Forester Ethics Four States Forestry on the Grow Conference March 10, 2012 Idabel, OK Roger Griffin
What leads to the manner in which you make decisions? • Parental/family influences • Life experiences • Interests • Religious training • Educational background • Career goals • Perceptions • Others?
All these factors guide to your values : • Defined as: Beliefs of a person or social group in which they have emotional investment. Rules by which we make decisions about right and wrong.
Two Basic Types of Human Values • Instrumental (utilitarian) Value A function of an object’s or being’s usefulness Can be evaluated thru cost/benefit analysis • Intrinsic Value A object is valuable in itself, not for its uses These values are often hard to compare or prioritize.
Values are a Component of Morals But, what are morals? • Teachings, or in accordance with, the principles of right and wrong. • Values may deal with considerations other than right and wrong.
“The most important human endeavor is the striving for morality in our actions. Our inner balance and even our very existence depend on it. Only morality in our actions can give beauty and dignity to life.” Albert Einstein
Ethics Definition: Standards of conduct and moral • judgment. The system or code of morals of a • particular group or profession. Code of conduct, which, in order to • be effective demands a strong degree of leadership and commitment. (organizations)
Ethics • Values and morals are more individual in nature and often reflected in an individual’s ethics. • We often judge people or organizations based upon their ethics, not so much their values or their morality.
Ethics But, what is right and wrong? An individual decision, based on: Experiences Perceptions Values Morals A group decision, based on: Sound reasoning Expected outcomes Societal benefits
The Hierarchy of Beliefs and Conduct Values – Beliefs in something in which there is • emotional attachment. Morality – Concerned with the rules and practices of • the conduct of an individual within a society. Ethics – Relate to professional conduct with respect • to contributions to specific goals of a group or society. Individuals have ethics, but are often demonstrated in a larger sense. Religion – Relates broadly to human life. An • individual choice.
A Brief History of Ethics Socrates (469-399 BC) • Encouraged attention to the condition of humankind. • Self-knowledge was necessary for success. • Correlated knowledge with virtue. • Correlated virtue with happiness. • “A truly wise person will know what is right, do what is good and therefore be happy.”
A Brief History of Ethics Aristotle (384-322 BC) • Humans must realize their ‘full potential”. • Unhappiness and frustration are caused by the unrealized potential of a person. • Happiness is to be the ultimate goal. • Self- realization, the awareness of one’s nature and the development of one’s talents is the surest path to happiness.
Modern Ethics Consequentialism Holds that the consequences of a particular action form the basis for any valid moral judgment about that action. A morally right action is one that produces a good outcome. “The ends justify the means”
Modern Ethics Deontology Determination of goodness or rightness from examining acts, rather than the consequences. The highest good must be good in itself, and good without qualification.
Modern Ethics Natural Law (Teleology) • Things are “good” when they fulfill their natural function. • Often equates “good” with “natural” (untouched by humans) and thus resources deserve moral consideration. • All things and beings have inherent value because of their “naturalness”
Arguments against “Natural Law” • Not everything can be assigned a specific purpose (what is the purpose of humans?) • Natural does not always mean good (is smallpox good?) • There is the debate regarding a “divine plan for nature”
Ethics and Natural Resources Two Opposing Views A. Frontier Ethics 1. Earth has an unlimited supply of resources 2. Humans are above nature and not part of it. 3. Success is achieved through the control and domination of nature
Ethics and Natural Resources Two Opposing Views B. Sustainable Ethics 1. Earth’s resources are limited 2. Humans are part of nature 3. Success is achieved through the cooperation with nature 4. Natural systems are essential to human welfare
Professional Ethics
Definitions • Rights – Human creations that serve to protect certain human interests: Equality, Liberty, Life and Property • Duties – Obligations we have to other people to not infringe on their rights. • Justice – fulfilling of the duties to other people (respecting their rights, no matter the cost)
Ethics Ethical practices of a professional can be described as those which contribute to progress toward the goals of the profession or human society. Unethical practices are those which hinder this progress.
Ethics What are the goals of society? To early philosophers – Happiness was the primary goal. What does happiness mean to you?
Ethics Dag Hammarskjold (1964), United Nations Indicated that happiness for a society is to become free and responsible.
Ethics What does freedom mean? F. D. Roosevelt (1941) - Four Freedoms 1. Freedom from want 2. Freedom from fear 3. Freedom of speech and expression 4. Freedom of worship
Ethics Let’s look at the ethics of natural resource management The objective of the natural resource professions is to apply our specialized knowledge toward making the country’s natural resources yield their fullest contribution to the economic and social welfare of the nation – i.e. to enhance the ability of the citizens to reach “freedom”
Ethical Issues • Issues are a point of discussion, debate or dispute. • Issues involve others – not one person. • A matter of public concern – the public is involved in the debate. • Issues in natural resource conservation always include value judgments and ethical conflict.
Ethics Approaches to Ethical Decision Making Utilitarian • Focuses on taking action that will result in the greatest good for the greatest number of people – often economic. • Can be an ethical justification for limiting Rights (Eminent Domain, perhaps) • Example: Using low-wage workers. Good or bad?
Ethics Approaches to Ethical Decision Making Moral Rights • Concerns itself with moral principles regardless of consequences. • Again: low-wage workers?
Ethics Approaches to Ethical Decision Making Universalism • Similar to the Golden Rule • Two steps: 1) should action apply to all people and 2), would you wish the action to apply to you? • Low wages to yourself?
Ethics Approaches to Ethical Decision Making Cost-Benefit • Balancing act of action vs. no action: • Profits vs. public relations of low paying low wages.
Typically, Environmental Ethics are Non- Anthropogenic • Ethical systems that grant non- humans (animals, plants, etc.) moral standing - An example is the Endangered Species Act • Some ethical systems (holistic) grant moral standing to groups or collections rather than individuals (species, ecosystems)
Ethics Problems leading to ethical concerns: • Unprofessional conduct. • False and derogatory statements. • Questionable dismissal of employees • Promotion of destructive land use • Advocacy of anti-social land use • Others?
Ethics Are all violations of ethical standards are of the same magnitude?
Ethics Categories of Unethical Conduct • Category 1 – The deliberate choice cases. - Worst case - Can result in expulsion from professional society • Category 2 – Lack of knowledge cases - Natural Resource schools have a responsibility here • Category 3 – Lack of means - Often occurs in small-tract management and in international development
Let’s take a look at some Professional Expectations • Society of American Foresters • USDA • Corporations • Registered Forester Code of Ethics • Registered Forester Rules of Conduct
SAF Ethics • Ethics may be the glue that holds a civilized society together. • Ethics are not laws. • They are a set of moral principles and values that govern an individual or group’s conduct.
SAF Ethics • A profession, by definition is characterized by conforming to its technical and ethical standards. • Ethics provide a collective opinion of what is right and wrong. • That opinion changes over time, as societal and professional values change
Corporation Code of Ethics ETHICS AND BUSINESS CONDUCT • Business Ethics Core Policy • Leader and Employee Expectations • Training • Legal and Antitrust • Conflict of Interest • Transparency • Human Rights
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