measured to be good or results to benefits, subsequently that accomplishment

is considered morally right (Debeljuh, 2013). Similarly, in case the outcome causes harm, then

that accomplishment is held to be ethically wrong. The decision of what is right or wrong

depends on the consequence of the choice or accomplishment.

Application of the Theories

Interactions among people in various community including our community are the key

area where ethics become the most crucial principles to be used. To guides the manner in which

decision-making and evaluation the conduct of the people should be practiced, only ethical issues

should be considered (Ross, 2009). For better interaction within our community, both

deontological and teleological theories are useful in the manner decision making in various ways

can be made as discussed below;

In health care, deontological theory is used in decision making to solve ethical issues

within our community. For the case of conflict of interest whereby a decision is to be made

whether one patient should be allowed to die to provide transplant organs for other patient. Then

decision-making will simply be no, in that the patient at risk has the right over his body therefore

should not be allowed to die in order to save the rest.

In clinical research, deontological theory is applied in health care decision-making. Even

though the research being conducted on patient may in the long run provide for the greater good,

people have right over their bodies (Russel, 2012). Thus, individuals must sign an informed

consent stating they submit to the process and the test being conducted unless the patient

exposure right will be violated.

In medical care, teleological theory is used in decision making of choosing between a

heart transplants or several eye improving operation, applying this theory will be helpful to the

system because confidentiality will be kept only between the two parties hence any action will be

good as long as it is caring, thus the decision which will benefit the majority will be considered

to be ethically good. Living peacefully in our community has been improved by use of

teleological theory since only competent leaders are assigned duty to set rules to be followed by

members, the action of decision making on choosing the best rule will fully rely on the right

rules which will benefits the majority of the people. In addition, teleological theory helps the

manager to decide on the level of staff to be employed. Through conflict of interest the manager

will be able to decide on the amount of salary to pay each employee. Teleological theory help

each and everyone in our community to decide on the ethical issues to practice in their daily life.

The actions like murder will be considered immoral because they can cause division in the

community therefore will not benefit many people.

Outcome and Possible Solutions

Solving ethical issues in the community is one of the major tasks every theorist tried to

explain through their various theories. They also analyze possible outcome which will benefits

the community when this theories are applied properly in decision making. Among the theories,

teleological theory is considered as the best theory in solving ethical issues in the community. It
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promote disclosure as it allows member of the community to be aware of what will happen in

their daily basis, hence in decision making of health and medical issues one is able to decide on

whether to take the life of other to benefit majority (Ross, 2009). However, deontological theory

is more general and not individualistic, in that its application applies to everybody whereby

medical officer may not consider the enduring personal condition, or his religious believe. This

will automatically results to quarrel between the parties and could end in the patient not being

cured.

Teleological theory mostly benefits the majority since it helps in keeping things

confidential within a community. It also help in decision making whereby a community needs to

choose the right moral, thus taking away all the complex decision which may affects the

majority. At the end only the action with the loving consequences will be applicable. Conversely,

in case of deontological theory, all the action is considered moral based on the situation

regardless of the consequences (Ross, 2009). However, an action may be morally right but the

results can be taken in a negative way, for instance, organ transplant. If the patient is to be left

and die then cash spent in the hospital is used to purchase basic needs for those who luck, could

be morally right but the consequences are morally wrong.

Lastly, teleological theory help in solving issues which may arise due to conflict of

interest because it has no rules and moral to be followed. It is easy to apply as it takes into

explanation the complex decision needed to be made about the life of human being, unlike in

case of deontological theory which has set of rule and moral to be followed in decision making,

thus making it difficult to understand individual values, making it time consuming to understands

individual values and have full knowledge of how to make decision.

Conclusion
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Ethical thoughts are very significant in communal interventions. They play a major role

in ensuring actions undertaken by various participants are ethically correct and are generally

accepted by the community. Unethical values should be ignored because they may lead to

undertaking and lack of sincerity and success amongst people within society. Moral matters are

not permanently desiccated; agendas in the community should be worked out with respect to

their own ethical rules. If community can agree on morals issues, they will be involved in

creation of rules needed to maintain the moral standards.

References

McKnight, J. (2015). The Careless Society: Community and Its Counterfeits. New York, NY:

Basic Books.

Ram D. & Paul G. (2011). How Can I Help: Stories and Reflections on Service New York, NY:

Knopf.

Singer, P. (2013). Practical Ethics. Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press.