ETHICS
Lakesha Morris
ETH 316
May 21, 2014
Kelli Joyner
ETHICS
Ethics is demonstrated when a person or organization makes a decision based on what is morally right or wrong. In the health care field, ethics means respecting the patients wants and providing care and treatment that deliver medical benefits to the patients (Emanuel Medical Center, Inc, 2014). This essay will define virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontological ethics, associate the similarities and differences between the three theories, and describe a personal experience to clarify the relationship between the above mentioned theories.
Similarities
Virtue theory, utilitarianism, and deontological ethics are all similar because all three theories work toward the best result depending on what a person believes the best result may be. Several individuals take different sides when it comes to a decision that benefits either the present or future. What separates these theories from each other are whether the decision made is the best for present or future circumstances.
Differences
Virtue theory of ethics is demonstrated when an individual judges others by character not by actions. Utilitarianism is defined as the greatest good for the greatest number of people. There are two types of utilitarianism, act and rule utilitarianism. According to Boylan (2009), “Act utilitarianism is described when a person performs the acts that benefit most of the people regardless to a person’s feeling or the laws, and rule utilitarianism which takes the law into account and is concerned with fairness”(pg. 164). Deontological theory is focused on honoring obligations and duties. Deontological theory ethically leads their group in practicing adherence to independent moral rules or duties which considers them to be acting morally.
Personal Experience
As the Budget and Travel Administrator in the U.S. Navy, I was in charge of booking flights, hotels, rental car, and the review and submission process of travel claims. I was responsible for ensuring members in the command were not submitting bogus receipts for things they were not authorized to receive as
