Mizan Tepi University
Tepi Campus
College of Engineering and technology
Department of Civics and Ethics Studies
Individual Assignments' of the course Moral and Citizenship Education (MCiE
1012) Name:Mut Tut ID No:4493/16
Section:C E.A.T
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Introduction:
In this assignment, we will explore various aspects of morality and ethics, including how
ethical decisions are made, the reasons for human beings to be moral, the applications
of morality, critical reasoning in moral justifications, and the need for moral integrity in
resolving societal crises. Each section will be addressed in detail, providing a
comprehensive understanding of the topics at hand
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1. How can we make ethical decision and action? In making moral decision, how
things are intrinsically and instrumentally good or bad? And give examples of
things intrinsically and instrumentally good or bad in your society.
There are many steps of making Ethical decisions and actions:
[Link] 1: Identify the problem. Sometimes just realizing a particular situation is
ethical can be the important first step. Occasionally in our organizations, we may feel
that it’s just the “way of doing business” and not think to question the ethical nature.
[Link] 2: Identify the potential issues involved. Who could get hurt? What are the
issues that could negatively impact people and/or the company? What is the worst-case
scenario if we choose to do nothing?3.
3. Step 3: Review relevant ethical guidelines. Does the organization have policies and
procedures in place to handle this situation? For example, if a client gives you a gift,
there may be a rule in place as to whether you can accept gifts and if so, the value limit
of the gift you can accept.
[Link] 4: Know relevant laws and regulations. If the company doesn’t necessarily
have a rule against it, could it be looked at as illegal?
[Link] 5: Obtain consultation. Seek support from supervisors, coworkers, friends,
and family, and especially seek advice from people who you feel are moral and ethical.
[Link] 6: Consider possible and probable courses of action. What are all of the
possible solutions for solving the problem? Brainstorm a list of solutions—all solutions
are options during this phase.
[Link] 7: List the consequences of the probable courses of action. What are both the
positive and negative benefits of each proposed solution? Who can the decision affect?
[Link] 8: Decide on what appears to be the best course of action. With the facts we
have and the analysis done, choosing the best course of action is the final step. There
may not always be a “perfect” solution, but the best solution is the one that seems to
create the most good and the least harm.
In making moral decision, how things are intrinsically and instrumentally good or
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bad?
The fundamental difference between intrinsic and instrumental value is that intrinsic
value is valued for its own sake, whereas instrumental value is valued for the end
results gained from it.
Education has its intrinsic value in terms of abstract concepts like intellect, wisdom and
knowledge.
Examples of things intrinsically and instrumentally good or bad in your society
Intrinsically good: happiness is good in such a way that it is fitting to welcome it. Then,
more particularly, the state of affairs of there being happy egrets is intrinsically good; so
too, presumably, is the more complex state of affairs of there being happy regrets but
no welcomes. Creativity, social justice and connection with nature are other examples
of intrinsically good instrument.
intrinsically evil or bad: The most common examples of things that people recognize as
being classified as are, suicide, euthanasia, abortion, and the use of contraception.
Instrumental good: something considered as a means to some other good; i.e., an
instrumental good leads to something else that is good. e.g hammer or washing
machine, has instrumental value because it helps you pound in a nail or cleans your
clothes.
Instrumental evil: is evil that occurs in order to carry out some other purpose. An
example might be the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, the hazardous by-product of an
aggressive business venture, and of our civilization's collective need for fuel.
[Link] Should Human Beings Be Moral? You are expected to justify your answer
through using different arguments and views from the following and you have to
show the difference of these approaches by taking typical examples to illustrate your
impression.
A. Argument from Enlightened Self-Interest
B. Argument from Tradition and Law
C. Common Human Needs
Why Should Human Beings Be Moral?
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moral has something to do with the standards of good behavior that pertains to
knowing what is right or wrong. To be moral is to be human means, a person is being
mindful about the choices every person has to make despite the circumstances.
Argument from Enlightened Self-Interest: simply acts toward all others the way one
wants them to act toward oneself. The reasoning, for example, is "I will not steal
because if I steal then others may steal from me and the creation of a thieving society
will likely hurt me".
Argument from Tradition and Law: The rules of morality are not mandates or
commands; they are beliefs. Laws, on the other hand, are the rules a country or
community mandates its citizens follow in order to regulate society
Common Human Needs: The human needs approach, on the other hand, supports
collaborative and multifaceted problem-solving models and related techniques, such as
problem-solving workshops or an analytical problem-solving process.
➢So by referring this approaches we can say Morality is an important component
of a human being because it helps shape the ethical foundation that every human
being has. Whether to be good, evil,honest, or deceitful are just some of the traits
morality helps us develop. Thus, it is evident that morality is a crucial component of
ahuman being.
[Link] are four aspects in discussing the applications of morality. Discuss briefly
those considered aspects one by one. The four aspects in discussing the applications
of morality are:
1. Personal Morality: This aspect focuses on the individual's moral beliefs, values, and
principles that guide their actions and decisions. It involves examining how individuals
apply moral standards to their own behavior and choices, considering factors such as
personal integrity, conscience, and ethical decision-making.
2. Social Morality: Social morality pertains to the moral standards and norms that
govern interactions and relationships within a society. It involves the examination of
ethical considerations in societal structures, cultural practices, and interpersonal
dynamics. This aspect addresses issues such as justice, fairness, and the impact of social
norms on moral behavior.
3. Professional Morality: Professional morality relates to the ethical standards and
responsibilities within specific professions or fields of work. It encompasses the
application of moral principles in professional conduct, decision-making, and the ethical
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considerations unique to various occupations. This aspect includes discussions on
professional ethics, codes of conduct, and the moral obligations of individuals within
their professional roles.
4. Global Morality: Global morality extends the discussion to encompass ethical
considerations on a global scale, addressing issues such as human rights, environmental
ethics, international justice, and the moral responsibilities of individuals and nations in
a global context. It involves examining how moral principles apply to cross-cultural
interactions, global challenges, and the ethical implications of global
interconnectedness.
Each of these aspects plays a crucial role in shaping moral decision-making and behavior
within different contexts, highlighting the diverse applications of morality in individual,
social, professional, and global spheres.
[Link] and explain the forms of critical reasoning that individuals can use to justify
their arguments and why they are important. And what are the ways of testing moral
judgment?
Forms of Critical Reasoning:
[Link] by analogy explains one thing by comparing it to something else that
is similar,although so different. In a good analogy, the similarity outweighs the
dissimilarity and is clarifying. For instance, animals are like and unlike humans, as
humans are also animals.
[Link] reasoning applies a principle to a situation. For instance, if every person
has human rights, and you are a person, then you have human rights like every person.’
C. Inductive reasoning involves providing evidence to support a hypothesis.
Ways of Testing Moral Judgment:
[Link] Dilemmas: Presenting individuals with moral dilemmas to assess how they
reason through complex ethical situations and make decisions under moral uncertainty.
[Link] Reasoning Interviews: Conducting interviews that prompt individuals to
explain their moral reasoning in response to hypothetical or real-life moral scenarios.
3. Moral Foundations Questionnaire: Measures individuals' responses to statements
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related to different moral foundations, such as care, fairness, loyalty, authority, and
purity.
[Link] Decision-Making Scenarios: Presenting individuals with ethical decision-
making scenarios relevant to their personal or professional lives to evaluate their ability
to apply moral principles and consider the consequences of their actions.
5. Discuss the need of moral integrity of a person in resolving the social, political,
economic and cultural crises in Ethiopia currently by using clear and relevant
examples.
Integrity implies loyalty to acceptable moral standards by virtue of being a human the
roles and expectations in age, profession, family or societal status. It is the moralistic
aspect of integrity that justifies one's legitimacy for a leadership role.
ECONOMICALLY:
The government aims (or claims to aim) an agriculture led industrialization. About sixty
percent of the population is under thirty years of age, and the economy has not been
sufficient in providing jobs for this booming young generation. The number of
universities has tripled in the last decade or so, only to produce graduates who are ill
equipped to hunt for the very few jobs that are available.
Example: in Ethiopia most of the the region there was lack of food, economical crisis
even if there is hand to mouth life happened.
POLITICALLY:
The government has declared itself politically elected (and has been in power for over
25 years). In the last election, they won 100% of parliamentary seats. Free press is
virtually nonexistent. Outspoken journalists who get critical of the administration are
charged with terrorism and get thrown into [Link] thing is, through all this, a wave of
protests have begun shaking the country. Most people are apparently tired of being
manhandled by a regime that is considered by many to be essentially led by a minority
ethnic group from Tigray region. (Their number in the population is around 6 million,
out of the 100 million population of the country). Marginalization of other major
groups, notably the Amhara and the Oromo, who together comprise at least sixty
percent of the country’s population, has been a cause for resentment over the years.
The marginalization, of course, has translated into economic terms [Link] are
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springing up everywhere. People at major cities around the country are rallying against
the government. In some places, they have rejected the local authorities and appointed
their own chiefs. Buses and houses have been burnt, hundreds have been killed. Of
course, the government has been the one who carried out most of the killings. Right
now, it is difficult to predict where exactly this wave of protests is heading. Albeit lack
of organized leadership (because “legitimate” opposition groups in the country have
been incapacitated by the government), it doesn’t look like it is easing up any time
soon. Ethiopia is in the most uncertain of times.
SOCIAL:
The need of moral integrity on cultural have great advantage to the nation,because it
can strength the unity of each nation, so the leader at each step should have to leader
according to the social acceptability, unless, it comes social life boring.
CULTURAL
it was customary that Ethiopian rulers justified their regimes on the cause of defending
the values of integrity. Imperial regimes even pursued closed door policies on the
grounds of defending Ethiopian values from those that are imported. As time went by,
there was the belief that the advent of globalisation threatened to contaminate the
integrity of Ethiopians. Indeed, there is an argument to be made that crucial elements
have since been eroded. cultural crises in Ethiopia the main causes of political
instability, example the Oromo cultural known one irrecha has become political use
encase the large Oromo around irrecha has great message. Other cultural crises that of
ashenda chabalela, depend on polotica, so this comes cultural crises.
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Reference:
Allen, S. (2018). Ethical Decision-Making: A Guide for Business Professionals. Journal of
Business Ethics, 151(2), 257-272.
Hursthouse, R. (2001). On Virtue Ethics. Oxford University Press
Kant, I. (1785). Grounding for the Metaphysics of Morals. Cambridge University Press
Laudan, L. (1986). The Nature of Moral Disagreement. Oxford University Press.
Pritchard, M. (2018). Critical Reasoning: An Introduction to Logic and Critical Thinking.
Routledge.
Ethiopian News Agency (2020). Ethiopia's Economic Crisis Deepens as Inflation Soars.
Retrieved from [Link]
inflation-soars/