Making sense of life & work
 
 

Ethics

 
 

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The aim of ethics is the good life, with and for others, in just institutions.

/  paul ricoeur  /

French philosopher Paul Ricoeur captured the essence of ethics in this poignant formulation of the ethical intention: “the good life, with and for others, in just institutions.”  Ethics is about managing rival interests; conflicts between self-realisation (the good life), the interests of those with whom we live and work, and the interests of third parties.

 

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Ethics is all about managing these conflicts. Such a process of moral discernment and action, whether it be individual or in a group, takes time, requires critical reflection and brutal honesty.

In dealing with ethical issues in an organisational setting, it is also important to consider the basic moral assumptions engrained in the organisational culture (values-in-use), which often determine how issues such as fraud and corruption de facto are dealt with. Proper compliance monitoring mechanisms are never enough and can never replace individual moral responsibility. In order to foster such a sense of responsibility, work colleagues need to talk about how ethical issues are dealt with in real life and what can be done to encourage more transparency.

 

EXAMPLES OF ethics CONSULTANCy:


Courses in ethics and leadership
Expert consultancy in research ethics

Courses in professional ethics
Courses in medical ethics for physicians and other healthcare staff
Ethics advisory for research consortia in biomedicine and security matters