Critical Thinking and Ethics - Essay Example

However, personal ethics can change with a period of time and changing experiences though the morals and values forming the foundation of ethics may continue to be the same. Social responsibility is concerned with the behavior considering the society as well as variables surrounding the individual e.g. drinking or smoking decisions, decisions on bribery, decisions on city cleanliness etc. ("Personal Ethics and Life") Since, man is a social animal and cannot be divided from the society, it would be correct to say that the personal ethics need an evaluation as well as a serious thought for linking them with social responsibility.

One needs to be very clear as to how personal ethical standards are related with the social background. It is necessary to analyze personal ethics as the actions of an individual in a wider context do have an indirect impact on the society at large. These are established in life's earlier stages from home, school, and church and later in life they influence the work place, city and nation too. Therefore, it is essential not to mistake personal opinions with universal principles in the light of thoughtful and socially accepted personal ethical standards.

Here in this brief write up we would take an example that a project manager (PM) faces in his day to day life. Such an issue cannot be solved conveniently on the basis of theory or formal academic approach. It needs prudence, situational approach and morality to arrive at a solution which is ethically correct. Now, what is morality differs from person to person and is a debatable topic. Let us view the situation and the possible action as well as the basis for the action.Suppose the PM is uncomfortable as international project requirements contradict the domestic customs and laws, while they are well accepted in the foreign country.

This leads to contradiction with the permissible practices in domestic environment. Here, the PM needs to decide what correct is ethically and what is not. Would the payment made to foreign officials be considered a bribe or "facilitation o0f business processes".Here is a way to solve the ethical dilemma. One can check himself on the ethics yardstick by setting out some standards to decide a right approach.Are the rules that are followed by you, usually understood as a part of the taskDo you have sufficient comfort defending your action personally in front of publicWould you be comfortable if your friends, relatives, and family are aware of your actionWould you be ok if somebody does this same act with you or your loved onesWould the impact of a similar action be positive on the society, if everyone starts following the same practiceIs the act not resulting in harm to any part, if not doing positiveIf the answers to all the above questions are yes, then the act can be considered ethically correct.

(The manager and the negotiator)ConclusionThe writings of "Critical Thinking and Ethics; From Theory to Application" give an insight on the ethical aspects of psychology. These writings highlight the importance of self evaluation and analysis of personal behavior with respect to the social circumstances making