Lecture on Ethics and Behavioral Ethics

Introduction to Ethics

Ethics traditionally associated with figures like Aristotle and John Stuart Mill.
Often taught in philosophy departments or through religious sermons.
Philosophers may have better moral reasoning but are not necessarily more ethical.
No strong correlation between traditional character measures and ethical actions.

First encounters with study drugs in college, driven by a desire to maximize performance.
Freshmen may feel pressured to cheat to succeed.

New field focusing on how and why people make ethical and unethical decisions.
Considers psychological biases and decision-making heuristics that lead to unethical actions.
Social and organizational pressures can hinder ethical behavior.

Conformity Bias: Tendency to take behavior cues from peers rather than one's own ethical judgment.
- Example: Students witnessing cheating during a quiz but choosing not to report it.
Role Morality: Using different moral standards in different societal roles.
- Example: Actions taken at work for company gains that would not be done for personal gain.
Overconfidence Bias: Being overly confident about one's moral character and ethical decisions.
- Realization that even good-intentioned individuals can make misguided decisions.

Ethical traps, such as those discussed in "Ethics Unwrapped," highlight potential pitfalls in ethical decision-making.
Understanding biases and pressures can help individuals and organizations create environments that promote ethical decision-making.

Ethics must be discussed and considered regularly to understand personal ethical boundaries.
Continuous conversation about ethics can help integrate ethical thinking into everyday decision-making.
Importance of having ethics as a constant consideration rather than occasional reflection.