Professional ethics
Professional ethics encompass the standards of behavior expected from individuals in various professions, influencing how they conduct themselves in their work environments. These ethics are crucial for maintaining trust and integrity within organizations, particularly in fields such as healthcare, law enforcement, military service, and corporate sectors. Many professions have established ethical codes or declarations that delineate acceptable conduct, with violations potentially resulting in severe consequences, including job loss and legal repercussions.
Historically, one of the earliest examples of professional ethics is the Hippocratic oath taken by physicians, emphasizing the commitment to do no harm. In modern contexts, ethical guidelines continue to evolve, addressing contemporary challenges such as advancements in technology, issues of privacy, and social justice concerns. Various professions, from scientists to teachers, adhere to specific ethical standards that govern their interactions with clients, colleagues, and the public. For instance, scientific research is regulated to protect human and animal subjects, while educators operate under the principle of "in loco parentis," which grants them a moral authority over students.
As societal expectations change, the frameworks of professional ethics are regularly reviewed and adapted to ensure that they remain relevant and effective in guiding professionals across diverse fields. This ongoing evolution reflects a commitment to ethical conduct and accountability in an increasingly complex world.
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Professional ethics
Professional ethics include the personal, organizational, and corporate standards of behavior expected of professionals. To ensure that employees properly represent themselves and the companies for which they work, most institutions have a set of ethics to which all employees must adhere—this is especially true for university employees, medical workers, police and other public service officers, military personnel, and corporate employees. Many professional societies also have ethical declarations or codes of conduct. Because organizational credibility is based on reputation, penalties for violating an ethics code are often steep and can include demotion, suspension, firing, and at times, imprisonment.
Brief History
Among the oldest standards for professional ethics is the Hippocratic oath. Beginning in the fifth century BCE, Greek doctors swore to help the sick and to avoid doing harm. This was a solemn oath made in the name of Greek gods and goddesses. While modern doctors do not take the oath in the name of Greek gods and goddesses, many do still pledge to follow an ethical code based on serving to the best of their abilities. Additionally, doctors pledge to pay primary attention to the human whom they are treating, rather than to focus on physical symptoms solely.
Professional ethics also have long traditions in military organizations where officers are bound by specific expectations of how to interact with colleagues, how to treat those who rank above and below them, and how to engage the enemy. Historically, these ethical standards were different among different militaries. However, modern international agreements, such as the Geneva Convention of 1949 govern the ways that militaries interact with civilians, religious authorities, and medical personnel, and how weapons are used on civilian populations. For example, it is a violation of the Geneva Convention to kill either an enemy who has surrendered or civilians who are not engaged in a conflict. While this code of ethics does not always prevent conflicts, it does provide a framework for punishing those who have acted unethically. For example, after the 1994 Rwandan genocide, the United Nations established an International Criminal Tribunal to prosecute those who had violated military professional ethics.
Modern organizations work to build upon historical examples of professional ethical codes to adapt to modern situations. These adaptations account for the rapid pace of scientific advancement, questions over personal privacy, and cultural struggles over topics such as racism and sexism. As professional ethics change, so does the way that professionals interact with one another, with the public, and with the media. As such, professionals are often trained and retrained to ensure that they have kept up with the most current professional ethical standards.
Professional Ethics Today
Professional ethics govern many different workplaces and careers. One of the strictest sets of professional ethics is used for scientists and has been designed to ensure that human and animal subjects are not abused during scientific research. In the United States, research occurring within a university is overseen by an institutional review board (IRB). Before beginning a new project, each researcher must submit paperwork outlining the research that will occur, why that work is necessary, what risks it will pose to test subjects, and what actions will be taken to mitigate or resolve those risks. When subjects are put at risk because of a study, such as trying out a new drug, they must be made aware of the risks and often must be compensated for their time and potential harm.
Research occurring outside a university, such as at a private biomedical lab, does not undergo IRB approval. However, employees of private laboratories are still subject to professional ethical codes, as well as to governmental ethical codes if they are funded by government grants. These codes are continually redefined to match the advancement of science. For example, when scientists began to conduct research on human stem cells, their professional organizations began to debate how they should respond to and regulate such research.
Professionals in other fields—such as lawyers, clerks, and judges working in the justice system—are also guided by professional ethical codes. These codes regulate such issues as who is able to speak during a court case and how long a judge can serve in a specific post. Because clients might wish to share sensitive information with a lawyer, lawyers are bound by their own professional ethics that determine which information they must share with the court and what information they can keep secret.
Religious workers are another group regulated by professional ethics. Religious leaders often hold positions of power and prestige in their communities; therefore, they are also guided by a strict set of ethics regarding their work with both members of their religion and of the larger community. While these ethics may be different for each religion, the way that the US government respects those ethics is the same. Information shared with religious figures is often seen as private and protected from government interference. However, the subject of public statements by religious figures is contentious. Scholars and members of religious communities have often debated how religious tenants interact with professional ethics—for example, whether or not religious views should affect the ways that a congressperson makes political decisions.
Teachers are bound by a special set of professional ethics known as "in loco parentis," which is Latin for "in place of the parent." This means that teachers must act as a moral authority and guardian for children in their care. On a day-to-day basis, this means that teachers should set good examples for their students. Teachers are also allowed to enforce dress codes, codes of conduct, and school rules. However, in crisis situations, this allows teachers to make decisions regarding a child’s welfare. The concept of in loco parentis has been the subject of many Supreme Court cases. For example, such cases have asked if school officials have the right to silence a student’s speech (therefore taking away the student’s right to free speech) and if schools can force children to say the pledge of allegiance.
Many other careers are also guided by professional ethics. Accountants, nurses, and athletes each have different professional ethical codes. These professional ethics are continually reviewed and revised to respond to contemporary issues, emergent technology, and societal expectations.
Bibliography
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