Ethics Discussion Instructions

Introduction: One of this unit’s articles discusses how to build an ethical career. As the authors point out, preparing to behave in ethical ways is important. Part of the purpose of this assignment is to give you space to prepare your brain to make ethical choices in the future. There are several suggestions that you can put into practice now that should help you as you enter the workforce.

Discussion Assignment: Choose one of the prompts below to explore these ideas further. Your discussion post should be 4 paragraphs long and answer all the questions in the prompts. There isn’t a length requirement, but I think it would be very hard to do a thorough job in less than 500 words.

Choose any one prompt

  • Prompt One: Cultivating Eulogy Virtues
  • Paragraph One: What “eulogy virtues” are you trying to cultivate right now? Why? How, specifically, are you cultivating them?
  • Paragraph Two: What problems or challenges are you running in to? What potential solutions do you see?
  • Paragraph Three; How, specifically, will you cultivate these virtues in your work life in your first year on the job? (This should include a clear plan that takes into account the field you’ll be working in, the type of company you’d like to work in, and the role you’re likely to have.)
  • Paragraph Four: How do you hope to cultivate these throughout your career? (This should include a clear plan that takes into account the field you’ll be working in, the type of company you’d like to work in, and the role you’re likely to have.)

Prompt Two: Preparing for Difficult Decisions

  • Paragraph One: What makes it hard for you to act in an ethical way? Why? (What if it would make your boss mad? What if it would make things hard for your team or company? What if you’d potentially lose your job if you acted ethically in a particular situation?)
  • Paragraph Two: Consider the ethical successes you’ve had in the past. Describe a time when you chose to act in an ethical way, even when it was difficult. What values helped propel you to the right choice in this situation?
  • Paragraph Three: Describe a specific ethical dilemma you’re likely to face early in your career. (Consider the field you’ll be working in, the type of company you’d like to work in, and the role you’re likely to have when coming up with the possible dilemma.) How might your values help you make the right decision?
  • Paragraph Four: Describe a specific ethical dilemma you’re likely to face later in your career. (Consider the field you’ll be working in, the type of company you’d like to work in, and the role you’re likely to have when coming up with the possible dilemma.) How might your values help you make the right decision?

Prompt Three: Exploring and Expanding Personal Frameworks

  • Paragraph One: Which ethical framework most resonated with you in this unit? Why?
  • Paragraph Two: Describe a specific ethical dilemma you’re likely to face early in your career. (Consider the field you’ll be working in, the type of company you’d like to work in, and the role you’re likely to have when coming up with the possible dilemma.) How might this ethical framework help you make the right decision?
  • Paragraph Three: Which ethical framework did you find least helpful in this unit? Why?
  • Paragraph Four: What value do you see in that framework? Even if you don’t end up adopting it as a guiding principle for yourself, what light might it shed on the dilemma you described above?