Social Ethics
Photo Courtesy of Ancient Lamp Museum
www.itc.co.jp
"...it is now the social scientist's foremost political and intellectual risk...
to make clear the elements of contemporary uneasiness and indifference.
And, indeed, all of us need to ask ourselves: is it enough to explain the why's and how's
of a social problem and leave it at that?
Are we to maintain a detached attitude, or, are we to go further
and speculate on what solutions are possible?"
... C. Wright Mills
ETHICS
AND SOCIETY
IN THE 21st CENTURY
For thousands of years, humanity has attempted to reach a consensus regarding what constitutes the ideal society and how the study of ethics can contribute to social justice. In our own era, we continue the project in the social sciences, researching how our attitudes, practices and policies can help bring about a social environment in which individual and communal well-being are mutually compatible within a sustainable environment.
We face a unique challenge because technology has the power to improve as well as harm the human condition. An informed study of ethics requires us to be ready to consider the opportunity costs of different social alternatives. And, sometimes, there are no rules to guarantee successful outcomes. Informed that the best of intentions sometimes bring about unintended and undesired consequences, we approach ethics from a multiplicity of viewpoints, ready to evaluate the opportunity costs and possible consequences of each aspect of social change. It is an area of social research that requires detachment as well as commitment, and the readiness to examine existing and possible ideals in view of the developmental needs of the human community.
Theory informs and inspires our commitment...while applied research helps us test the viability of our ideals. The study of ethics is, therefore, a challenging and rewarding area that allows us to practice a multidisciplinary social science that addresses a variety of areas including: family organization, civility standards and character education, media communications, the natural environment, work and organizations, bioethics and health care, human rights, ethnic relations, international relations and global development, science, research methodology and standards, gender relations, business practices and management, education, war and peace, religion.
--- Benet Davetian
RESOURCES
University of San Diego Ethics Web
Excellent ethics theory resources, applied ethics links, and extensive bank of video lectures
Science, Technology and Society Links
Ethics Video Archive
W.. Maurice Young Center for Applied Ethics
Ethics Web Canada
Stanford University Ethical Decision-Making Site
Makkula Center for Applied Ethics
Center for Environmental Philosophy
GLOBAL DEVELOPMENT PORTAL
Numerous links to international organizations
Duke University Kenan Institute
Human Rights Research and Education Center
International Center for Ethics, Justice and Public Life
International Society for Environmental Ethics
Canadian Bioethics Society
American Bioethics Advisory Committee
Human Population and World Hunger
Environmental Ethics
Commission
de l'éthique de la science et technologie
Société Canadienne pour l'étude de l'éthique appliquée
Université de Laval: comités de déontologie
Centre de recherche en éthique de L'université de Montréal
www.canadiancouncilbbb.ca/francais
Instituts de recherche en santé du Canada
Liens utiles pour le bioéthique
Centre d'economie et d'Éthique pour l'environment