A Framework for Ethical Decision Making

Markkula Center for Applied Ethics at Santa Clara University “A Framework for Ethical Decision Making” is a guide on how to deeper understand ethical decision making. The six lenses give a unique way of framing how to look at ethical issues. The lens helps determine what standards of behavior and character traits can be considered right and good but leaves room for flexibility depending on the specific situation. They are black-and-white rules that allow for gray answers. I think that using the lenses in hand with the steps of the framework for ethical decision-making helps make these difficult decisions simpler. Often when dealing with ethical dilemmas or trying to decipher the specific dilemmas in a case study it is unclear what is right and wrong. Having lens-specific questions makes this process easier. I found the virtue lens specifically interesting. It is associated with the question, “Which option leads me to act as the sort of person I want to be?” I admire how malleable this question is. It can be applied to almost any ethical situation and is extremely personal. No two people are going to have the same answer to this question. Some virtues are trust, honesty, courage, compassion, responsibility, optimism, generosity, tolerance, love, and passion. Virtues are personal and challenge us to be better people by forcing us to reflect and set standards for ourselves. It is the foundation of how you choose to live your life and act towards others. The same ethical decision is going to challenge different virtues in different people. Virtues are part of what makes studying ethical dilemmas so interesting because they are the cause of conflict between people’s ethical priorities.