ETHICAL RESPONSIBILITY: MEANING, EXAMPLES - PHILOSOPHY - 2025

The ethical responsibility is the fulfillment of implicit or explicit agreements regarding what should be the appropriate and respectful behavior in a field or profession. Its purpose is to guarantee the correct performance of those responsible for the actions to be carried out and to achieve the well-being of all those involved in said practice.

In this way, ethical responsibility can impact every profession such as medicine, economics, law and genetic engineering, although it is also found in the area of ​​science, art, education and in the business sphere.

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Likewise, the term ethical responsibility is applied in the field of human rights, social and environmental justice, since in these areas there are also certain behaviors that are correct in the face of certain tacit or explicit agreements, and others that are not.

Meaning

In order to understand the meaning of ethical responsibility, it is necessary to take into account four fundamental elements:

The behavior or rational conduct of the human being

To be responsible, the person must be aware of the possible consequences of their actions. This also applies to groups of people such as NGOs, companies or companies.

Respect for the social and legal sphere in which the person works

This means that their conduct must not negatively affect others, and above all must not violate established laws and regulations. If you do, you will be legally liable.

The person or entity must be based on principles of good conduct

These principles that could be called ethical are based on moral values.

In this subject it is necessary to clarify that ethics is a theory and morality is practice. According to this, the rules in which we live form what is called morality, and the systems that have generated those rules are ethics.

Therefore when you consider that ethical responsibility is based on moral values, you are realizing that people should have a personal ethical system. That is, a system that allows them to search for moral guidelines in order to evaluate, for example, what is good and what is bad.

The scope of liability

There are certain behaviors that can be considered ethically responsible in various areas.

An example is giving a seat to a pregnant woman, a disabled person or an elderly person, since this can occur in transport or in a public area such as a bank.

However, usually ethical responsibility has an area in which it applies. For this reason, for each case there may be certain behaviors and specific issues to be evaluated.

The different types of ethical responsibility

Taking into account that ethical responsibility applies in specific areas, it can be classified into:

Personal ethical responsibility

Here individual ethics is taken into account. This implies, as already mentioned, that the person has a personal ethical code that allows the correct evaluation of what they can or cannot do, of good or bad, among other variables.

This code is formed throughout the life of the individual through the ethical values ​​that have been taught within the family; in religion; friends; education; philosophy; reasoning etc. Which also implies that it can be changed throughout life.

Its application is seen in all aspects of a person's life, with whom they interact and in the places where they are.

Social ethical responsibility

Social ethical responsibility is closely linked to personal responsibility, since each individual is responsible for what he decides and does, as well as being aware that it has consequences for others.

So every person who is considerate respects himself and others. She is capable of being empathetic to the problems of others, because she also respects her own.

So, someone who has ethical social responsibility is not going to discriminate against anyone because of their religion, their sexuality, their economy. Therefore, it is going to fight for social justice and human rights to be fulfilled.

Professional ethical responsibility

It is about the general guidelines and criteria that guide the conduct of a person based on their profession. This involves said professional but also his conduct with respect to those who relate to him.

Acts considered "at odds with good technique" are also taken into account, as well as interprofessional relationships and with their superiors. These criteria are specified in the so-called Professional Code of Ethics, available for each specific profession.

Corporate or company ethical responsibility

In this case, the responsibility falls on the same company or corporation. A company or business wants to make a profit to grow. However, the pursuit of profit is ethically linked to contributing positively to the world.

This means being responsible with the environment, not contributing to the pollution of the place where you are. It is also committing to the safety of workers and the facilities where they work.

Environmental ethical responsibility

In this type of responsibility, all the above are combined, since personal, social, professional and corporate ethical responsibility is necessary to make it possible.

Therefore, it implies an individual ethical conscience that will be reflected in all the activities carried out by said individual. He will be responsible for everything he does from home, to the place where he works, where he rests, where he studies and even where he entertains.

Furthermore, being ethically responsible with the environment implies a commitment to devise and participate in policies or programs that benefit it.

Examples

Some examples that can illustrate ethical responsibility in its different classes are:

Personal ethical responsibility

A person who finds a briefcase with money, and goes out of his way to return it.

Someone who hears that someone is being lied to and reveals it.

Recognize your own mistakes.

Social ethical responsibility

The commitment as an association to the help of children's kitchens.

Acceptance within a sports entity of homosexual people.

Provide help to the weakest, poorest or people who have had to emigrate from their country for religious, political or religious reasons.

Professional ethical responsibility

A doctor who, due to the oath he has taken in his profession, does not accept to carry out euthanasia, even if the patient is terminal and even when the patient himself and his relatives request it.

A lawyer who is offered money by a company not to proceed with the labor lawsuit of his client, and does not accept.

Corporate or company ethical responsibility

This example is actually an event that actually happened in Philadelphia, USA. Two African American men were arrested inside Starbucks for not consuming anything. Due to the reaction of public opinion - social ethical responsibility - Starbucks trained its employees to be racially sensitive with customers.

Equally value the work of all employees, regardless of the position they occupy within the organization.

Environmental ethical responsibility

Publicity and awareness of the importance of recycling both at home, as in schools, churches, jobs, etc.

Use a bicycle to move around the city, instead of a motorcycle or a car.

Do not dispose of industrial and toxic waste both individually, as is the case with excess wall paints, and industrially, as happens with chemical waste from the paper industry dumped in fresh water sources.

References

1. Arce Hochkofler, Fernando (2011). The ethical responsibility of contemporary man. In Latin American Journal of Economic Development. Rlde No. 16, online version. scielo.org.bo.
2. Donda, Cristina Solange (2013). Professional ethics and responsibility. Faculty of Medical Sciences. National University of Cordoba. Recovered from cobico.com.ar.
3. Honderich, Ted. Free Will, Determinism and Moral Responsibility-The Whole Thing in Brief-. In Honderich, Ted (ed) The Determinism and Freedom Philosophy Website. Ucl.ac.uk.
4. Noonan, John T. Jr (rev). (1977). Review: Professional Ethics or Personal Responsibility ?. Reviewed Work: Lawyer's Ethics in An Adversary System by Monroe H. Freedman. In Stanford Law Review. Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 363-370. Recovered from jstor.org.
5. Responsibility. New World Encyclopedia. newworldencyclopedia.org.
6. Strawson Peter F. (1962). Freedom and resentment. In Watson, Gary (ed) Proceedings of the British Academy. Oup Oxford, Vol 48. pp.1.25. Recovered from philpapers.org.
7. Vargas, Manuel R. (2005). The Revisionist's Guide to Responsibility. Philosophical Studies: An International Journal for Philosophy in the Analytic Tradition. Vol. 125, No. 3, pp. 399-429. Recovered from jstor.org.
8. Watson, Gary (1996). Two Faces of Responsibility. In Philosophical Topics. Vol 24, No. 2, Free Will. Pp.227-24. Published by University of Arkansas Press. Recovered from jstor.org.