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Lesson two: Ethics and professionalism M1 LLA
Introduction:
There are numerous conceptions about the definition of ethics and their importance to life in
society. Indeed , several were the philosophers who set out to reflect on ethics.For example,
Socrates, responsible for inciting ethical reflection in the West with his actions narrated by Plato in
Ancient Greece; in the Middle Ages, Augustine and Thomas Aquinas; in the Modern Age, Espinosa,
Rousseau and Kant; in the contemporary world, Schopenhauer, Nietzsche, Hegel, Marx, Kierkegaard
and Sartre. However, The most famous of the above mentioned ones is the German philosopher
Immanuel Kant (22 April 1724 – 12 February 1804).
Immanuel Kant's theory of ethics can be summed up as follows :
-First, Kant argues that to act in the morally right way, people must act according to duty
-Second, Kant argued that it was not the consequences of actions that make them right or wrong but
the motives of the person who carries out the action.
Kant then argues that those things that are usually thought to be good, such as intelligence and
perseverance fail to be either fundamentally good or good without qualification. Moreover, he
claims, a person has a good will when he or she acts out of respect for the moral law'. Thus,
according to Kant, goodness depends on rightness.
Professional ethics:
Professional ethics is understood as a “…. personal reflection of the professional agent seeking to
define logical and evaluative guidelines guiding his work procedure”.
In other words, professional ethics are simple to apply. They just require that people follow the rules
and do their duty.
Deontology is, therefore ,the science that sets the guiding norms of professional activities under
the sign of morality and honesty. Professional deontology systematically elaborates the ideals and
the norms that should guide professional activity.
Let’s take two major examples including medicine and education.

1. Ethics in Medicine
   Medical ethics describes the moral principles by which a Doctor must conduct themselves.
   Why Is Medical Ethics Important?
   Medical professionals frequently find themselves facing moral questions and ethical dilemmas in
   their line of work. Medical ethics provide a framework to help them make judgement calls which are
   morally sound and right for the patient in question.It’s essential for ambitious Doctors to have a good
   moral compass and a solid grasp of medical ethics so they can consistently do what is best for their
   patients.
   Medical Ethics have four main fundamentals:


2. Beneficence (doing good)


3. Non-maleficence (to do no harm)


4. Autonomy (giving the patient the freedom to choose freely, where they are able)


5. Justice (ensuring fairness)
   Ethics in Education:
   Education as a field revolves around laws and procedures of always doing the right thing. Also,
   making others adapt and learn to ethical practices and avoid cheating and taking advantage of
   others. Therefore, Ethics in education helps run the structure efficiently. It sets standards that are
   appropriate and protects the interest of both the learner and instructor .
   Teachers are responsible to help develop the personality of students and act as a tutor to them to
   influence their personal development and conduct. It requires a lot of patience to practice ethics and
   understand that each student is different. Each student requires different levels of attention and
   guidelines. This way they not only understand the importance of ethics but learn to act responsibly
   and practice self-discipline.
   Whereas students should realise the importance of responsibility and move forward with applying
   ethical practices over time.
   According to Weinstein (Weinstein, 2017), there are five basic principles of ethics: Do not harm/
   Make things bette/ Respect others/ Be fair/ Be loving .
   Some situations between a teacher and student which may cross ethical boundaries are;
   Teachers are expected to contribute towards students’ learning as well as their societal issues
   outside the classroom which may bring them to a comfortable and closer relationship. Not all
   teachers are aware and abide by the code of ethics and avoid biases in behaviour.
   Teachers not only deliver knowledge but interact and help learners achieve the level of knowledge
   required whether it exceeds time or not.
   Interpersonal relationships are embedded in teaching and learning which may be difficult to avoid.
   Conclusion:
   To sum up, Ethics is a key element of any profession. Moral guidelines are always helpful to refer to
   whether practiced in education or the medical field where ethics might help physicians to reconcile
   the needs of patients. Every field has its own challenges. Professionals can make mistakes and
   sometimes ignore details which may lead to minor and major issues in their career. Ethical guidelines
   are important to assist professionals and cope up with the changing environment to feel empowered
   while regulating themselves to suit the standards of their profession.