Can you teach ethics

First of all, fantastic post. I have always wondered this same question. If you can teach,in a classroom setting,someone to be ethical, why are there so many examples of the latter happening in society today? After reading your post I can make two observations on this topic. Yes you can go over the different approaches and ideologies to the mindset and agenda people might have in making the decisions they do, but i think that the most influential way to learn is to look at real life examples and hear from people who have been through it.

Kudos to you because you do a great job of presenting such examples in your lectures and with your guest speakers. The second observation i can make is that ethics is also be taught by the people you surround yourself with. They are the ones that are going to shape who you are and ultimately going to be the people you can talk to when you are faced with difficult decisions. It makes me happy to see that you have those kind of people in your life and makes me further appreciate the few I have in my life who are the same way.

Thanks again for the great post! Shaub, Your family is an excellent example how ethics can be learned from the environment around us. Most of our basic values are formed at a very early age, so family plays the most important role. In your example, your father is the extinguishing role model of your family that passed his virtues to you and your sons. I agree that values of college students are still very sensitive and can be influenced in a positive way.

I need to let you know that your class is bringing all of us a positive influence, and sharpening our sense of distinguishing what is right and wrong. I believe ethics can be taught to a point. I was raised in a Christian environment growing up and would say that it has planted a solid ethical foundation within me. I have realized how blessed I am to have two loving parents that have guided me thus far in my life.

I believe people can strengthen their ethical behavior and see unethical tendencies in their life, but for someone who never had a solid foundation I find this to be very difficult to teach what I have learned in the 22 years I have been alive. This blog raised up an interesting question. I thought that everyone could teach ethics.

The only difference was the way they would teach. We judged people whether they are ethical generally by the social common, but everyone had their own standard. On most cases, we would consider ethic as virtue, because it represented the natural part of human beings.

Undoubtfully, a man with virtue like integrety and honesty could teach ethics and be a model himself. So I thought that ethics was not something could be taught, it was something one learned actively from the environment and all the people around him. And you cannot be ethical through one night. It also needs time to make it grow. In my opinion, our sense of ethics and what is ethical develops over time through our own experiences and the experiences of those around us.

Our parents, family, and others who we are close to teach us right from wrong at an early age. As we grow older we learn how to make these judgments for ourselves, and base our decisions off of them. However, our learning process is never truly finished. We are constantly developing our sense of self, and this is something that can be molded. I think ethics can be taught. If nothing else, simply having conversations about ethics and ethical issues make us more aware. It brings the topic to the front of our minds, and it makes us think about the choices we make.

Teaching someone ethics can make them aware of what some dilemmas might be and how to handle them. Like many people who commented before said, I think your surroundings help influence how ethical your actions are. If you have mentors and peers who are always doing the right thing, it will be easier to live a more ethical life. As you have said in class, I think ethics teaches us how to identify when we are in a morally challenging situation and be able to take a step back and think about it.

It changes the way we analyze ethical situations. Its a sad reality, however, there will be more Madoffs and Enrons. I like the idea that our ethics are not fully formed when we enter into college.

Just like Francine McKenna was talking about working out our ethical muscles, I believe that college is that perfect setting for that. As she said, it is important to be in an educational setting, not just classes but a hub for knowledge and experience. I can closely identify the learning of ethics to working out. You have the privledge of being our instructor and trainer, guiding us through challenging situations that we may not have faced before so that when we do, we will be well equipped.

It is very important that we have practice and instruction so that we will be able to take care of ourselves, unlike the people who think that they are sufficient by themselves. I also believe that a well rounded education in ethics includes making mistakes and feeling the consequences. That is why we are in the prime spot for falling down and getting back up as a stronger person.

Thank you for being our trainer for character building before we leave to face the marathons on our own. I totally agree with your analogy that college is the perfect setting to work our ethical muscles, because if we fall we will get back up stronger.

All my life it was easy doing what I have always been expected to do, especially in front of my parents, but now I have learned that what matters the most is the things we do when no one is watching, which is the basis for integrity. I hope in the future, whenever I am placed in situations where my integrity is tested by fire, I will be able to show my strength and not be carried away by pressures. I definitely think that ethics can be taught or formed. I agree with the thought that ethics are pretty well formed by the time one gets to college.

I also believe that as humans we have some degree of inherent ethics, but these are fairly heavily influenced by our environment. In reading a book about a North Korean prison camp escapee, I found this to be true. This man did things that we as Westerners would consider to be ethically egregious, but in his situation he had to do these things to survive. It was only later when he interacted with South Koreans and Americans that he became ashamed of the things he did, because those societies think down upon the actions that he committed.

So yes, I believe ethics can be taught, even in the classroom form. I was skeptical of this notion going into this course, but I found it to be remarkable how wrong I was. Ethics are also formed by societies and life experiences as well. I believe ethics may be pretty well formed once you hit a certain stage in life, but I think one can continuously learn ethics their entire life. Ethics is something that our parents instill in us as young children.

Its your morals and the way you were raised. However, I do believe that Ethics classes can provide you with strategies to help you make ethical decisions. I think that this class has helped me become more aware of how to mitigate ethical situations, but I think that my parents have shaped my morals and ethics.

My thoughts were, they have a class for it so of course it can be taught. This thought is most likely the product of 15 straight years of school and endless classes, and it is one that I had not questioned until now. In thinking about how people actually learn ethics, I wonder how much nature vs. I know people with great moral character and I am amazed by how they got that way considering their upbringing and home environment.

But I also think that much of who we are is a product of all of our experiences and what we are willing to absorb. As you mentioned, I think the way we are raised has a big impact on how ethical we becomes.

By the time you go to college, you ethical framework should already be well formed. Ethics classes strengthen this framework. In my case, I am very lucky to come from a family that has good values. Your class have made my realize that it takes a lot more than that to make the right decision. We may face difficult situations in our career. We have to make sure to always follow our intuition and remember our values.

This applies even if you are not directly involved with the fraudulent transactions. Like many others who have left comments on this blog, I believe ethics is not learned in the classroom, but by your experiences you have with others and seeing how they handle themselves in all different types of situations.

For example, I am the person i am today a good person because of the way my mom and dad raised me. They instilled the ethical values in me that make it possible for me to become a good person. I know from taking this class that there are pros and cons to every decision that we make, but you should always end up making the choice that will allow you to be able to live with yourself the best and not feel guilty.

Shaub, I too feel that ethics are teachable in a layering process, over time and experiences. Core values are developed at an early age, and as you have expressed, children learn by example, good and bad. For 21 years, I was blessed to have a great role model as part of my development and foundation.

As with your father, my grandfather was a man quietly leading his life doing the right thing each day for those who mattered most to him: his wife, his children and their spouses, and his grandchildren.

He was a humble man who lived his life with integrity and had his priorities straight. I was able to learn simple, honest truths from his talks with me, as well as from his behavior.

I feel very fortunate to have him as my grandfather, and everyday I see his influences in my parents, my cousins, others whose lives he touched, and hopefully, in myself. Your ethics class has been an opportunity to further develop and define my ethical thoughts and values.

Through teachable moments with reminders from some speakers and learning experiences of others, such as Helen Sharkey, I have added to my ethical foundation. Please continue your commitment to our future. It has been a great learning experience with very real- world applications. Great post! I agree that ethics can be taught. I think that the little things our parents teach us at a young age are often embedded in us and guide our decisions when we face an ethical dilemma.

I can still remember my father making me return the nickle I took from my grandparents house when I was 3 years old, along with an apology! It was the small lessons like this one that my father set the standard higher for my brother and I.

The classroom is great preparation and very interesting to study, but I feel realistically many of us cannot predict how we will react until we are placed in a specific situation. I really enjoyed your article. My point of view in this issue is that ethics can be both taught, but most importantly, reinforced.

I believe we each have an ethics tool box containing many tools: our philosophies, maxims and principles. When we encounter a better tool we replace the old tool with the new tool, such as an outdated ethical philosophy with a modern one.

Then, there are situations in which we encounter a tool that we did not have in our tool box that we know could help us in the future, so we add it too. Finally there is a situation in which we find a tool, but we believe the one we possess is better, so we do not add it. These situations rarely happen because our toolbox at this point in time is pretty much full, unless something radical happens in our lives, like adopting a new religion.

This is what adds value. There is no doubt I will look back to this class as a significant marker of ethical development in my life. In my own little world, I associate ethics to being identified as our moral righteousness such as goodness, prudence and integrity.

Accordingly, ethics can solely never be taught; it can be acquired through our beliefs and practices. Thus, based on our beliefs, we learn something new by mostly validating it into being through constant practicing. As a result, it is upon you the individual being to make certain and put into constant practice of understanding who you are as a person, knowing your limit and taking into consideration what you are capable of doing.

Yes, you can teach ethics in the classroom. It is possible to teach ethical theories, behaviors, and principals. However, duties and morals are a part of who we are, and those can differ for everyone. From birth to death, we develop and shape our ethical viewpoints and attributes based on who we surround ourselves with. We learn from examples. By teaching us your ethics knowledge, you definitely provide us with an admirable example on how we can better improve lives as ethical professionals.

I think that while ethics can be learned, they cannot be taught. I think what we see and hear around us makes an impression upon us and forms ideas in our head about what it means to be ethical. The biggest ethical influences in my life are parents. I spent my whole life watching and learning from them and how they act and I can confidently say that because of what I witnessed and experienced in that household, I established an ethical base.

Although at times my parents and others have told me to act one way or the other and I probably did act in the specified manner , I have a hard time believing that whatever I was told to do was added to my ethical base simply because I was told to do it. To be more clear, I think that ethical behavior is impressed upon us- not taught in the way that you would teach someone a math problem or how to make a journal entry.

That being said, there is value in an ethics class. I believe the best an ethics teacher can do is give us the knowledge and framework to aid in deciding what is right and wrong, but the moral motivation to actually choose right over wrong is something within the individual that most likely cannot be taught in a classroom.

Ethics have to be developed in an individual. But I think you can activate that search for truth, as you said above, and that will lead students to develop their own standards more fully.

I think the purpose of this course is to get us thinking and evaluating our lives, not to create a mold of students who would all do the same thing in an ethical sitation. And if the purpose if to get me thinking, this course is set up very well, because I have spent a lot of time evaluating my character. I think that searching for your ethical truths is a journey that you must go on alone, but there are a number of pit stops and forks in the road that will influence you.

These influences could be situations or people in your life that may shape your outlook on certain things, or literature that you come across that challenges your views. The experiences and upbringing from your childhood are also a part of this path, as you determine how those events from your past will affect your future. All the while there are positive and negative aspects from life that influence your thinking.

When you face a fork in the road and are forced to make a defining decision, your ethical judgement is shaped and tested. I consider this class to have been a pretty big pit stop on my ethical journey, because it really has made me pause and take time to think about the path that I am on. Having this ethics course has made me determined to better define my own personal ethical standards, and evaluate the kind of person that I want to be.

I completely agree. I believe we are all born with some kind of sense of right and wrong. Moral or not moral? Like you said, our ethical values are planted in us at a young age, whether it be by our parents, siblings, elementary teachers, tennis coaches, or piano teachers. In the process of teaching us how to tie our shoes, add and subtract numbers, hit a forehand, or play the piano, they are simultaneously instilling in us moral traits that will be used for the rest of our lives. Throughout my college career, I have reflected back numerous times on those certain individuals that shaped me into who I am today.

Throughout this ethics course, it has made me appreciate them even more and value the wisdom that they passed on to me. While ethics can be hard to explicitly teach in a classroom although Dr. Shaub does an excellent job!!

I think that ethics can be taught to a certain degree. For me, my moral compass was formed by my parents, extended family, and other important people in my life over the years. Coming into college I still had a lot to learn, but I feel like I had a very solid moral foundation, just not a good set of business ethics. This class has really made me stop and think about possible scenarios that could happen to me in the real world and consider the severe consequences that could come about because of my actions.

This class, along with other things that I have experienced, have adequately prepared me to deal with some issues that will come my way in the next few years. So yes, I do think ethics can be taught to a certain degree. I feel like ethics can be taught but it is up to that person to make that decision when it counts.

They always told me to be honest. They shaped my thought process in ethical decisions well before college. This ethics course is helping me learn about ethics more of in the business sense and I have learned a lot especially with the exceptional speakers that we have had the opportunity to hear.

I hope that I can teach my kids not only what it right and wrong, but to have the strength and courage to actually enforce it in their everyday lives. The existence of good people in this world shows us that ethics can be taught in families most effectively. Obviously, Dr. Shaub and his father are prototypical examples of fathers that instill sound ethics in their children.

Whether ethics can be taught or not, ethics can be learned through exposure to new points of view. However, I also believe that there is a certain caveat to that statement.

In my opinion, it is not Ethics that can be taught, but rather it is the characteristics honesty, integrity, sympathy, virtue, etc that are demonstrated to us through personal experience with those around us. I think we personally learn how to ethical, or understand what constituents an ethical decision, by first-hand experience of the calculations people around us make to reach morally correct solutions.

Beyond this explanation, I believe that ethics cannot be directly taught because it relates to something inside of us. Like we learned about the ethical viewpoint of virtue, a person has to want to be ethical in order exhibit ethical decision-making.

Without this want, even simply teaching on Ethics will prove to be unsuccessful. This blog made me think of being taught in a different respect. However, in the past 22 years my family and friends have been teaching me ethics through their actions and words. The person I am today is because of the great values and morals that my family has shown me.

I do not believe that ethics can be taught in college. Our ethics start developing at a very young age by the acts of the people we look up to. They are continually being constructed as we grow and will continue to be shaped until our last breath.

Though we come into college with a set of ethics and morals, we can refine them through ethics courses. Ethics are formed when real life situations are faced and a classroom just cannot simulate such an environment.

I am in the belief that people can be taught ethics. However, I believe it depends on where that person is in life. I think that someone would have a better chance to teach ethics to someone younger than rather older. I think once people reach a certain age, they have a general idea of who they are. On the same token, I think older people can be made aware of more ethical lessons.

In short, I believe ethics can be taught, but I think that it is more effective to teach ethics at a younger age. I think that ethics, more than being taught, must be lived. My guess is that very few of your students will ever remember a thing you taught or assigned them to read about ethical theory; however, we will always remember you.

Shaub, you have already changed my ethical framework, but it had nothing to do with your teachings. Honestly, I tend to daydream more than anything when you teach… But I have seen ethics lived out. I have seen a teacher who lays down his life for students, who cares deeply about their futures, who invites people into his life and family.

Ethics may not be teachable, but you have taught me. I do believe that ethics can be taught, but not necessarily in a classroom; however, if ever there were a professor who could, it is Dr. These situations would have never happened if I had taken the other ethics professor last mini semester, or if I had attended another university with another professor.

While Dr. Shaub gave very informative lectures, I do not believe that is it merely the book words or text that has changed by ethical views, but the stories I have heard from the people living through ethical dilemmas. I believe that ethics can be taught in various different ways, including in a classroom.

In general, ethics is something that you learn throughout life, and I know that my parents have always made an effort to emphasize the importance of always doing the right thing. They made the effort to raise me with ethical values, which is something that I am truly grateful for. I believe that over time, people learn from their mistakes and experiences, which helps them strengthen their sense of morality.

Having said that, I also feel that learning ethics in the classroom is another opportunity for us to learn about ethics and its impact around the world. I know that this class has already exposed me to the different types of ethical dilemmas that have occurred in the past, and it has made me consider how I would react in these situations.

Overall, this class has greatly shaped my moral character, and I am truly grateful for all that I have learned. I think ethics can be taught to some extent by teachers or relatives, and also through experiences. I think it is good for us to hear different perspectives on ethics, like in a classroom.

Give them the tools to learn how to think ethically and hopefully, through experience, they will make a good ethical decision. Apparently there are also many other people and factors that affect our experience, character, principles, and finally have a effect on our ethical intention and judgment. Different group have different focus. But they all present us ethical dilemmas in our real life, some are small, some are huge.

And after 5 weeks of the ethic course, most of us have same an ethical judgement. I think they have already acquired the ability to teach others ethics. For me, I learned a lot from this class. And this is just a beginning. In my opinion, the concept of teaching ethics in a classroom at least at the college level is not that effective.

Our ethical standards are essentially set at this point, and are not going to be changed by the results of a 6 week course. However, they will continue to develop based on our life experiences and interactions with our peers, but neither of these apply to a short ethics course. Although I think teaching ethical standards is ineffective at this level, the exposure to different ethical situations is effective.

This was a very interesting topic; one that I had not thought of before. I am finding myself really thinking on the topic and trying to figure out where the ethics in my own life came from. My parents taught be between right and wrong, that lying was bad, and being nice to someone was good. However, as I grew older and got into my teenage years, I rebelled and did the wrong thing even though I knew it was wrong.

In this sense, I had been taught ethics, and I knew what the correct choice was, I just decided not to take it. And then as I grew older I found the reason for why I wanted to make the right choice. My parents did a great job at teaching me ethics, but more than that, they taught me why being ethical was right. I think that even though you may be able to teach ethics, someone who does not want to be ethical is not going to be receptive to learning about it.

I remember an article that we read in class mentioned something similar, in that you have to WANT to have virtues, and act with those in mind. I also believe that some people are so self absorbed that they have trained themselves to believe that if they are happy in the end, they will inherently think that that action is ethical.

Since most people after 22 years are pretty set in their ways, I think that although you can really make them think about what is ethical, it is easy for them to revert to their old ways. I think an ideal solution would be to start teaching ethics in Kindergarten or Elementary school.

It is kind of like a foreign language in that you have to constantly be practicing it. They say that a foreign language should be taught starting early on so students actually retain it, and I think the same goes with Ethics. Thankfully, I think this comes inherently from your family, but unfortunately not everyone gets the privilege of being raised by the most ethical people.

In my opinion, ethics is not something that can be learned from memorizing, taking tests or whatever we do for other courses. Afterall, our ethical standards are influenced by our families, friends, books and culture through growing up. I believe that is exactly what Dr.

Shaub is trying to do when teaching ethics. In this manner, our ethics get reviewed and even reconstructed, not by anyone else, but ourselves. Honestly, I considered myself and still do to be a very ethical person. My parents raised me in a strong Christian home, taught me right from wrong, and instilled an excellent set of values in me. What I lacked before this course can be boiled down to one word: awareness. It can happen to anyone.

I agree, ethics is definitely teachable. However, I think it is right to say that most of our ethical personalities are formed by our parents, before we enter a college classroom.

Taking an ethics course allows students to better define their ethical principles that have already been instilled in them.

Additionally, being reminded of these ethical values is a great way to make sure students stick to the principles by which they have been raised. Duty is something I feel is taught from a young age. However, learning about accounting scandals where people have paid a large price can be very motivational to improving ethical decision making from a consequence point of view.

I do believe that ethics is teachable especially in college. We come into our education with an open mind and possibly the basics. Some people do not get the schooling like you did when you were young so many students probably need this to strengthen their moral sensitivity. So that they know when they are in an ethical dilemma. I think that they should start teaching these concepts in high school too. I feel that a person can inform an individual about ethics but not teach it. I feel that it is up to the individual to want to be ethical and stand by stong ethical principles.

I also feel that an individual has to go through adversity, sometime, to understand what ethics really mean. After taking this class, it made me realize that no matter how ethically informed a person may be, he or she could still make wrong decisions.

I agree with the approach to building ethical principles to set a foundation to handle tough ethical dilemmas. I also feel that in order to build these principles a person has to have a relationship with God though Jesus Christ.

As I read the end of this blog, chills ran through my body. Not the bad or scared kind of chills, but the chills of shear joy and happiness. It is so inspiring to read about the impact three generations of men have had on one another. I do agree that ethics can be taught. I also agree that when we get to college our ethics are fully formed.

I believe that in college our ethics class challenges us to really look at ourselves and what we value. That is what I believe is meant to be taught ethics. I definitely think that ethics can be taught. I know the bulk of my ethical values come from my family and my background. However, many of the students ethical values are already in place before they reach your class as you mentioned.

If I have learned anything from this class it is about how to protect myself from committing fraud or stepping over the ethical boundary. Although the class has not changed my ethical beliefs, it has helped me realize what ethics looks like in the business world and the challenges I will encounter. I believe that ethics can be taught by your family and community, in actions and in words, while you are growing up. However, I do think that this class in college is very beneficial and will help us with facing ethical decisions in the future.

First of all, this class helps us in being able to recognize some of the ethical dilemmas we may come across as an accountant and in the business world. We are able to practice analyzing different situations, preparing us for how we will need to in the future. We are able to hear first-hand from people that faced ethical decisions, and what consequences their decisions led too. By being aware of these situations, arguments that can be used on both sides, and consequences that can arise, we will be better informed and be able to have a more complete view of the decisions that we are going to make.

I believe you can teach ethics, but not in a classroom setting. Most already have a firm grasp on what is right and wrong when entering the college setting. Therefore, I believe that what is being presented in an ethics class is simply heard but not learned as an ethical base is already established. I do not think that having a conscience can be taught, but I do believe in the importance of being aware of these ethical dilemmas and what the right thing to do is before you come across them.

Our ethics class explores areas of the profession that I had no clue existed, and I feel much more prepared to take on the crazy world of business than I did before this course. I think that most people have an ethical compass- an innate sense of right and wrong. As you have pointed out, most of us have a pretty good idea of our ethical capacity when we come to college, clearly due to our many impressionable years. However, looking back at the past month, I do believe that our ethical capacity can be adjusted if given the proper knowledge.

There are many things I have learned this semester that have challenged me to be more of the person that I was raised to be. I believe that even with the proper upbringing and experiences up to the point of our college careers, our values can always be muffled.

Also, something stuck out to me in this post. As much as we think we are independent of others actions, we are truly affected by the company we choose. We also will affect our company in the same way. This brings more meaning and importance to the relationships I build and the people I become close with. With no doubt in my mind, I can say this is something I will long think about as I further develop relationships and build new ones.

When you are put in these situations, that is when you avert to speakers you have heard, or other peoples experiences, to assit in the decision making. I think one thing that we learned in class that directly speaks to this, is that you are the average of the 5 people you spend the most time with.

Whether or not you think you are learning ethics, the people that are most important to you are teaching it whether you like it or not. This is why it is SO important to surround yourself with ethical people.

In much of the manner that one builds a resume and network to achieve success in a profession, I believe that is how becoming an ethics professor works as well. A doctor conducts research, studies tremendously, and requires many hours of practice to become a great doctor. Professors who wish to teach a subject must also put in their time and research to be qualified to teach a subjective course such as ethics. The doctor or the professor may not be perfect because nobody truly is, but if he is working towards being better at his profession and practicing it in a fair manner then that more than qualifies the man for his job.

Ethics much like any subject can not be taught in one course, but instead takes years of practice and support from friends and family to master. So yes, ethics can be taught in class, but it takes great mentors who have put in their time and effort to learn the subject along with a positive circle of friends and family to support you through school.

I believe this question falls into this infamous grey area that we so often discuss when we talk about ethical dilemmas. I feel that you can educate someone about ethics by opening their eyes to ethical decisions they may overlook.

However, it is my opinion that teaching ethics completely depends on the student. A student who is ethical and has a strong set of morals can be taught ethics because they are truly aware of what it means to act in an ethical way. That may sound a bit obvious, but it is my belief that if someone is unethical by nature, they will not be receptive to ethical teachings. This blog reminds me of when Dorsey Baskin expressed his skepticism regarding the value of teaching an ethics course. I will admit I also was skeptical in the sense that I do not believe that character or virtue can be taught.

However, after taking this ethics class, the value in it became apparent. The various guest speakers have allowed me to see real life ethical situations in a very real way. The speakers, particularly Helen Sharkey, made me realize that these gigantic frauds can suck in regular people in small positions and ruin their lives.

I feel that these stories will stick with me when I enter the professional world. I think the role of a father or grandfather in ethics is different than that of a professor. In an ideal world, these men are in a position to influence their children from day 1.

A professor takes more of a role of bringing to light various issues and making the student conscious of his or her decisions. In the end, both offer great value to the development of young people as they enter the working world. I do believe God has wirrten the law on each individuals heart.

We know right or wrong and I believe that some from God. The blog above is a reminder of how one can lead by actions. Just because we know right from wrong does not mean we always do the right thing. But having and example above us, whether is be a mentor, Dad, or Grandfather, who have learned to listen the Spirit is a great example of how ethics is taught.

I know I have watched my mentor make many tough decisions because he felt they were the right thing to do, and that alone has given me the desire to do the same. I would hope as I grow old, I continue to learn more about ethics and let my actions show how I am constantly learning ethics. I believe that ethics are taught from when you are born until adulthood. When a child is very young, I believe their ethics start forming based on what their parents say is right and wrong. Some people might stay at this ethical level their whole lives, making every decision based on what authorities tell them to do.

It seems that the next level that people reach is based on group loyalties; loyalty to your family, friends, or an employer. This means that if you ask this person what they think is right or wrong, they will most likely answer with what their family, friends or employers have taught them.

I feel that a more developed, educated individual will develop a more universalist point of view. By the time we get to college, I think that most of us have developed most of our ethical values. In the classroom, the concept of civic duty has generated the most energized debates. Early in the semester, most students want to talk about paying taxes, voting, and jury duty.

Discussions intensify, and responses become more varied as we dig deeper into personal values and ethical theories. At this point, as instructors, we begin to challenge the surface and facile answers by asking how many students avoid jury duty.

More broadly, does failing to serve as jurors jeopardize the fairness of the system? In the business environment, the jury duty example is highly relevant in that the topic can be supplemented with how civic duty impacts the workplace on an individual basis, as a department, and as a company. How do personal values, which differ among employees, impact others? Are employees who avoid or embrace their civic duties being fair? The discussion of personal values has a twofold benefit.

First, it engages the student, who can personally relate to the content and assimilate it more easily. Second, it enables the instructor to cover ethical topics on both a macro and micro level at the same time. Case studies are helpful but can be misused. Moreover, students say they believe that all the participants were criminals and should be in jail. The egregious misconduct in most of these headline cases skewed the ethical conversation toward the criminal aspects. Seasoned financial professionals may review case studies on their own or hear them discussed at association meetings.

Conversations after these presentations indicate that attendees have reactions similar to those of our students. They find it easier to dig below the infraction and discuss the ethical values that impact decision making.

The more important lesson in most case studies is that a series of smaller decisions may lead to ethical misconduct, which may or may not lead to jail. By concentrating on the events that led up to the criminal or unethical behavior, students and professionals become sensitized to the more nuanced aspects of ethical decision making. Our job as ethics educators is to help them identify the defining moment in these scenarios.

Focusing on when and where the fraud began exposes participants to the difficult pressures and decisions that occur in business. On the other hand, seasoned business people are amazed at how easy it is to inadvertently procrastinate or ignore the situation, hoping it will go away. Our conversations with students go beyond the legal aspects to concentrate on discovering what motivations beyond greed might be involved. Student-generated discussions focus on issues of belonging, making a name, respect, and being a good employee.

We broaden these debates to a more macro, or universal, level by relating them back to what the students had disclosed earlier about their personal values. Once participants do this, they start to understand the pressures that the employee experienced and begin to see more shades of gray.

Case studies are a valuable teaching tool. Yet those that are less well known and involve lower levels of management provide greater learning opportunities. They can be further leveraged by investigating antecedents events that preceded other events , discussing motivations, and role playing.

One of the highlights of our ethics courses is the controversial class discussions regarding working for a tobacco company. Everyone in the classroom acknowledges that smoking is hazardous to your health. Of course I would go with the job that paid more money.

These changes are linked to fundamental changes in how a person perceives society and his or her role in society. The extent to which change occurs is associated with the number of years of formal education college or professional school. Deliberate educational attempts formal curriculum to influence awareness of moral problems and to influence the reasoning or judgment process have been demonstrated to be effective.

Studies indicate that a person's behavior is influenced by his or her moral perception and moral judgments. Much of the research that Rest alludes to was carried on by the late Harvard psychologist, Lawrence Kohlberg. Kohlberg was one of the first people to look seriously at whether a person's ability to deal with ethical issues can develop in later life and whether education can affect that development.

Kohlberg found that a person's ability to deal with moral issues is not formed all at once. Just as there are stages of growth in physical development, the ability to think morally also develops in stages. The earliest level of moral development is that of the child, which Kohlberg called the preconventional level.

The person at the preconventional level defines right and wrong in terms of what authority figures say is right or wrong or in terms of what results in rewards and punishments. Any parent can verify this. Ask the four or five year old why stealing is wrong, and chances are that they'll respond: "Because daddy or mommy says it's wrong" or "Because you get spanked if you steal.

The second level of moral development is the level most adolescents reach.