Ethics is the study of the norms that govern the behavior of individuals and of groups. Social ethics arises as individuals and the community engage in conversations to resolve tensions between two overarching value sets: (1) rationality versus sensibility and (2) autonomy versus equality. These conversations profoundly affect the relationships among employees, companies, and the communities in which companies do business. The resolution of the tensions will determine what behaviors are socially expected and tolerated.

Rationality and Sensibility

The first value set describes the tension between rationality and sensibility. Rationality means that people and the community use their reason to apply general principles to specific situations. Sensibility means that the context of the situation is used as the beginning point for ethical analysis.

The core value of rationality ...

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