Moral Relevance Research Articles

«Философы всегда будут восхищаться Кантом…»

The topics of this issue, devoted to the tercentenary of Immanuel Kant’s birth, focus on his practical philosophy, most notably on the problems of free will in the light of the debates at the end of the eighteenth century; on the concept of human dignity and its reflection in daily life and in the main legal documents of the Russian Federation; on the possibility of deriving positive duties from the categorical imperative; and on the relevance of Kantian ethics to modern-day realities. The issue of the reception of Kant’s philosophy in Russia is also discussed, using as an example the article by Russian religious philosopher Alexey Vvedensky in the historical context of Kant’s early reception and subsequent fate in the twentieth century.

The Role of Economic Ethics for Companies in the Era of Globalization

In establishing relationships with others in the business world, the ethical aspect plays an important role. Business ethics have a significant influence in determining the success of a business. Applying the right ethical principles can also improve the flow of communication and increase the level of trust in the work environment. When engaging in business activities, it is necessary to focus on two things. First, there is awareness and sensitivity to the needs and feelings of others. The second reason is to avoid any misunderstandings between stakeholders, as business ethical standards vary widely across cultures and countries. This article aims to explore the relevance of economic ethics in the context of business in the era of globalization. The author of this article applied observation as a strategy and relied on documents as research sources. Based on the discussion presented in this article, the level of trust among members of the business community is greatly influenced by the quality of economic ethics applied. There are many stakeholders that influence each other, including businesses, suppliers, and end consumers. Each of these elements must meet high ethical standards to maintain a solid foundation of trust.

With Haraway and Beyond: Towards an Ecofeminist and Contextual Vegan Ethico-Politics

AbstractSome ecofeminist scholars have argued that being a feminist entails being a contextual vegan. Donna Haraway has opposed this position and received extensive critique. Yet no one, to my knowledge, has systematically studied how Haraway's theory can enrich ecofeminist vegan literature. To this end, I first establish the method of analysis, and/or framework, I use to read Haraway's work, what I call, interconstitutionality. Next, I delineate the limitations of Haraway's thinking insofar as it assumes a position of human dominion over animals. I then explore some aspects of Haraway's theory that can enrich ecofeminist vegan scholarship and provide insights to go beyond the limits of Haraway's corpus regarding: (1) the entanglements and embodied vulnerabilities that constitute human and non-human animals; (2) the agency of animals and the importance of curiosity and respect in leading just lives with other than human animals; (3) the ethical relevance of otherness, difference, and vulnerability at multiple scales: subject, community/herd, species, and cross-species (e.g., there are shared vulnerabilities between beings who are pregnant regardless of the species they belong to); and (4) the unavoidable violence that human existence entails. The text closes by affirming an ecofeminist non-anthropocentric vegan ontology and ethico-politics that aspires to overcome human dominion over animals.

Need for Ethics Audit: Its Relevance and Importance in Government Organizations (Case Study of Indonesian Government)

Purpose—This paper aims to explore the emergent discourse of ethics audit and advance the relevance and importance of ethics audit as an effective way of maintaining an ethical climate in Indonesian government organizations. Design/Methodology/Approach—This study uses a qualitative approach with Constructivism-Grounded Theory (CGT) analysis to gather field data and find, explore, and formulate findings. CGT is used because the conceptual foundation regarding ethics audit is still developing. Findings—The findings obtained are that the ethics audit proposed in this study is significantly relevant to creating a better ethical climate in government organizations in Indonesia. The relevance involves an analysis of 3 perspectives, namely the micro, meso, and macro levels. The ethics audit model is proposed to provide a design for action in mitigating ethics violations, a framework to achieve good government governance, and a strategy for governing integrated continuous auditing. Practical Implication—In a situation where the issue of public officials' ethics is being seriously highlighted in society, this study promotes the importance of ethics audits to government organizations. It is hoped that ethics audits will be legitimized as annual practices like the predecessor audits that already exist. Originality/Value—This study fills the void of the limited discourse on ethics audits in Indonesia. Findings from this research raise the government’s awareness to be more serious about ethics through ethics audits.

How Moral Beliefs Influence Collective Violence. Evidence From Lynching in Mexico

How do moral beliefs influence favorability to collective violence? In this article, I argue that, first, moral beliefs are influential depending on their salience, as harm avoidance is a common moral concern. The more accessible moral beliefs in decision-making, the more they restrain harmful behavior. Second, moral beliefs are influential depending on their content. Group-oriented moral beliefs can overturn the harm avoidance principle and motivate individuals to favor collective violence. Analysis is based on a representative survey in Mexico City and focuses on a proximate form of collective violence, locally called lynching. Findings support both logics of moral influence. Experimentally induced moral salience reduces favorability to lynching, and group-oriented moral beliefs are related to more favorability. Against existing theories that downplay the relevance of morality and present it as cheap talk, these findings demonstrate how moral beliefs can both restrain and motivate collective violence.

Etika Al-Qur’an dalam Dakwah di Era Disrupsi

This research aims to explore and analyze the role of Quranic ethics in the context of preaching in the era of disruption. Disruption, often caused by technological changes and social transformations, has significantly impacted the way preaching is conducted. The focus of this research is to analyze how the ethical values embedded in the Quran can provide guidance for preaching practitioners in facing the new dynamics emerging in the era of disruption. The research methodology applied is qualitative, involving the study of Quranic literature related to the ethics of preaching. Additionally, the research includes an analysis of the implementation of these ethical values in the practice of preaching during the disruptive era. The findings of the research are expected to provide a profound understanding of the relevance of Quranic ethics in addressing the challenges and opportunities of preaching in the disruption era. Furthermore, it aims to lay the groundwork for the development of more contemporary ethical guidelines for preachers and preaching practitioners.

A quantitative survey measure of moral evaluations of patient substance misuse among health professionals in California, urban France, and urban China

BackgroundThe merits and drawbacks of moral relevance models of addiction have predominantly been discussed theoretically, without empirical evidence of these potential effects. This study develops and evaluates a novel survey measure for assessing moral evaluations of patient substance misuse (ME-PSM).MethodsThis measure was tested on 524 health professionals (i.e., physicians, nurses, and other health professionals) in California (n = 173), urban France (n = 102), and urban China (n = 249). Demographic factors associated with ME-PSM were investigated using analyses of variance (ANOVAs) and t-tests, with results suggesting that ME-PSM is higher among younger health professionals, nurses (when compared with physicians and other health professionals), and Chinese health professionals (when compared with French and American health professionals).ResultsResults provide preliminary support for the psychometric quality of the survey measure introduced in this study, including the existence of a single latent structure and partial invariance of collected data across countries.ConclusionThe survey measure for ME-PSM which was developed and tested in the current study appears to hold potential utility for use as a measure of moral views of patient substance misuse. With development, this measure may be used to examine moral evaluations, both as factors of stigma and of other clinical factors associated with the treatment of patients with substance use disorders.

Scientists' Views on the Ethics, Promises and Practices of Synthetic Biology: A Qualitative Study of Australian Scientific Practice.

Synthetic biology is a broad term covering multiple scientific methodologies, technologies, and practices. Pairing biology with engineering, synbio seeks to design and build biological systems, either through improving living cells by adding in new functions, or creating new structures by combining natural and synthetic components. As with all new technologies, synthetic biology raises a number of ethical considerations. In order to understand what these issues might be, and how they relate to those covered in ethics literature on synbio, we conducted an interview study with practicing synthetic biologists affiliated with a synthetic biology centre in Australia. Scientists identified a range of ethical challenges germane to the field, including precarious employment, pressures from industry, gender inequity, and the negative effects of the hyping of synbio. These challenges differed markedly from those identified in the ethics literature, whose treatment of the harms and benefits of synbio remains largely speculative and abstract. In our discussion of the pragmatic, every day ethical issues synthetic biologists face, we illustrate how issues of waste or research integrity play pivotal roles in everything from lived experiences in the laboratory, to long-term research trajectories guiding the field. In a confirmation of the ethical relevance of our participant's views on the field, we argue that the subjects they raise must be included in any ethical analysis of synbio as a field.

Graduate School Professor’s Perception Towards Teaching Public Ethics

In the dynamic landscape of higher education, the teaching of public ethics in graduate programs has gained increasing significance. Graduate school professors play a pivotal role in shaping the ethical perspectives and practices of future professionals and leaders. This study delves into the attitudes, beliefs, practices, and challenges encountered by these professors in the domain of public ethics education. A mixed-method research approach was employed, encompassing surveys and in-depth interviews with a diverse group of graduate school professors. The study explored their attitudes towards public ethics education, the perceived relevance of ethics across academic disciplines, pedagogical approaches employed, and challenges faced in integrating ethics into their curriculum. The study employed thematic analysis to uncover nuanced insights from qualitative data and statistical analysis to derive quantitative trends. Quantitative analysis revealed a prevailing positive attitude among graduate school professors towards the importance of teaching public ethics. However, variations in perceived relevance across academic disciplines were observed. Professors reported diverse pedagogical approaches, ranging from case studies to ethical discussions, highlighting a rich educational landscape. Challenges included resource constraints and time limitations. The results underscore the commitment of graduate school professors to ethics education and the need for tailored approaches to address disciplinary variations. Diverse pedagogical approaches enrich the educational experience, while challenges present opportunities for institutional support and resource allocation. Interdisciplinary collaboration is recommended to bridge the gap between ethics education and various academic disciplines. This study illuminates the crucial role of graduate school professors in shaping ethical competencies among graduate students. Their positive attitudes, diverse teaching practices, and commitment to ethics education form a solid foundation for the continued integration of public ethics into graduate programs. Addressing challenges and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration will be instrumental in advancing ethics education and fostering ethically responsible professionals and leaders.

Serial characterization as a feminist ethics of care in Better Call Saul

We pursue the consequences of temporal complexity for character development in Better Call Saul (2015–22). We advance this argument by attempting an Aristotelian reading of Better Call Saul but then show some of the deficits that follow from transferring this methodology from theatrical to serialized televisual character. Following this, we highlight some of the deficits of a judgemental approach to character that appear within the narrative of Better Call Saul, and we propose instead to understand serialized character development ateleologically. This distinction introduces the relevance of a feminist ethics of care, which we believe provides a more relevant frame for the moral evaluation of serialized character. In contrast to the absolutism of universal principles, a feminist ethics of care orients one to understand those for whom one cares in ‘relational contexts’ that emphasize specific, material and concrete conditions. This dichotomy between judgement and care is dramatized within Better Call Saul through the interpretations that two characters bring to an extended deceit. Just as the discursive and diegetic complexity of the series prompts viewers to continually re-frame and re-evaluate Jimmy McGill, Jimmy likewise regularly uses a similar move of misdirection during his scams in which he invites other characters’ judgement about one aspect of his performance while accomplishing his actual goal by other means. Jimmy routinely invites judgement through taking on personae that he ultimately discards, reserving and preserving evaluation of his authentic motivations in continual acts of deferral. If Jimmy is ever rehabilitated, he arrives at such a possibility through an authentic confession directed towards the person who has cared most for him, Kim Wexler. Ultimately, we believe that Better Call Saul uses the structure of its serialized discourse to endorse the moral attention and responsiveness that are characteristic of a feminist ethic of care, rather than a system of characterization based on a teleological, final judgement that sees character from an endpoint looking backwards.

Relevansi Moral dan Karakter Siswa Sekolah Dasar Ditinjau dari Aspek Kehidupan Sosial

Today, the relevance of morality and character of primary school children has a significant influence on their social development. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to develop moral principles and good character in children, one of which is through character education. The research method used is descriptive research. The results showed that character education is a process of forming children's personalities to develop into good citizens and be able to recognize signs of moral crisis and play a role in the framework of coaching the younger generation. This is closely related to the support provided by the school environment, which includes an appropriate physical environment, a social environment that encourages cooperation between students, teachers, and staff, as well as an academic environment that encourages superior behavior from students.

The Power of Ethics: Uncovering Technology Risks and Positive Value Potentials in IT Innovation Planning

The digital transformation of the economy is accelerating companies’ engagement in information technology (IT) innovation. To anticipate which technologies will become relevant over time and integrate them in their innovation plans, companies often rely on product roadmaps as strategic tools. However, ethical issues resulting from ubiquitous IT use have shown the need to accommodate hyped technical advancements in information systems (IS) design and acknowledge human values with moral relevance. Scholars have argued that this moral relevance can only come from an ethical framework. The empirical study presented here investigates whether the three ethical theories of utilitarianism, virtue ethics, and deontology can complement traditional innovation planning approaches. The mixed-method study covers three IT products – a digital toy, a food-delivery app and a telemedicine system. The results reveal that the three ethical theories boost creativity around values and enrich IT innovation planning by supporting the acknowledgment of more and higher value principles (e.g., freedom or personal growth), more diverse value classes (e.g., individual and social values) as well as more original values (e.g., human contact) in system design. What is more, participants identify and mitigate potential social and ethical issues associated with the IT product. Against this background, the findings in this paper suggest that a “value-based roadmapping” approach could be a vital stimulus for future IT innovation planning.

Design discourse in discount shopping context: Textual analysis with critical studies perspective and deconstructionist theory

In consumption culture, individuals need things to update their selves or to represent their identities. The more they update their belongings, the more they feel unsatisfied. In this cultural recycling, everyday objects become objects of desire, while the notion of design functions to create attraction. The problem originates in the disengagement of subjects–objects in which the capitalist economic system gets benefits sustaining the cycle of mass production-consumption. To get more benefit, this cycle is sped up along with discount shopping context. The study aims to produce a design discourse in discount shopping context in relevance of the issues of individuality and ethics. The method is a textual analysis with critical studies perspective and deconstructionist approach. The texts are the questionnaire transcripts written by fifteen women. Critical studies perspective clarifies power relations between capitalist economic system and consumer; and deconstructivist approach determines binary relations in relevance of individuality, and ethics and heterogeneity of the texts concerning to design. Along with these two approaches, textual analysis creates a discursive structure. The structure is used to generate a design discourse in which the meaning of design is situated. In this structure, design would be something in a specific heterogeneity and relations around the matters of individuality and ethics. The discursive structure is of importance that summarizes the method used and determines all coherencies around the definitions of design. This structure also could be a useful source for the production of other critical discourses on the relations of subjects–objects and the position of design in consumption culture.

Etika Dalam Penelitian Akuntansi: Suatu Analisis Dan Review Blibliometric

This study aims to determine the development and relevance of ethics in Islamic accounting. The data used in this study were 94 indexed research publications with the theme of Islamic Accounting for the period 2003 to 2022. The data were then processed and analyzed using the R Biblioshiny application program to determine the bibliometric map of the development of the role of ethics in Islamic accounting. The results show that the number of publications on the development of Islamic accounting research has increased significantly. The results showed that the journal with the highest productivity with the theme of Islamic accounting is the Islamic Accounting Journal. The authors who wrote the most were Kamla R and Yacoob H. “Accounting” became the longest trending topic until 2020 and “Islamic Accounting” became the most used topic in 2018.

In the beginning: the light, scientific management and Quaker Philadelphia

PurposeThis paper aims to offer a new history of management by tracing a religious dimension of scientific management. The thesis is that the good was foundational for bringing scientific management to success in Taylor’s native Quaker Philadelphia in the 1880s. The paper’s main contribution is to contrast the philosophical origins of Taylor’s ideas in scientific management to his native Quaker roots, and how Taylor, over time, into the 1910s, wrestled with this issue.Design/methodology/approachThe paper is situated in historical interpretivism and subjectivism, leaning on contextual and narrative research on religious morality.FindingsQuaker morality prevented managerial opportunism at Taylor’s Midvale Steel in the 1880s. Conversely, by the 1900s and 1910s, interest conflicts between workers and managers escalated when scientific management moved out of its traditional cultural contexts of Quaker Philadelphia and spread across the USA. The historical implication is, already for Taylor’s time, that scientific management never was the “one-best way” of management.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research needs to deepen and broaden research on scientific management when tracing the significance of religion and culture in management thought.Practical implicationsThe paper has implications for modern studies of business morality by uncovering the practical relevance of religious business ethics at the outset of management studies.Social implicationsThe historic emergence of scientific management points to a theory of institutional evolution and economic growth, when religiously grounded governance of the firm deinstitutionalized, and institutional economic governance, with different but superior economic advantages, progressed by the 1900s.Originality/valueThe paper suggests an alternative version of the intellectual heritage of management studies by tracing the legacy of Taylor’s Quakerism and how religious and cultural ideas contributed to the formation of science in management.

Intra- vs. intergenerational justice tradeoffs in nuclear waste storage (W01)

Abstract. We propose a workshop in two parts (approx. 90 min each) to discuss (i) general dilemmas due to the long time range until an operable solution for the waste problem is found and (ii) an ethics-inspired discussion on the extra burden for communities hosting interim storage sites (based on empirical data). In the first part, we highlight the twofold responsibility concerning the current generation's decision-making perspective for present and future generations. According to our survey data and a debate with citizens, we see the need to discuss the respective weighing of directly affected generations during the next few decades (until the repository's closure, which affects about four to five generations) compared to the justice for (five+) future generations in the following decades and centuries (see the figure in the Supplement). Questions are, for instance, is discounting the ethical relevance of future generations justified, necessary or forbidden? In the second part, we explore the consequences of the delayed final storage in Germany on the current interim storage sites. Following conversations with citizens (in Brokdorf, October 2022, and in Lubmin, March/April 2023) we investigate the tradeoffs between guaranteeing the safety in these sites and developing and implementing new concepts for long-term storage at these or new sites before commencing with final storage. In terms of safety and fairness, invasive monitoring of casks or storage in a new centralized interim repository would be welcomed by some. However, both possible measures conflict with long-term practices (e.g., approving licenses for several decades or the long-term planning for the final repository). Important questions to be discussed are, among others, how much time may current generations take to identify the most suitable site? How can addressing all three time horizons specified in the Site Selection Act help to contextualize delays in the initial steps? What are the risks and opportunities associated with delayed deep geological disposal (economic, social, political, etc.)? To what extent may intragenerational (current generations) justice discount for generations in the far future? How can the prolongation of interim storage be justified? We propose a specific format during the workshop in which participants work in small groups using the rich picture methodology (https://naturwissenschaften.ch/co-producing-knowledge-explained/methods/method_factsheets/rich_picture, last access: 12 June 2023). This format is suitable for work in small groups to visualize (consensus or divergent views on) complex problems, structures and interrelationships between agents. The results from the small groups are then presented and discussed in the plenary. The respective answers to the key questions may provide possible practice-oriented results for responsible decision-makers (e.g., at BASE Bundesamt für die Sicherheit der nuklearen Entsorgung (Federal Office For The Safety Of Nuclear Waste Management)).

Does Intelligence Matter? An Interdisciplinary Guidance Statement on the Search for Extraterrestrial Intersections

Abstract Attendees at the 2023 Penn State SETI Symposium participated in a workshop series entitled “The Moral Relevance of Intelligence in the Search for Extraterrestrial Life.” This breakout series focused interdisciplinary dialogs on the role intelligence plays in the search for extraterrestrials. A moderated inquiry took place over the course of two days, resulting in a Guiding Statement on Extraterrestrial Intersections in support of interdisciplinary, ethics-informed engagement and research related to the search for extraterrestrials.

THE ROLE OF MORALLY RELEVANT THEORY OF MIND AND PARENTS' EMOTIONAL EXPRESSION ON PROSOCIAL LYING CHILDREN AGED 7–9

Prosocial lying refers to deceptive behavior performed for the benefit of others, which children may sometimes engage in to maintain positive relationships with peers and others. This research aims to identify the role of morally relevant theory of mind (MoToM) and parental emotional expression on prosocial lying behavior among children aged 7–9 years. The participants consisted of 66 parent-child pairs selected through the convenience sampling technique. The assessment of prosocial lying and MoToM was conducted through behavioral testing. Child participants (M=101.91 months; SD=8.36) were tested individually using the disappointing gift paradigm protocol and the MoToM. Meanwhile, parents were requested to respond to the SEFQ inventory. The results of the hierarchical logistic regression analysis revealed a significant relationship between MoToM and prosocial lying behavior, even after children's age was statistically controlled (X2(2)=5.872, p<0.01). In contrast, no significant influence was observed concerning parental emotional expression and children's prosocial lying behavior. This study highlighted insights on the relationship between MoToM and prosocial lying behavior, revealing that understanding MoToM is an influential factor in prosocial lying. Children should understand moral judgment and the impact of their behavior on others before engaging in prosocial lying.

Prospection as a Sustainability Virtue: Imagining Futures for Intergenerational Ethics

AbstractThis paper explores the relevance of intergenerational ethics in the context of climate change and argues that virtue ethics provides a suitable framework for addressing these ethical concerns. We suggest the inclusion of a new virtue, called prospection, which involves cultivating the ability to think and care deeply about the future, navigate its inherent uncertainties constructively, and ensure the availability of sustainable options for future generations. We suggest that thinking and imagining sustainable futures trigger good dispositions towards future humans, non-humans and nature and that ought to be part of the definition of a good life. We posit that fostering this disposition can inspire and motivate present actions that effectively mitigate climate change. Virtue ethics implies an element of timelessness in morality because the future tends to be there by default; with prospection, the future will be there by design, reinforcing its importance in intergenerational ethics.

Relevance of attributional and consequential life cycle assessment for society and decision support

Life cycle assessment (LCA) is an essential tool for assessing the environmental impact of product systems. There are two main types: attributional LCA (ALCA), which assesses the global impact share of a product's life cycle, and consequential LCA (CLCA), which evaluates the consequential impact of a decision. In our analysis, we explored the relevance of these types for society and their ability to aid decision-making. This analysis builds upon existing literature and incorporates two ideological and three pragmatic criteria. First, when it comes to realistic modeling as desired in the context of sustainable development, in theory, CLCA attempts to model realistically, whereas ALCA falls short to a certain degree because of conceptual rules, e.g., artificial splitting of co-product processes. Concerning the second criterion of alignment with ethics, CLCA completely aligns with consequential ethics, where an action is judged based on its consequences. This alignment of CLCA makes it undoubtedly relevant in a world where we aim to obtain favorable consequences in the future, e.g., meeting sustainability goals. ALCA is only partially consequential, as it is restricted by conceptual rules relating to deontological ethics and, for example, covers the relative past of the product. Since deontological ethics, i.e. judging an action based on its alignment with rules, is generally relevant for our modern human society, there is room for complementarity in ethical relevance between ALCA and CLCA. However, the conceptual rules of ALCA (e.g., additivity) and their relevance have not been accepted by society. As a result, ethical acceptance of ALCA is still required. In the context of decision support, CLCA evaluates the consequences of decisions, while ALCA encompasses the approval and sharing of potential responsibility for the environmental impact throughout the life cycle of the product associated with the decision. We also highlight the unique valorization of Organizational ALCA, which entails the aforementioned aspects for the organizations responsible for the product. Concerning the three practical criteria, the following conclusions were drawn. Although ALCA has received the most attention in terms of standards, only CLCA can currently be consistently conducted in a reliable manner. This is because the current life cycle impact assessment methods applied in ALCA do not yet partition environmental multi-input processes. CLCA should be given greater prominence in standards. Furthermore, the complexity and uncertainty associated with modeling may often be only slightly higher for CLCA than for ALCA, mainly due to the consideration of change resulting from a decision. However, both ALCA and CLCA modeling may be similarly complex and have equally high levels of uncertainty as both methods encompass past and/or future projections (e.g., prediction of future background processes). Finally, ALCA modeling may be viewed as a practical approximation of CLCA, but the current CLCA models are more suitable for studying consequential effects. As CLCA modeling and databases continue to improve, this distinction will become even more pronounced.