Developing an ethical theory
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Developing an ethical theory for the Information Age is a somewhat different proposition from the development of traditional communication ethics has been. From Aristotle to Rawls, the focuses of previous theories have been primarily on honesty, on secrecy to a lesser degree, and almost always on personal ethics. That is, the major ethical theorists have determined that the ethical burden should fall on the shoulders of the individual and what he or she should say. The ethical situations and dilemmas that are considered are almost always in a dyadic communication relationship; that is, one sender, one receiver, and one message. Contemporary communication is often far more complex than that, with mass audiences, multiple channels, and mixed messages. This paper will first examine four major traditional ethical theories and how they would work in this complex world, and then propose an alternative ethics for the global communication media.Aristotle's ethical theory is often given the short-hand term of "the Golden Mean." For Aristotle, the highest moral standard was moderation, and he felt that a virtuous moderation could be found between two extreme vices. The most common example of this is the virtue of "courage," which lies somewhere between "cowardice" and "foolhardiness." In communication, however, Aristotle seems to imply that there is only one extreme position: falsehood. "Falsehood," he writes, "is in itself mean and cu
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nowledge noted in the Aristotle discussion comes into play. For instance, it might at first seem perfectly clear that by donating a few dollars a week, we could feed the hungry, house the homeless, and clothe the poor. However, some will point out that doing so often encourages indolence and exacerbates the situation. Many of the world's finest minds have devoted time and effort to examining just this situation, and no definitive outcome has yet been detailed. How can Mill expect the average person to correctly calculate the same situation in a few moments of reflection? Ultimately, the utilitarian will probably depend on an emotional response, quite contrary to the rational calculus that Mill prescribed.
IV. Kant
Immanuel Kant admitted no gray areas in his ethical formulations. Kant derived the categorical imperative, which implied duty in all cases without exception. For Kant, an individual could judge his actions or behaviors by asking himself the simple question "What if everybody did it?" If the world would be a better place for the universality of the action, then it was ethical; if the world would be worse off, then the action was unethical. In communication, the universal duty was always to honesty, and the cat
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1424
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page)
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