Current Ethical Issues

Ethics. The one word, that conveys so many things that it's difficult to pin down a definition. Moral philosophy? Good versus evil? Right versus wrong? If only it were as easy to distinguish ethics into clear demarcations of black and white. There are 256 shades of gray and they cover the areas between black and white, overlapping, mingling, swirls of color that incorporate both sides of the coin. The debate that surrounds current ethical issues, is much the same. While there are two sides to every story, there are also murky areas in between, which is why the issue of ethics arises - and there is no clear right or wrong. There are few fields that escape the dubious distinction of being embroiled in ethical debates - education, medicine, religion, relationships - there's just no escaping them.

Health Care

Possibly the reason that causes consternation and gives rise to what becomes an issue, is that each argument for, has an answer against, and vice versa - which leads to an impasse. What compounds the issue is that either side has valid arguments, but opposing belief systems. One of the most pressing ethical issues in health care is euthanasia, or mercy killing. When terminally ill, in pain, and with death a certainty, and more importantly a desire, is it wrong to disconnect the life support? Is it wrong to wish to die with dignity, instead of wasting away, one organ system at a time, in a series of debilitating complications that only increase the suffering? And yet, what gives you the right to play God? To take away life, to effectively end another person's existence. Euthanasia has been the subject of consistent debate, and there is really no clear end in sight.

Then comes abortion and birth control, and the inevitable controversy that dogs both subjects. Unplanned pregnancies, unprepared mothers, uncared for children. Abortion is, and always will be the subject of heated debate. While there is one school of thought, that says the decision to have a child or not rests with the mother, another school of thought treats abortion as 'murder'; in fact it is against certain religious tenets as well. It forms the basis of current ethical issues in nursing as well. Do you support the principle of abortion? Do you provide care for the women who choose that path? Abortion is illegal in certain countries, raising questions of morality melding with law. Which is which? You could argue that you cannot escape the consequences of your actions, but what about the child that is born to parents who cannot or do not care for it? Is that really for the greater good? The following are some more ethical issues in health care:

• Organ Transplants
• Artificial Insemination
• Medical Malpractice

Education

Ethical issues in education center around more than just uniforms and homeschooling. From grading systems for children with special needs or learning disabilities, to the correct age to introduce sex education, there is no dearth of topics that become the source of controversy. The following are some snippets:

• Public schooling versus private schooling
• Special education - what about equal opportunity?
• Consensual relationships, teacher and student/minor students - yes or no?
• What are the parameters for teacher evaluation?
• How much control should stakeholders have on school policies?

Science

With advancement, inevitably, comes debate. As technology makes leaps and bounds, delving deeper and deeper in the name of medical research, gene therapy and clinical trials, there comes the flip side of animal testing in the name of that very advancement. For every animal rights activist up in arms, there's a corresponding family praying for tests to find cures for diseases that plague the near and dear ones. Which is right? Which, is wrong?
When the topic of conversation is science, can the ethical issues of cloning ever be far behind? Never has a sheep earned as much dubious distinction as the both maligned and revered Dolly. And as for the issue of human cloning - that's not a debate that's ever likely to die down. Newer and far reaching consequences on the research and practice of gene therapy have people on one side, up in arms about the wonder of being able to manipulate the basic units of heredity to eliminate the passing on of disorders through generations, while others cry foul at playing God, and upsetting the natural balance of life. The ethics of human gene therapy is a relatively new entrant on the debate that rages around medical ethics.

As we exploit our surroundings with rampant disregard for the consequences, when oil spills threaten marine life, natural animal habitat dwindles and endangered species lists grow longer and longer, environmental issues take on mammoth proportions, as the world grapples with damage control. But like every other subject under the sun, there exist a debate about environmental ethics as well. When carbon credits are sold for hard cash, there are inconvenient truths that are revealed, and uncomfortable questions that surface, and that's not even the tip of the proverbial iceberg. To know more about the current ethical issues in science and associated subjects, the following may interest you:

• Bioethical Issues
• Pros and Cons of Cloning
• Animal Cloning
• Ethics of Stem Cell Research
• Designer Babies Ethical Issues
• What is Environmental Ethics

Business

The importance of business ethics is ever a subject of debate. In the cutthroat environs of the corporate world, is there no longer place for a business code of ethics. If you're a believer in business ethics, you may find that the way you operate isn't really the way the world runs. In the man eat man world that runs on money and more money, there's a constant clash of ideals between the cynics, who claim to be realists, and the idealists. Corruption, bribery and their meek acceptance are more the norm than the exception so those of the old school, may well find themselves grappling to come to terms with a world in which professional ethics have no value. When it comes to ethics in the workplace, there is a consistent and sadly inevitable clash that arises when promotions dwindle as ranks rise, and professionalism in the workplace takes a hit. Whether it's equal opportunity hiring practices, corruption, insider trading, gender discrimination or sexual harassment, current ethical issues in business remain consistently and unsurprisingly, unresolved. Take a look at some more ethical controversies in business and the workplace:

• Ethics Important in Business
• Ethical Issues in the Workplace
• Confidentiality in the Workplace
• Morale in the Workplace
• Workplace Ethics
• Accounting Ethics

It's perhaps unfortunate that the times we live in have given rise to security needs that clash with anyone's ideas of privacy. With information floating around on the Internet, there was bound to come a time, when those with the skill set would begin hacking into private accounts and all that comes under the heading of personal. Whatever happened to the ten commandments of computer ethics and the concept of netiquette? Now even government agencies think nothing of violating a code of ethics in computing, and with times like this and security threats, can you really blame them? And yet, how can one concede that it's okay to violate privacy to such extremes?

Current ethical issues in your society will reflect a particular community's leaning towards given circumstances. For example, the issue of head scarves - Islamic women covering their faces or their hair. As a matter of course, this is a practice that is dictated by the religion they choose to follow, but in circumstances where terrorism has the world in its grip, is it a violation of human rights to ban the wearing of burqas when the question is one of national security? Is it a political reform, against the principles of social ethics or is it curbing of freedom of choice?

It is perhaps more difficult than one may realize to understand the issues that exist between ethics and morality, integrity and existing belief systems, right and wrong, or even the age-old good and evil. It's because there is no clear demarcation perhaps that the question of ethics even arises, since one man's meat, as often as not, is another man's poison - it's the way of the world. To clarify further, the following may be of some interest to you:

• Difference Between Ethics and Morality
• Morals Vs. Ethics
• Ethical Dilemma Example
• Understanding Ethical Theory

The whole question that arises in any discussion of current ethical issues, is the differences in viewpoints, core values and beliefs that define what a given person supports. What may be a gross violation of ethics for me, may be an ordinary day of work for you. I might support abortion, gay rights, fair trade and live-in relationships at the risk of being labeled immoral, unethical and lacking in character, but I choose to see it as forward thinking and liberated, a preferred state to narrow minded, hypocritical and prudish. Does that make me right? In my opinion, certainly. Which side are you on?