Frameworks for Ethical Decision Making by Nicole Kafarova

Virtue-Based Ethics

nicolekafarova — 2025-06-01 22:27:16 UTC

The foundation of virtue-based ethics lies in assessing the moral character and virtues of individuals, not their actions or outcomes. According to Aristotelian philosophy, this ethical framework aims to develop virtues such as honesty, courage, and compassion in order to lead with morality and excellence. According to this perspective, ethical behavior equates to actions taken by someone who embodies virtue when facing a particular situation. Virtue ethics differs from duty-based and consequence-based ethics because it concentrates on moral character development instead of rules or outcomes.

Duty-Based Ethics

nicolekafarova — 2025-06-01 22:28:01 UTC

Deontology or duty-based ethics claims that actions are morally correct when they follow predetermined rules or duties without considering their consequences. The philosopher Immanuel Kant is recognized for his claim that ethical behavior consists of performing correct actions and consistently fulfilling one's responsibilities. This framework evaluates the morality of actions independently of the individual's character while also setting aside outcomes when judging ethical behavior, unlike the consequence-based framework.

Consequence-Based Ethics

nicolekafarova — 2025-06-01 22:28:57 UTC

This ethical framework determines moral actions by evaluating their consequences. The utilitarian approach strives to increase general benefit while reducing negative outcomes. The best ethical behavior is defined as the action that produces the optimal results according to this viewpoint. While consequence-based ethics assesses actions by their results, duty-based ethics emphasizes following moral principles and virtue ethics concentrates on developing good character traits.

Rights-Based Ethics

nicolekafarova — 2025-06-01 22:30:13 UTC

Rights-based ethics argues that individuals have inherent rights which require respect and protection. Actions become ethical when they support fundamental rights including life, freedom and privacy. This ethical framework shares its focus on moral duties with duty-based ethics while specifically emphasizing the protection of individual rights. This framework rejects the idea that achieving beneficial outcomes justifies the violation of certain rights.

Care-Based Ethics

nicolekafarova — 2025-06-01 22:31:40 UTC

The central focus of care-based ethics is the moral value of relationships between people along with the importance of care and empathy. This concept suggests that people should base their ethical choices on compassion while prioritizing the welfare of others particularly within their closest relationships. Unlike duty-based and rights-based ethics which operate on abstract principles, this method examines the specific contexts of human relationships. Care ethics maintains a focus on character traits similar to virtue ethics, but distinguishes itself by emphasizing empathy and relational interdependence.

Personal Ethical Framework

nicolekafarova — 2025-06-01 22:59:56 UTC

I am deciding to integrate the Rights-based and Care-based approaches into my personal ethical framework and the framework of my current research. I believe my current research aligns with these two frameworks considering it is rooted in the context of advocacy and the transformative paradigm. My personal and professional relationships are important to me and my research would not be possible without them. That being said, my rights and the rights of the people in my life are equally as important and I believe that it is our duty to advocate for those in our lives that we care about even if it does not affect us personally.