A Quick Guide to Ethical Principles

An ethical theory is a theory about what makes an action or set of actions morally right or wrong.

Four fundamental ethical principles

1. The Principle of Respect for autonomy—- Autonomy is Latin for “self-rule” We have an obligation to respect the autonomy of other persons, which is to respect the decisions made by other people concerning their own lives. This is also called the principle of human dignity. It gives us a negative duty not to interfere with the decisions of competent adults, and a positive duty to empower others for whom we’re responsible.

Individual autonomy is an idea that is generally understood to refer to the capacity to be one’s own person, to live one’s life according to reasons and motives that are taken as one’s own and not the product of manipulative or distorting external forces, to be in this way independent. It is a central value in the Kantian tradition of moral philosophy but it is also given fundamental status in John Stuart Mill’s version of utilitarian liberalism (Kant 1785/1983, Mill 1859/1975, ch. III).

In the realm of moral theory, seeing autonomy as a central value can be contrasted with alternative frameworks such an ethic of care, utilitarianism of some kinds, and an ethic of virtue. Autonomy has traditionally been thought to connote independence and hence to reflect assumptions of individualism in both moral thinking and designations of political status. For this reason, certain philosophical movements, such as certain strains of feminism, have resisted seeing autonomy as a value (Jaggar 1983, chap. 3)

The logical corollary to this principle are:  (a) respect other’s freedom, opinions and choices, (b) others are entitled to dignity as much as we are,  (c) we should not interfere with other’s decisions, and (d) we should empower others.

2. The Principle of Beneficence-We have an obligation to bring about good in all our actions. The logical corollary to this principle implies: (i) one should not practice evil or do harm, often stated in Latin as Primum non nocere (ii) one should prevent evil or harm, (iii) one should remove evil or harm and (iv) one should practice good.
3. The Principle of nonmaleficence- (It is not “non-malfeasance,” which is a technical legal term, & it is not “nonmalevolence,” which means that one did not intend to harm.) . We have an obligation not to harm others: “First, do no harm.”

We can derive following logical corollary of this principle:

1. Where harm cannot be avoided, we are obligated to minimize the harm we do.
2. Don’t increase the risk of harm to others.
3. It is wrong to waste resources that could be used for good.
4. Combining beneficence and nonmaleficence: Each action must produce more good than harm.

1. The Principle of justice—– We have an obligation to provide others with whatever they are owed or deserve. In public life, we have an obligation to treat all people equally, fairly, and impartially.

1. Corollary principle: Impose no unfair burdens.
2. Combining beneficence and justice: We are obligated to work for the benefit of those who are unfairly treated.

Thus fundamental ethical principles that can be applied to decide good from bad are:

• Beneficence – to do good.
• Non-maleficence – to do no harm.