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Ethical Systems in Criminology

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Please help so that I can complete the following assignment:

The Major Ethical Systems

1. Ethical formalism: What is good is that which conforms to the categorical imperative.
2. Utilitarianism: What is good is that which results in the greatest utility for the imperative.
3. Religion: What is good is that which conforms to God's will.
4. Natural law: What is good is that which is natural.
5. Ethics of virtue: What is good is that which conforms to the Golden Mean.
6. Ethics of care: What is good is that which meets the needs of those concerned.
7. Egoism: What is good is that which benefits me.

* Compare and Contrast deontological and teleological ethical systems.
* Provide examples and descriptions of the seven major ethical systems (above).
* Determine whether you believe each system to be deontological or teleological.
* Identify which system most closely matches your own beliefs and explain why.

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Solution Summary

The solution defines & discusses the various teleological & deontological normative ethical systems used in decision making - particular ethical system that can be utilized in law enfircement & criminology.

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Dear Student,
I cannot avoid writing a far longer explaination on the Ethical systems. I took the liberty of identifying the Normative Systems we apply and subsequently explained the relations of the other ethical systems you mentioned being that they are all deontic in nature except for that which is based on virtue. Even the ethics of care is deontic according to Ross. Good Luck!

OTA 105878
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Ordering Morality: Ethical Systems

Normative Systems

There are 3 major normative ethical systems that helps people answering questions like ,"What makes an act right or wrong?" and several particular viewpoints that are based upon them. Sociology debates that the answer to such an inquiry is situated rooted in the culture that answers the question influenced deeply by their traditions, beliefs, mores, and social systems. Ethics is a branch of Philosophy academically speaking but offers particular social perspectives to the way social scientists make sense of what society considers deviant, tolerable, deplorable or acceptable. The Ethical systems measure and quantify acceptability and while there are 3 normative systems that could be applied, the first two, Deontological & Teleological Ethical systems are employed as viewpoints in criminology being that they are 'deontic', that is - action based. Both Deontological & Teleological Ethical systems take into account the consequences of the action & the moral judgement is based upon it. Deontology though focuses on the validity of the action ascertaining whether the action itself is right or wrong with that focus weighing more than the resulting consequences. Teleology focuses on the consequences weighing the validity of the action & the reasons behind it less than the consequences that resulted from it. Hence Teleology is also referred to as consequentialist ethics. For instance, if one views the 'War on Terror' from a Deontological perspective we can validly say that the war on terror is right based on the reasons behind the action especially after 9-11. However if we look at the current situation in Iraq and Afghanistan & in other fronts of the war in Asia Pacific, Europe & Africa and factor in the human & monetary costs we might find that consequentially the 'rightness' of the 'War on Terror' becomes questionable. Deontology for instance will judge soldiers as morally upright if they 'follow their duties'; teleology will judge the soldiers on the other hand by their choices and the consequences of such. A deontological argument will ...

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