Ethics: Theory and Practice Jacques P. Thiroux Keith W. Krasemann

Lying, Cheating, Breaking Promises, and Stealing Chapter Seven Reward and Punishment Chapter Twelve Lying, Cheating, Breaking Promises, and Stealing

Definition of Key Terms Retributive Justice: People should get what they deserve either in reward or punishment, regardless of the consequences Distributive Justice: The distribution of good and bad on a just and fair basis Reward: Something given or received for worthy behavior

Definition of Key Terms Punishment: The act of penalizing someone for a crime, fault, or misbehavior – a penalty for wrongdoing Retributivism (deserts theory): The act of giving people what they deserve, regardless of the consequences

Definition of Key Terms Utilitarianism (results theory): The act of rewarding or punishing based upon the results of the act and whether or not it brings about the greatest good consequences for the greatest number of people Restitution (compensation theory): The act of compensating victims for harm or wrong done to them

Reward Four basic ways in which good and bad can be distributed: As equally among people as possible According to people’s abilities According to what they deserve or merit According to their needs

Theories of How to Reward Retributivist, or deserts, theory states that people should be rewarded strictly on a basis of what they deserve or merit for what they have done in the past Utilitarian, or results, theory would reward on the future good consequences of rewarding

John Rawls and His Theory of Justice Natural Rights v. Rights of a Just Society Rawls believes such rights are given to humans by a just society, developed behind a “veil of ignorance”

John Rawls and His Theory of Justice Rawl’s two basic principles Equality principle: Each person has equal rights to maximum liberty compatible with the same amount of liberty for everyone else Difference principle: Inequality is permissible if it’s to everyone’s advantage

Punishment Four Requirements: It must involve unpleasantness of some sort It must be imposed or endured for some reason It must be imposed by some person or group that has “duly constituted” moral or legal authority It must be imposed according to certain rules or laws

Theories of Punishment Retributive (deserts) theory states that punishment should be given only when it is deserved and only to the extent that it is deserved; it is concerned with the past rather than the future

Theories of Punishment Utilitarian (results) theory is future oriented and given in order that. . . rather than because of . . . as in retributivism Consequences: Imprisonment is not conducive to rehabilitation and reform Psychiatric or psychological treatment, rather than punishment, also is ineffectual

Theories of Punishment Restitution, or compensation for victims, theory holds that justice is served only if victims are granted restitution for the crimes committed against them

Synthesis No one who is innocent should be convicted or punished despite any good consequences coming from the punishment People must truly deserve any punishment they get, and it should fit the crime but not be excessive More serious crimes would require more serve punishment

Human Rights The promotion of human rights is a widely accepted project The concept of a right is powerful because it allows the bearer to make claims on others The importance of the contributions of human rights to civilization cannot be underestimated

Lying, Cheating, and Stealing Lying is an intentionally deceptive message in the form of a statement or piece of information deliberately presented as being true – anything meant to deceive or give a wrong impression White lie Lies of Commission Lies of Omission

Lying, Cheating, and Stealing Cheating is deceiving by trickery, swindling, misleading, and acting dishonestly or practicing fraud

Lying, Cheating, and Stealing A promise is a declaration or vow that one will or will not do something, and to break a promise is to fail to conform to or to act contrary to or violate the promise Stealing is taking something without right or permission, generally in a surreptitious way