The Independence of Practical Ethics

After criticizing three common conceptions of therelationship between practical ethics and ethical theory, analternative modeled on Aristotle's conception of the relationshipbetween rhetoric and philosophical ethics is explored. Thisaccount is unique in that it neither denigrates the project ofsearching for an adequate comprehensive ethical theory norsubordinates practical ethics to that project. Because the purpose of practical ethics, on this view, is tosecure the cooperation of other persons in a way that respectstheir status as free and equal, it seeks to influence thejudgments of others by providing them with reasons that areaccessible to their own understanding. On this account, theindependence of practical ethics is rooted in an appreciation ofthe constraints that non-ideal circumstances place on the rolethat the philosophically refined premises of moral theory canplay in such public deliberations. Practical and philosophicalethics are united, not by shared theoretical frameworks orprinciples, but by the need to exercise intelligently the sameintellectual and affective capacities. They are separated, notby the particularity or generality of their starting points, butby their responsiveness to the practical problem of facilitatingsound normative deliberations among persons as we find them,under non-ideal circumstances.     

Empathy and Social Perspective Taking in Children with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

This study explored empathy and social perspective taking in 8 to 12 year old children with and without Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The sample comprised 92 children, 50 with a diagnosis of ADHD and 42 typically developing comparison children. Although children with ADHD were rated by their parents as less empathic than children without ADHD, this difference was accounted for by co-occurring oppositional and conduct problems among children in the ADHD sample. Children with ADHD used lower levels of social perspective taking coordination in their definition of problems, identification of feelings, and evaluation of outcomes than children without ADHD, and these differences persisted after the role of language abilities, intelligence and oppositional and conduct problems were taken into account. Girls were more empathic and had higher overall social perspective taking scores than boys. Implications for research and practice are discussed. This research was funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council (SSHRC).     

A Cognitive Tool for Ethical Decision Making: A Case for ACED IT

The present study examined two forms of a cognitive tool (ACED IT map), which is designed to facilitate ethical decision making, along with expressive writing. Results demonstrated that participants completing the original ACED IT were more likely to identify (a) more steps to implementing a solution, (b) more barriers to solution implementation, and (c) more solutions to those barriers than participants who completed the modified ACED IT, those who engaged in expressive writing, and those in the control group. These findings suggest that cognitive tools such as ACED IT may be of considerable value for individuals who are presented with ethical dilemmas.     

Conceptions of ethical competence in relation to action readiness in Education for Sustainable Development

This paper explores notions of ethical competence in relation to Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). It carves out a conceptual field for future empirical research, by coupling the promotion of action readiness as an empirical concept with a theoretical understanding of ethical competence. The concept of competence displays interpretative pluralism as a concrete attribute of an individual or task and an unattainable ideal beyond the specific. With interpretive care, ethical competence, with its origin in values education, is suggested as a foundation of action readiness as ESD competence. In educational practice, action readiness is assumed to be fostered through real-world learning opportunities.     

Cheating: One common morality for gains and losses but two components of morality itself

Previous studies show that decision makers (DMs) lie more to avoid a loss than achieve a gain. Two compelling mechanisms might explain this observation. One assumes that lying is a risky activity and relates to the shape of the monetary value function described by prospect theory, which assumes (a) increased risk taking for loss frames and (b) an asymmetry between the perceived values of losses and gains. The other relates to the importance of self-esteem functions as expressed in self-concept maintenance models, self-esteem issues being weighed against monetary issues. This alternative explanation assumes that a loss frame serves as a factor lowering moral considerations. We report an experimental study presenting sets of lotteries to DMs, once in a moral context and once in a traditional probabilistic context. The results show that DMs take less risk when lotteries are presented in a moral context. It is also shown that DMs take more risk for losses than gains, this holding for both the moral and probabilistic contexts. This latter result suggests that loss/gain asymmetry can be completely explained by prospect theory factors, and framing makes no difference to the valuing of moral considerations.     

Developing Ethical Leadership in China: The Value of Confucian Virtue Ethics

Most research into ethical leadership depends on Western corporate experience, however current research findings may not fit the Chinese context. As a result, it is necessary to appeal to indigenous and traditional Chinese sources of wisdom when defining and evaluating ethical leadership in China. Both rule-following ethics and instrumental approaches, which are mainly used in recent empirical studies about ethical leadership, cannot enable people to have inner motivation to behave ethically. Accordingly, this article intends to establish an ethical leadership model in China by appealing to Confucian virtue ethics. A Confucian ethical leader possesses benevolence (ren 仁) inside and treats others in a proper way according to ritual and rites (li 禮). He/she makes self-cultivation as the first priority and is a virtuous role model, influencing others in a natural way by of his/her moral charisma. For such a person, economic profitableness is not a primary concern, where instead the goals, strategies and practices of his/her organization are defined by the principle of righteousness (yi 義).     

流行病学实践与研究相关的伦理学视角与思考

随着社会的发展,公共卫生领域的伦理学问题不断显露,有必要对其重新审视。探讨了目前在公共卫生领域流行病学实践与研究中存在和涉及到的一些伦理问题,有传染病报告、隔离、免疫规划、艾滋病防治、传染病应急机制、流行病学调查和试验研究等,并就公共卫生领域中的伦理实践原则进行了概括。     

论医务社会工作中的价值观冲突和伦理困境

医务社会工作遵循着社会工作专业的一般价值观和伦理守则,并在此基础上,发展出其特有的价值观和职业伦理。对医务社会工作实践中的价值冲突和伦理困境及解决这些难题的指导原则等问题进行探讨,以期使医务社会工作者对工作实践中可能遇到的相关问题有初步的认识,并为他们在行动决策时提供参考和借鉴。     

Innovation in therapeutic practice with ‘violent youth’: A discourse analysis of the non‐violent resistance approach

Introduction: The introduction of the innovative non‐violent resistance approach (NVR) at a multi‐agency service in east Kent, UK, has presented challenges in terms of the recruitment of the necessary wider professional support for the family, with some professionals seeing the approach as not child‐focused. Aims and objectives: To identify child‐focused themes among professionals, and to compare these with discourses used in NVR and, for comparison, in the Webster‐Stratton approach, to elucidate possible obstacles to the acceptance by professionals of NVR. Methods and analysis: A focus group of experienced professionals was convened to discuss what it means to be child‐focused, and a thematic analysis was conducted. Key texts from NVR and the Webster‐Stratton approach were selected and analysed using Foucauldian discourse analysis. Results: Being child‐focused was considered to require the child's voice being heard, at least by the parents. Power differentials and developmental issues were also highlighted in the discussion. The key text analyses suggests that the Webster‐Stratton approach is communicated through familiar ‘biomedical’ and ‘missionary’ discourses, while surprisingly NVR is communicated through a discourse of ‘war’ as well as the more familiar and child‐focused ‘family values’ discourse. Implications: The ‘war’ discourse used by NVR, in which violent young people are seen as aggressors and oppressors, challenges the traditional discourses of childhood formed around notions of innocence. The implications of these findings are discussed in relation to furthering the adoption of NVR as an effective way of working to help violent children of all ages.     

伦理生态视阈中的医学伦理精神诠释与建构

基于本体思维的"原子式探讨"不能实现医学伦理精神的现代建构。由本体伦理思维到伦理生态思维的道德哲学范式转换为探讨医学伦理精神提供了新的思维向度和价值资源。伦理生态视阈中的医学伦理精神是一个多维、多层次的张力系统,其建构在于:重建伦理主体的自身精神生态、"医学伦理—卫生经济"政策生态、医学伦理—社会文化生态。