The Ethics in Tradition (Dombrowski) pg. 38-81

Arisotle
-living by the "right thing to do"
-You are responsible for your own character, not the circumstances.
-Ethical behavior is reasoned behavior, not out of instinct. It is thought about for a long time, the options are weighed, and a decision is reached out of reason. It is practical in all senses.
-Goodness is an inherent quality in human nature.
-You can't have ethics if you don't have a choice. Ex. If you kill a person, but don't have a choice, then is it an ethical decision?

Kant
-living by deontology, an ethical system empahsizing obligation or duty to do the right thing
-self-interest, material gain, and greatest good for the greatest number are not important
-there is moral reason that surpasses our senses and "moral feelings"
-his fundamental principle: catergorical imperative "Act in such a way that, if you had your way, the principle guiding your actions would become universally binding law that everyone must act inaccordance with."
-Think of what others would do in your situation; that tells you what Kant would do.
-The strongest view on how society should be organized was collectivism, not individualism. This is probably why I tend to disagree with it because we are more individualistic.
-Decisions should never be self-serving or egocentric but thinking of everyone.

Utilitarianism
-emphasizes usefulness
-th emoral worth of an action is solely determined by its contribution to overall utility.
-cost-benefit analysis usually plays a role
-weigh ethical judgements on the basis of accomplishing the greatest good for the greatest number of people ex. killing rats in a laboratory in order to test a drug and helps millions of sick
-its rise corresponded with rise of science and modern technological industrialism. How can this principle be "corrupted" in the use of advertising?
-the "calculus" of ethics. Why?
-ex. Federal Aviation Administration decided not to require fire safety devices in airplanes because they are so expensive. Of the FDA must decide if the benefits outweigh the costs in new drugs.
-ex. Saving Private Ryan, the cost is losing the eight soldier but the greater benefit is proving that the army is not heartless and helping the mother.

Feminist and Care Perspectives
-Modernism deals with rationalism, individualism, logical analytic thinking, the advancement of science and and technology, and progress.
-Postmodernism challenges all of this and challenges authority. It is socially conditional, not absolute. This is a reaction to modernism.
-ex. atomic bomb. Science and technology are being used to kill massive numbers.
-Feminist Perspectives on Science
-it is an ethical consideration to take gender into consideration when writing
-don't try to pretend that you aren't biased, when you really are. It is better to be upfront with your bias and then strive to be unbiased in your work.
1. It has been traditionally taylored to men. ex. experiments and investigations have traditionally focused on the parts and analyzing rather than the organic whole.
2. ex. the purpose of science is to gain "control" of nature which is named "Mother" nature
3. In technical communication, be sure to avoid sex-related terminology, discrimination of women in the profession, and devaluing the voice of women.