Ethical Decision Making

The Importance of Ethics00:02:41

Ethics, as a conscious practice, is vital for making and justifying decisions. Understanding our mental processes, history, and preferred decision-making styles helps prevent being led astray and enables us to make good, justifiable choices.

Introduction to Decision-Making Drivers00:00:24

Decision-making is often compared to an iceberg, with much of the activity happening below the surface. To make confident choices, it's essential to understand four key drivers of decision-making.

Unconscious Thoughts and Heuristics00:00:39

Our minds process vast information using mental shortcuts called heuristics. While efficient, these shortcuts can lead to biases and distortions, such as unfair discrimination or ignoring opposing ideas.

Unthinking Custom & Practice00:01:18

Our personal beliefs are largely shaped by our families, societies, workplaces, and cultural backgrounds. We often absorb these beliefs without critical examination, influencing our decisions unconsciously.

Personal Ethical Decision-Making Profile00:01:40

Individuals have 'default settings' for decision-making, such as prioritizing outcomes or relationships. Each profile has strengths but also weaknesses that can lead to overlooking important ethical considerations.

Reflective Practice: Conscious Decision-Making00:02:09

Reflective practice is the conscious mode of decision-making, considering context, affected individuals, values, and principles. While we'd like to think this is our primary mode, the first three drivers often have a stronger influence.