Step One

After a few days have the representative from the group post the problem on your class’s internet discussion board for comment.^* Allow “threads” in your discussion board. Make your discussion board last for a limited amount of time—say a week. Especially solicit responses from the point of view of one of the principal ethical theories—such as virtue ethics, utilitarianism, or deontology.

Step Two

Step Three:

Step Four:

Step Five:

This exercise encourages individual response and group collaboration and forces students to make an action commitment after carefully examining the problem and possible solutions (driven by a selected ethical theory). It is best to utilize this lecture early in the class term. [Note: this is easily adaptable to synchronous online teaching.]

This chapter began by asking the rhetorical question: “What is the point in studying ethics?” The examination of the question took us to various places. First, it took us to prudential decision-making and the possible problems that many decision models face because of unreflective worldviews. Next, some suggestions were made to remedy this problem, including the personal worldview imperative. Finally, the chapter worked through two case studies in which difficult decisions were presented. In this context, the prudential models were supplemented with an overlay of some ethical theories that might offer a more coherent direction in decision-making. The slant of this author was toward the realist ethical theories and the swing theories interpreted realistically. However, each side was presented in order that the reader might make up his or her own mind on how he or she intends to adopt the overlay of ethics into his or her worldview and decision-making model. This is an important, ongoing task. I exhort each reader to take this quest seriously. It may just be the best investment in time that you have ever made!