Ethics?

Students often wonder what ethics actually are.  They see this as a topic to study for the MBLEx and they see questions on the exam that fall under this banner, but they often do not really understand the importance or the basic idea of ethics.  So, what is the importance of ethics, why must massage therapists’ study this and even bigger as a question, how do ethics effect your life.

               Ethics is defined as moral principles that govern a person’s behavior or the conducting of an activity.  The interesting thing is that one person’s view on what is ethical may differ (sometimes widely) on another person’s view of ethics.  Ethics are not a black and white structure that is universal for all people.  There are a multitude of ethical approaches that determine how a person may view things as ethical or unethical.  These approaches are formed by a person’s upbringing, their religion (or lack of), their education, their family, their surroundings and much more.

               Five approaches to ethics (there are more) are:

1. The Utilitarian Approach: The utilitarian approach deals with consequences; it tries both to increase the good done and to reduce the harm done.
2. The Rights Approach: This approach states that the ethical action is the one that best protects and respects the moral rights of those affected.
3. The Fairness or Justice Approach: This approach states that ethical actions treat all human beings equally — or if unequally, then fairly, based on some standard that is defensible.
4. The Common Good Approach: This approach suggests that the interlocking relationships of society are the basis of ethical reasoning and that respect and compassion for all others — especially the vulnerable — are requirements of such reasoning.
5. The Virtue Approach: Virtue ethics asks of any action, “What kind of person will I become if I do this?” or “Is this action consistent with my acting at my best?”

These are five examples of how a person’s world view shapes their understanding of what should be considered ethical or unethical.  Other examples include Deontology, Consequentialism, Moral Absolutism, others.  Having an understanding of the various ethical constructs allows you as an individual a better look at what your own ethical view may be.  Having an understanding of the model which we create our ethical values upon should be considered one of the more important tasks as a human being.