Traditional Ethics Research Articles

A tripartite taxonomy of character strengths & virtues: toward professional identity formation in medical students & physicians

BackgroundThere are limited comprehensive descriptions of character strengths and virtues specific to the professional identity formation of medical students in the literature. This absence of a satisfactory summation of virtues has stimulated us to attempt a conceptual framework utilizing a tripartite taxonomy. This taxonomy reflects recent interest in and importance of justice and care of the self.MethodsOur taxonomy is grounded within a perennial tradition of medical ethics that focuses on the moral “excellences” or “virtues” that form the character of a good doctor, as acquired over time within a community of practice. Character refers to the whole set of excellences of a practitioner as a member of the medical community.ResultsWe propose a tripartite taxonomical classification of virtues as Other-Regarding Virtues, Self-Regarding Virtues, and Equal-Regarding Virtues. Though synergistic, each category is readily distinguishable with regard to a fundamental mindset. To thrive, a medical student must develop character strengths that encompass all three categories.ConclusionsOur goal in introducing this tripartite taxonomy is to provide a framework of virtues to contribute to the definition of professional identity. We envision the taxonomy will provide a structure for professional identity formation curriculum development and organize the ever-elusive assessment of professionalism in learners. This taxonomy can also be viewed as an aspirational roadmap for practicing physicians and educators, and as a compass for their daily consciousness. We believe that this taxonomy will enhance the well-being and development of physicians and medical students, and the patients in their care.

Research on the Relationship Between The Outsider and Existentialism

Abstract: As a masterpiece of existentialist literature, The Outsider occupies an important position in the literary genre and offers profound insights into the nature of human existence. Based on the literature review and qualitative analysis, this article explores the existentialist qualities of loneliness, alienation and free choice shown in The Outsider. The article affirms the work's inheritance of the existentialist literary tradition, by emphasizing the meaninglessness of individual existence, the weight of free choice, and the portrayal of a dystopian world. It also delves deeply into the evolution and innovation of existentialism, with a particular focus on narrative techniques and characterization. For example, it challenges traditional morality through the protagonist Meursault's indifference and employs a minimalist style to reinforce existentialist themes and enhances the communication of existentialist ideas within the text.

Этические проблемы и риски формирования цифровой модели современного университета

The relevance of the study lies in the fact that the digital transformation of higher education, being a strategic national direction, envisages universities achieving digital maturity, including through the creation of a digital model that meets the needs of modern society and the digital economy. However, the process of forming a digital university reveals numerous ethical problems, which may lead to ambiguous consequences for both educational institutions and higher education as a whole. This paper examines the concept of a “digital university” and its content, providing an author’s definition and identifying the main elements that form a unified digital educational environment. The advantages of the digital university in comparison to the traditional university are highlighted, and the importance of forming a digital model of the university is determined. Furthermore, the ethical problems that arise during the digitalization of key elements of the digital university are identified and analyzed. The risks associated with the process of forming the digital model of the modern university are indicated, and recommendations for their prevention are provided. Conclusion dwells upon the fact that the digital university model presents a dilemma that can be resolved by developing effective approaches to its creation, with a focus on ethically justified decisions in the use of digital technologies in the educational process. Recognizing the role of traditional university ethics in the digital educational environment, promoting the development of humanities knowledge, and codifying digital scientific and educational activities are essential steps in this direction.

The Anthropocene, Self-Cultivation, and Courage: The Jesuit François Noël as a Witness of Inter-Religious Dialogue between Aristotelian and Confucian Ethics

This article explores the specific role of courage in the context of the Anthropocene’s moment; it first examines Aristotle’s conception of virtues, focusing on courage, before comparing it to Confucian thought and analyzing the historical dialogue between Western and Chinese traditions on ethics through the works of François Noël (1651–1729). Aristotle views moral cultivation as a social process wherein habits shape inner dispositions; in his view, courage is linked to other virtues, such as temperance and justice. For Aristotle, courage implies the appropriate balance between extremes and must be directed toward a worthy end, such as promoting positive change within a community. This Aristotelian perspective was later incorporated into a biblical framework by Aquinas and Suarez, emphasizing dichotomies between body and soul, as well as between humans and other living beings. These dichotomies must be challenged in the face of the Anthropocene’s emergencies. The second part of this contribution proceeds to a detour examining Confucian ethics, which rests on a different anthropology, emphasizing continuities rather than discontinuities. Like Aristotelian thought, Confucian thought also underscores moral education within a community; it prioritizes humanity, embodied through empathy and loyalty. In the Analects, courage is balanced by a sense of rituals and righteousness. Mencius further distinguishes several types of courage, stressing self-cultivation and the ruler’s responsibility to make empathetic, appropriate decisions for the community’s sake. From this perspective, courage is understood as the continuous perseverance in self-cultivation, coupled with a firm intention oriented toward the good of the community. Zhu Xi’s comments on Zilu’s courage in the Analects extend this Confucian tradition. Finally, this article highlights how a dialogue between Aristotelian and Confucian ethics began four centuries ago, particularly through Noël’s Philosophia Sinica, which combined these traditions. This inter-religious approach to ethics, enriched by figures such as Aquinas, Suarez, Zhu Xi, and neo-Confucian thinkers, requires re-evaluation because the understanding of personal ethics and nature has evolved. The modern naturalistic approach, with its emphasis on dichotomies, has contributed to a mechanistic view of nature, fostering its exploitation, and a devaluation of the body. This contrast highlights the urgent need for renewed dialogue between Western and Chinese ethical traditions to address contemporary challenges, with François Noël serving as a historical witness of these exchanges.

School as a place for Bildung and flourishing

Abstract This article explores the potential of schools to enhance students’ well-being and overall quality of life. The discussion is framed through two distinct perspectives: the Bildung tradition and Aristotelian ethics. In regions where the Bildung tradition is prominent, schools are traditionally viewed as environments conducive to fostering humaneness. However, contemporary educational policies often diverge from the core values of Bildung-oriented education. The article advocates for the continued promotion of Bildung and flourishing within schools. To achieve this, certain foundational conditions must be met. One such condition is acknowledging students’ need for a sense of belonging and purpose, which is essential for their flourishing. This flourishing, in turn, equips students with the courage and resilience to face an uncertain future and contribute to societal change. For schools to foster a sense of belonging, they must be meaningful places of interaction and companionship, both physically and socially. This necessitates recognizing that educational environments are situated within specific geographical and cultural contexts. Consequently, education should not be excessively standardized. The Bildung tradition provides insights into why this is important. When combined with Aristotelian ethics, it becomes possible to develop schools that offer students a sense of belonging and purpose, thereby promoting their flourishing. In this framework, Bildung and flourishing are seen as concepts that embody possibilities and optimism, offering hope and empowerment at both individual and collective levels.

이중결과 원리의 도덕과 수업

Purpose: This paper aims to apply the principle of double effect (PDE) to morality and teaching by rethinking the principle as a moral reconceptualization that enables students' moral growth and moral practice by reconciling consequentialist and deontological ethics in the tradition of universal ethics. Methods: First, the principle of double bottom line was analyzed to recognize the need for it to be addressed in school lessons and to summarize its educational value. Next, we used a jigsaw model to implement the principle of double bottom line. Step-by-step instructions, teaching and learning guides, examples of assessment criteria, and examples of materials were presented to help teachers envision how the principle of double bottom line could be applied in their classrooms. Finally, the significance and deficiencies of the lessons were presented to show how the educational value of the theory is being realized in the lessons, reflective evaluation of the measures, and the need and direction of further research. Results: This paper presents the principle of double effect (PDE) as a reflection of the consequentialist aspect of ethics, which defines the purpose of morality as serving the human good, while at the same time respecting the consideration of deontological constraints expressed in the moral law, and reconstructs it as a concept for educational application, noting the educational value that characterizes it as an integrated universal ethics. Conclusion: A moral science course based on the principle of double consequences will contribute to the moral growth of students on a foundation of universal ethics.

The ethics of performance care: A pragmatic feminist analysis of policy for singing voice rehabilitation.

This paper uses pragmatic feminist poststructuralism to explore how ethical theory is applied to singing voice rehabilitation by specialist singing teachers. A critical literature review examines the relationship between traditional and feminist ethical theories and their potential impact on practice. Themes have been extracted from the literature to create an intersectional feminist poststructural analysis framework, facilitating a document analysis of the foundations of three policy documents currently available to singing voice rehabilitation specialists. Poststructural deconstructivism was applied to thematic analysis to consider the impact of ethical theories on policy and practice. Policies we found to be rooted in traditional enlightenment ethics, with a focus on hyper-rationality, androcentrism and legalism. Person-centred care ethics was found to be lacking in all documents. Contrary to best-practice recommendations documents failed to provided practical guidelines for practitioners. Findings indicate adopting an intersectional feminist ethical policy could improve existing documents via a move from legislation and authority towards care and reflexivity.

Prejudice and True Judgement Prejudgment and Final Verdict against 18th Century Traditional Morality. A study of Tom Jones from the Perspective of Gadamer’s Hermeneutics

Prejudice and True Judgement Prejudgment and Final Verdict against 18th Century Traditional Morality. A study of Tom Jones from the Perspective of Gadamer’s Hermeneutics

Research on Heidegger's Fundamental Ethics

Based on Heidegger's idea of original ethics, this paper analyzes the state of how Da-sein has being-in-the-world, takes Heidegger's concept of conscience as an entry point, explores the difference between Heidegger's original ethics and traditional ethics, and reflects on what kind of ethics his thought is. From the perspective of ontology, Heidegger takes the being of human as the highest philosophical ontology, inquires deeply into the existence of Da-sein, and explores the relationship between Da-sein and Being. Through the diffusion of the understanding of Potentiality-of-Being of Da-sein, this paper gradually analyzes the basic construction of Da-sein being-in-the-world, under the definition of the structure Being-in is embedded in the world, the existence of Da-sein being-in-the-world unfolds. In the process of understanding the world, Da-sein is thrown into everyday life, losing himself and falling prey, but the true nature of Da-sein keeps calling him, Da-sein listens to the call of its conscience and makes a decision to face death and his true ones self. Starting from the process of alienation from the true self to the untrue self of Da-sein, we analyze Heidegger's basic concept of human-centeredness. What exactly constitutes the Being of Da-sein and how does the existence of Da-sein unfold. Even though many later scholars and Heidegger himself did not consider his thought to be a concept under the banner of ethics, and considered his thought to be contrary to traditional ethics. What is undeniable is that Heidegger's original ethics, with its in-depth exploration of the inner man, greatly expands the definition of universal morality and norms in traditional ethics.

Mengenal Etika dalam Perspektif Filsafat Islam

The purpose of this paper is to recognize ethics in the perspective of Islamic philosophy. This research uses qualitative techniques based on a literature search. The research concludes that the formulation of ethics in Islam was done by various thinkers from various branches of knowledge, including theologians, mystics, and philosophers. The contributions of these multiple disciplines show how rich and complex the tradition of ethics in Islam is, with each branch of thought offering a unique perspective on developing a framework in Islamic ethics. The shortcoming of this study is that it discusses ethics in the perspective of Islamic philosophy in outline. In future research, this study suggests going deeper into the literature of Islamic ethics specifically on the thought of Muslim philosophers so that future studies of Islamic philosophy are not limited to topics such as the metaphysics of divinity, the creation of nature, and logic. Furthermore, by giving more attention to the study of ethics in Islam, the study of Islamic philosophy has the potential to open a space for dialogue with contemporary moral issues.

Māori Concepts in Animal Ethics: Implications for the Three Rs

ABSTRACT Our aim is to explore how Māori concepts can refresh thinking about animal ethics. As sources of data for this exploration, we draw on interviews with Māori expert informants, as well as information gathered from relevant literature. First, we overview the two main theoretical traditions of animal ethics, unifying and relational, followed by an account of the development and current status of the Three Rs (Replace, Reduce, and Refine) for animal ethics in practice. We then introduce central Māori ethical concepts and how they interconnect within the traditional Māori cosmos. Two more “Rs” fall out of the Māori concepts: Relate and Respect. Māori views of animals center on whakapapa, a unique Indigenous Māori concept, roughly equated to genealogy, which encapsulates in Māori terms how animals are related, both to humans and to primordial forces, thus commanding respect from humans – as kin, and as ethically significant beings in their own right. This Māori argument illuminates the logic of respect that underpins the Three Rs principles for reducing harm to animals in research, testing, and teaching.

Rethinking decolonized universities: a case for proverbs (Dika le Diema) and Ubuntu in humanizing South African universities

The debates over the decolonisation of higher education in South Africa have resulted in differing perspectives on epistemologies and pedagogical techniques. While discussions rage about the conceptualisation and methods of decolonising higher education, as well as the practical efficiency of applying nuanced epistemologies, students continue to face racism, discrimination, and exclusion in higher education institutions. In its broadest sense, the foundation for the conversation on inclusion is founded on the elephant in the room, apartheid, which has been an Achilles heel in the change of South Africa's educational landscape. The apartheid curriculum, in all of its stages, largely prepared workers for low-wage, exploitative work. It showed little concern for emphasising Afrocentric foundations that expanded Black communities' cultural and traditional value systems. Bantu education's harsh social engineering prowess attempted to sidestep African philosophical frameworks (Ubuntu), which are crucial for motivating pupils' confidence, consciousness, and self-actualization. Against this backdrop, this study views decolonisation as a chance to include African languages, value systems, histories, customs, beliefs, cultures, and experiences in higher education. This paper argues that the abstract inclusion of African languages devoid of intrinsic depth and essence is a patronising exercise purposed to vaguely position African languages alongside English and Afrikaans; doing so prohibits a deeper humanistic appreciation and knowledge of African traditions and indigenous systems. This paper emphasizes the crucial role of African languages and indigenous knowledge systems in addressing racism and inequality, and encourages their gradual and benign incorporation into higher education curricula.

EXPLORING ETHICAL CONTINUITY: A COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF APOLOGY AND LETTER FROM BIRMINGHAM JAIL

This article examines the enduring relevance of Socrates' "Apology" and Martin Luther King Jr.'s "Letter from Birmingham Jail," highlighting their shared commitment to justice and ethical integrity despite the vast differences in their historical and socio-political contexts. Both texts employ powerful rhetorical strategies to advocate for truth and moral righteousness, challenging deeply ingrained societal injustices. Socrates, through his dialectical method, exposes the inconsistencies in his accusers' arguments, encouraging critical self-examination, while King, through logical reasoning and emotional appeals, compels his audience to confront the moral failings of their society. The thematic connections between the two works, particularly their emphasis on truth, moral integrity, and the courage to challenge unjust laws, underscore their timeless significance in the discourse on moral philosophy and social justice. By situating their arguments within broader ethical and intellectual traditions, both Socrates and King provide timeless models of ethical leadership and moral courage. Their works continue to resonate, offering profound insights into the ongoing struggle for a more just and equitable world, making their messages relevant for contemporary movements against injustice and oppression.

Em defesa das crianças? A instrumentalização da democracia no discurso antigênero

This article seeks to analyze, through the Content Analysis of parliamentary speeches and videos of leaderships and religious public figures, the discourse on the so-called "gender ideology" in the Brazilian House of Representatives between 2015 and 2019. In order to prevent the advancement of sexual and reproductive rights and spread traditional morality in education, the lexicon of democracy is used as a tool and Christian values receive a secular camouflage. Therefore, the de-democratizing political-religious action is legitimized in the public arena, enabling, as a consequence, the precariousness of lives and the perpetuation of inequalities and violence faced by historically subalternized groups, such as trans people, cisgender women and sexual dissidents.

What Good Are We Seeking? Child Soldiers and Thick Ethical Concepts

In this paper, I show how a virtue ethics approach to child soldiering is centered on thick ethical concepts that seek to capture in a descriptively and evaluatively rich way how child soldiering affects children’s moral character development and their relationships with others. Virtue ethics thus provides a new perspective that departs from the standard ethical approach, which focuses largely on thin questions of the rights and responsibilities of children in war. The virtue ethics tradition reorients us toward a deeper concern for children’s moral good and thus provides an important and underexplored approach for thinking about child soldiers from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Understanding QRPs and Blatant Misconduct in Applied Linguistics Research: A Book Review of Addressing Questionable Research Practices in Applied Linguistics: A Practical Guide

his book explores the ethical gray area of Questionable Research Practices (QRPs), including its similarities and differences (Butler et al., 2017; Ravn & Sørensen, 2021). It lies between responsible research conduct and clear misconduct like falsification, fabrication, plagiarism. It helps Applied Linguistics (henceforth AL) researchers to carry out ethical research which addresses the ambiguity and debate surrounding certain practices, such as data sharing and outlier management. They are often not well covered in traditional research ethics training. There is a need for AL researcher to identify the good, the bad, and the ugly in the research practices (Banks et al., 2016). To enhance understanding and ethical decision-making, the book provides a taxonomy of 58 QRPs, lesson plans, suggested readings, and discussion scenarios for use in research methods courses and workshops.

Ethics and the Holocaust

ABSTRACT This essay draws on Henry (Hank) Greenspan’s insights about recounting and retelling in the ways that Holocaust survivors testify and bear witness in narrating their experiences. Sometimes taking place from afar and in silence, my interaction with friends such as Hank Greenspan and with the voices of survivors such as Primo Levi and Elie Wiesel compels me to recount and retell that absent the overriding of moral sensibilities, if not the collapse or collaboration of ethical traditions, the Holocaust, genocide, and other mass atrocities could not take place.

End-of-life care for the devout Jewish patient.

The Joint Commission emphasizes the importance of cultural competence and effective communication in quality medical care, particularly during end-of-life (EOL), when decisions are influenced by diverse cultural and religious backgrounds. For Orthodox Jewish patients, the philosophical framework used for EOL decision-making may conflict with that used in traditional Western medical ethics. In this paper, we explore the complexities of EOL decision-making for devout Jewish patients and highlight how approaches may differ from a Western ethical framework. This paper aims to familiarize clinicians with EOL preferences of Orthodox Jewish patients, organized into an ethical framework called 'casuistic deontology'. Leading with an open-minded approach emphasizing cultural humility, we explore ways in which integrating this perspective can allow for culturally appropriate and compassionate EOL care. Using a case study methodology, we focus on a 79-year-old Orthodox Jewish male hospitalized with severe injuries. The patient's medical course is analyzed, highlighting how the decisions made by his family in consultation with their Rabbi may differ from the decisions made with a philosophy of a Western ethical framework. This case illustrates the ethical tensions that may arise when Western medical practices intersect with Orthodox Jewish beliefs, particularly regarding brain death, resuscitation, and artificial nutrition. We underscore the need for cultural sensitivity when approaching EOL decision-making, allowing for compassionate and comprehensive care that respects religious perspectives. This paper helps provide a structure for clinicians to navigate the complex EOL care needs for the devout Jewish patient in a manner consistent with their cultural and religious identity.

Ethical Issues in Implementation Science: A Qualitative Interview Study of Participating Clinicians

Background Implementation science presents ethical issues not well addressed by traditional research ethics frameworks. There is little empirical work examining how clinicians whose work is affected by implementation studies view these issues. Accordingly, we interviewed clinicians working at sites participating in an implementation study seeking to improve patient handoffs to the intensive care unit (ICU). Methods We performed semi-structured interviews with 32 clinicians working at sites participating in an implementation study aiming to improve patient handoffs from the operating room to the ICU. We analyzed the interviews using an iterative coding process following a conventional content analysis approach. Results Clinicians’ greatest concern about involvement was possible damage to interpersonal relations with more senior clinicians. They were divided about whether informed consent from clinicians was necessary but were satisfied with the study’s approach of sending out mass communications about the study. They did not think opting out of the implementation portion of the study was feasible but saw this inability to opt out as unproblematic because they equated the study with routine quality improvement. Those clinicians who helped launch the study at their sites recounted several different ways of doing so beyond simply facilitating access. Conclusions The risks that clinicians identified stemmed more from their general status as employees than their specific work as clinicians. Implementation researchers should be attuned to the ethical ramifications of involving employees of varying ranks. Implementation researchers using hybrid designs should also be sensitive to the possibility that practitioners affected by a study will equate it with quality improvement and overlook its research component. Finally, the interactions that go into facilitating an implementation study are more various than the “gatekeeping” typically discussed by research ethicists. More research is needed on the ethics of the myriad interactions that are involved in making implementation studies happen.

Right, Wrong, Logic and Mentality

This paper explores the nuanced relationship between right, wrong, logic, and mentality in ethical decision-making. It argues that ethical judgments are deeply subjective and context-dependent, influenced by individual and collective experiences, cultures, and cognitive frameworks. The paper introduces the metaphor of mentality as the fabric of the mind and logic as Lego pieces, illustrating how cognitive flexibility and logical structure interact to shape our moral understanding. While advocating for a fluid and adaptable approach to morality, the paper asserts the absoluteness of wrongs when actions cause significant harm. The "Twelve Gates of Wrong" framework is proposed to systematically evaluate ethical decisions, emphasizing harm avoidance. This model integrates traditional ethical theoriesvirtue ethics, deontology, and consequentialismwhile addressing the complexities of modern moral dilemmas. By balancing cognitive flexibility with logical integrity, the paper offers a comprehensive roadmap for ethical reflection and decision-making, urging a principled and empathetic approach to minimize harm and foster societal well-being.