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Theories of Ethics

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Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance

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Synonyms

Ethical decision-making; Ethical frameworks; Moral principles; Normative analysis; Principled standards; Rights and duties; Rules of conduct

Introduction

Theories of ethics provide frameworks from which to assess the probity of actions in a disinterested, consistent manner free from personal bias and self-interest. Public administration and public policy are often seen as practical disciplines, yet evaluations of ethical decision-making and good (not merely practical or efficient) policies rely heavily on normative theories of ethics. The different theories and ethical frameworks provide guidelines for determining the most ethical course of action. However, the different theories often lead to conflicting conclusions; thus, understanding the underlying philosophies is important when deciding which framework to utilize.

James H. Svara (2007) describes three distinct approaches to ethical decision-making: those which place emphasis on the proper moral character of the actor...

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References

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. California State University, Channel Islands, Camarillo, CA, USA

    Mary McThomas

Authors
  1. Mary McThomas
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Correspondence to Mary McThomas .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton, Florida, USA

    Ali Farazmand

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© 2016 Springer International Publishing Switzerland

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McThomas, M. (2016). Theories of Ethics. In: Farazmand, A. (eds) Global Encyclopedia of Public Administration, Public Policy, and Governance. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_931-1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-31816-5_931-1

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-31816-5

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