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How to Write an Ethics Paper: Guide & Ethical Essay Examples

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An ethics essay is a type of academic writing that explores ethical issues and dilemmas. Students should evaluates them in terms of moral principles and values. The purpose of an ethics essay is to examine the moral implications of a particular issue, and provide a reasoned argument in support of an ethical perspective.

Writing an essay about ethics is a tough task for most students. The process involves creating an outline to guide your arguments about a topic and planning your ideas to convince the reader of your feelings about a difficult issue. If you still need assistance putting together your thoughts in composing a good paper, you have come to the right place. We have provided a series of steps and tips to show how you can achieve success in writing. This guide will tell you how to write an ethics paper using ethical essay examples to understand every step it takes to be proficient. In case you don’t have time for writing, get in touch with our professional essay writers for hire . Our experts work hard to supply students with excellent essays.

What Is an Ethics Essay?

An ethics essay uses moral theories to build arguments on an issue. You describe a controversial problem and examine it to determine how it affects individuals or society. Ethics papers analyze arguments on both sides of a possible dilemma, focusing on right and wrong. The analysis gained can be used to solve real-life cases. Before embarking on writing an ethical essay, keep in mind that most individuals follow moral principles. From a social context perspective, these rules define how a human behaves or acts towards another. Therefore, your theme essay on ethics needs to demonstrate how a person feels about these moral principles. More specifically, your task is to show how significant that issue is and discuss if you value or discredit it.

Purpose of an Essay on Ethics

The primary purpose of an ethics essay is to initiate an argument on a moral issue using reasoning and critical evidence. Instead of providing general information about a problem, you present solid arguments about how you view the moral concern and how it affects you or society. When writing an ethical paper, you demonstrate philosophical competence, using appropriate moral perspectives and principles.

Things to Write an Essay About Ethics On

Before you start to write ethics essays, consider a topic you can easily address. In most cases, an ethical issues essay analyzes right and wrong. This includes discussing ethics and morals and how they contribute to the right behaviors. You can also talk about work ethic, code of conduct, and how employees promote or disregard the need for change. However, you can explore other areas by asking yourself what ethics mean to you. Think about how a recent game you watched with friends started a controversial argument. Or maybe a newspaper that highlighted a story you felt was misunderstood or blown out of proportion. This way, you can come up with an excellent topic that resonates with your personal ethics and beliefs.

Ethics Paper Outline

Sometimes, you will be asked to submit an outline before writing an ethics paper. Creating an outline for an ethics paper is an essential step in creating a good essay. You can use it to arrange your points and supporting evidence before writing. It also helps organize your thoughts, enabling you to fill any gaps in your ideas. The outline for an essay should contain short and numbered sentences to cover the format and outline. Each section is structured to enable you to plan your work and include all sources in writing an ethics paper. An ethics essay outline is as follows:

Background information
Thesis statement
Restate thesis statement
Summarize key points
Final thoughts on the topic

Using this outline will improve clarity and focus throughout your writing process.

Ethical Essay Structure

Ethics essays are similar to other essays based on their format, outline, and structure. An ethical essay should have a well-defined introduction, body, and conclusion section as its structure. When planning your ideas, make sure that the introduction and conclusion are around 20 percent of the paper, leaving the rest to the body. We will take a detailed look at what each part entails and give examples that are going to help you understand them better. Refer to our essay structure examples to find a fitting way of organizing your writing.

Ethics Paper Introduction

An ethics essay introduction gives a synopsis of your main argument. One step on how to write an introduction for an ethics paper is telling about the topic and describing its background information. This paragraph should be brief and straight to the point. It informs readers what your position is on that issue. Start with an essay hook to generate interest from your audience. It can be a question you will address or a misunderstanding that leads up to your main argument. You can also add more perspectives to be discussed; this will inform readers on what to expect in the paper.

Ethics Essay Introduction Example

You can find many ethics essay introduction examples on the internet. In this guide, we have written an excellent extract to demonstrate how it should be structured. As you read, examine how it begins with a hook and then provides background information on an issue.

Imagine living in a world where people only lie, and honesty is becoming a scarce commodity. Indeed, modern society is facing this reality as truth and deception can no longer be separated. Technology has facilitated a quick transmission of voluminous information, whereas it's hard separating facts from opinions.

In this example, the first sentence of the introduction makes a claim or uses a question to hook the reader.

Ethics Essay Thesis Statement

An ethics paper must contain a thesis statement in the first paragraph. Learning how to write a thesis statement for an ethics paper is necessary as readers often look at it to gauge whether the essay is worth their time.

When you deviate away from the thesis, your whole paper loses meaning. In ethics essays, your thesis statement is a roadmap in writing, stressing your position on the problem and giving reasons for taking that stance. It should focus on a specific element of the issue being discussed. When writing a thesis statement, ensure that you can easily make arguments for or against its stance.

Ethical Paper Thesis Example

Look at this example of an ethics paper thesis statement and examine how well it has been written to state a position and provide reasons for doing so:

The moral implications of dishonesty are far-reaching as they undermine trust, integrity, and other foundations of society, damaging personal and professional relationships.

The above thesis statement example is clear and concise, indicating that this paper will highlight the effects of dishonesty in society. Moreover, it focuses on aspects of personal and professional relationships.

Ethics Essay Body

The body section is the heart of an ethics paper as it presents the author's main points. In an ethical essay, each body paragraph has several elements that should explain your main idea. These include:

A topic sentence that is precise and reiterates your stance on the issue.
Evidence supporting it.
Examples that illustrate your argument.
A thorough analysis showing how the evidence and examples relate to that issue.
A transition sentence that connects one paragraph to another with the help of essay transitions .

When you write an ethics essay, adding relevant examples strengthens your main point and makes it easy for others to understand and comprehend your argument.

Body Paragraph for Ethics Paper Example

A good body paragraph must have a well-defined topic sentence that makes a claim and includes evidence and examples to support it. Look at part of an example of ethics essay body paragraph below and see how its idea has been developed:

Honesty is an essential component of professional integrity. In many fields, trust and credibility are crucial for professionals to build relationships and success. For example, a doctor who is dishonest about a potential side effect of a medication is not only acting unethically but also putting the health and well-being of their patients at risk. Similarly, a dishonest businessman could achieve short-term benefits but will lose their client’s trust.

Ethics Essay Conclusion

A concluding paragraph shares the summary and overview of the author's main arguments. Many students need clarification on what should be included in the essay conclusion and how best to get a reader's attention. When writing an ethics paper conclusion, consider the following:

Restate the thesis statement to emphasize your position.
Summarize its main points and evidence.
Final thoughts on the issue and any other considerations.

You can also reflect on the topic or acknowledge any possible challenges or questions that have not been answered. A closing statement should present a call to action on the problem based on your position.

Sample Ethics Paper Conclusion

The conclusion paragraph restates the thesis statement and summarizes the arguments presented in that paper. The sample conclusion for an ethical essay example below demonstrates how you should write a concluding statement.

In conclusion, the implications of dishonesty and the importance of honesty in our lives cannot be overstated. Honesty builds solid relationships, effective communication, and better decision-making. This essay has explored how dishonesty impacts people and that we should value honesty. We hope this essay will help readers assess their behavior and work towards being more honest in their lives.

In the above extract, the writer gives final thoughts on the topic, urging readers to adopt honest behavior.

How to Write an Ethics Paper?

As you learn how to write an ethics essay, it is not advised to immediately choose a topic and begin writing. When you follow this method, you will get stuck or fail to present concrete ideas. A good writer understands the importance of planning. As a fact, you should organize your work and ensure it captures key elements that shed more light on your arguments. Hence, following the essay structure and creating an outline to guide your writing process is the best approach. In the following segment, we have highlighted step-by-step techniques on how to write a good ethics paper.

1. Pick a Topic

Before writing ethical papers, brainstorm to find ideal topics that can be easily debated. For starters, make a list, then select a title that presents a moral issue that may be explained and addressed from opposing sides. Make sure you choose one that interests you. Here are a few ideas to help you search for topics:

Review current trends affecting people.
Think about your personal experiences.
Study different moral theories and principles.
Examine classical moral dilemmas.

Once you find a suitable topic and are ready, start to write your ethics essay, conduct preliminary research, and ascertain that there are enough sources to support it.

2. Conduct In-Depth Research

Once you choose a topic for your essay, the next step is gathering sufficient information about it. Conducting in-depth research entails looking through scholarly journals to find credible material. Ensure you note down all sources you found helpful to assist you on how to write your ethics paper. Use the following steps to help you conduct your research:

Clearly state and define a problem you want to discuss.
This will guide your research process.
Develop keywords that match the topic.
Begin searching from a wide perspective. This will allow you to collect more information, then narrow it down by using the identified words above.

3. Develop an Ethics Essay Outline

An outline will ease up your writing process when developing an ethic essay. As you develop a paper on ethics, jot down factual ideas that will build your paragraphs for each section. Include the following steps in your process:

Review the topic and information gathered to write a thesis statement.
Identify the main arguments you want to discuss and include their evidence.
Group them into sections, each presenting a new idea that supports the thesis.
Write an outline.
Review and refine it.

Examples can also be included to support your main arguments. The structure should be sequential, coherent, and with a good flow from beginning to end. When you follow all steps, you can create an engaging and organized outline that will help you write a good essay.

4. Write an Ethics Essay

Once you have selected a topic, conducted research, and outlined your main points, you can begin writing an essay . Ensure you adhere to the ethics paper format you have chosen. Start an ethics paper with an overview of your topic to capture the readers' attention. Build upon your paper by avoiding ambiguous arguments and using the outline to help you write your essay on ethics. Finish the introduction paragraph with a thesis statement that explains your main position. Expand on your thesis statement in all essay paragraphs. Each paragraph should start with a topic sentence and provide evidence plus an example to solidify your argument, strengthen the main point, and let readers see the reasoning behind your stance. Finally, conclude the essay by restating your thesis statement and summarizing all key ideas. Your conclusion should engage the reader, posing questions or urging them to reflect on the issue and how it will impact them.

5. Proofread Your Ethics Essay

Proofreading your essay is the last step as you countercheck any grammatical or structural errors in your essay. When writing your ethic paper, typical mistakes you could encounter include the following:

Spelling errors: e.g., there, they’re, their.
Homophone words: such as new vs. knew.
Inconsistencies: like mixing British and American words, e.g., color vs. color.
Formatting issues: e.g., double spacing, different font types.

While proofreading your ethical issue essay, read it aloud to detect lexical errors or ambiguous phrases that distort its meaning. Verify your information and ensure it is relevant and up-to-date. You can ask your fellow student to read the essay and give feedback on its structure and quality.

Ethics Essay Examples

Writing an essay is challenging without the right steps. There are so many ethics paper examples on the internet, however, we have provided a list of free ethics essay examples below that are well-structured and have a solid argument to help you write your paper. Click on them and see how each writing step has been integrated. Ethics essay example 1

Ethics essay example 2

Ethics essay example 3

Ethics essay example 4

College ethics essay example 5

Ethics Essay Writing Tips

When writing papers on ethics, here are several tips to help you complete an excellent essay:

Choose a narrow topic and avoid broad subjects, as it is easy to cover the topic in detail.
Ensure you have background information. A good understanding of a topic can make it easy to apply all necessary moral theories and principles in writing your paper.
State your position clearly. It is important to be sure about your stance as it will allow you to draft your arguments accordingly.
When writing ethics essays, be mindful of your audience. Provide arguments that they can understand.
Integrate solid examples into your essay. Morality can be hard to understand; therefore, using them will help a reader grasp these concepts.

Bottom Line on Writing an Ethics Paper

Creating this essay is a common exercise in academics that allows students to build critical skills. When you begin writing, state your stance on an issue and provide arguments to support your position. This guide gives information on how to write an ethics essay as well as examples of ethics papers. Remember to follow these points in your writing:

Create an outline highlighting your main points.
Write an effective introduction and provide background information on an issue.
Include a thesis statement.
Develop concrete arguments and their counterarguments, and use examples.
Sum up all your key points in your conclusion and restate your thesis statement.

Contact our academic writing platform and have your challenge solved. Here, you can order essays and papers on any topic and enjoy top quality.

Daniel Howard is an Essay Writing guru. He helps students create essays that will strike a chord with the readers.

101 Ethical Issues Examples

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Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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ethical issue examples and definition, explained below

An ethical issue is a situation, either personal or social, that requires the application of a moral or ethical framework to form a judgment or choose a course of action (Ferrell et al., 2018; Barrett, 2018).

Ethical issues are often presented as dilemmas (Ferrell et al., 2018). In such situations, the issue is not clear-cut. This may be because there is a balance of positives and negatives, trade-off between your options (such as in opportunity costs), or contrasting moral frameworks that each have their own internal validity .

Some contemporary issues that may be considered to have an ethical component are presented below.

Ethical Issues Examples

1. Animal Rights : Humans have greatly benefited from eating animals. However, through factory farming of animals, a conundrum has emerged about how much responsibility we have to animals that are used for human food. Dilemmas we may face may include deciding on whether to buy free-range eggs, how to ethically source our meat, or whether to become vegetarian – more on that below!

2. Vegetarianism/Veganism : Building on the above, some people choose not to consume animal products due to moral, health, or environmental concerns. Some philosophers, such as Peter Singer, argue that animals should have rights similar to humans and shouldn’t be harmed for food, clothing, or experimentation.

3. Fast Fashion : Buying inexpensive clothes can save us money, but it can have social ramifications. Often, fast fashion clothing is produced by people under poor working conditions (i.e. they’re underpaid) and can cause environmental costs because the clothing ends up in landfill very quickly.

4. Climate Change : While the evidence that humans are contributing to climate change is almost irrefutable, we still face a dilemma about what steps should be taken to combat it – solutions like carbon taxes, for example, may end up harming people short-term.

5. Genetic Engineering : Altering the genes of organisms raises concerns about unforeseen consequences and playing “God”. But it could also help us to eradicate evil diseases such as cancers and dramatically reduce child mortality.

6. Privacy in the Digital Age : Personal data, such as our location and search history, is used by companies to create targeted advertisements. Some think this is fine (we get relevant ads, for example), while others think it’s a violation of privacy that could be exploited.

7. Artificial Intelligence & Ethics : The potential misuse of AI, potential widespread job loss, and its power to cause harm in the hands of the wrong people, is a hot issue since the rise of GPT large language models.

8. Organ Transplants : Deciding who gets priority for organ donations is a tricky issue that could, if we’re not careful, make us prioritize some people over others – which in itself could be a violation of human rights.

9. Food Waste : One third of all food produced is thrown away each year. The ethics surrounding throwing away edible food in light of global hunger is a hot topic worthy of greater discussion.

10. Child Labor : The use of children for labor, often in harsh conditions, primarily in poorer countries, continues to this day. Sometimes, things we own have been produced by children far down the supply lune.

11. Euthanasia : This refers to allowing terminally ill patients to end their lives. Some people rely on religious frameworks to argue against this (such as my mother – a staunch Catholic), while others consider it a compassionate option so long as the person chooses that option with sound mind.

12. Deforestation : The removal of trees to build infrastructure is necessary, but it can also harm the climate and biodiversity. Finding an appropriate balance is a key ethical issue.

13. Water Usage : Some areas of the world are water rich, while others are water poor. Finding ways to ethically allocate freshwater is a matter of ethics. This is especially true when people upstream take the good water at the expense of people downstream (such as in the Murray-Darling Basin in Australia .

14. Single-Use Plastics : The environmental impact of items used briefly and discarded is enormous. Finding a way to address this is of importance to help reduce all our ecological footprints .

15. Cultural Appropriation : The borrowing or imitation of elements from another culture without respect or understanding can be harmful. The issue lies in whether it’s a form of appreciation or disrespectful theft, potentially perpetuating damaging stereotypes.

15. Overfishing: Fishing is a means of livelihood for many, yet, unsustainable practices are depleting fish populations at an alarming rate. The ethical challenge lies in finding a balance between livelihoods, consumer demand, and ecological sustainability.

16. Internet Censorship: Censorship can protect individuals from harmful content, but it also risks infringing upon freedom of speech and information. The question becomes who should control this and how far it should go.

17. Surveillance: While surveillance can enhance security and crime prevention, it raises concerns about privacy and misuse of data. Establishing limits and safeguards is vital, but the decision of who should set these rules is a major ethical contemplation.

18. Fair Trade: This movement advocates for better trading conditions and rights for producers in developing countries. However, the ethics of fair trade are complex, such as deciding fair prices and whether the system actually benefits the intended communities.

19. Stem Cell Research: This field holds the potential for major medical advancements but raises ethical issues due to the source of some stem cells—human embryos, posing questions about the value and sanctity of human life.

20. Child Privacy Online: Protecting personal data of children online is paramount but raises questions about who is responsible – parents, software companies, or government entities.

21. GMO Foods: Genetically Modified Organisms may solve food security issues, but they raise ethical concerns about biodiversity, as well as the ‘naturalness’ of food, and unforeseen public health issues .

22. Sports Doping: The use of performance-enhancing substances in sports poses ethical dilemmas about fairness, health effects, and the nature of competition itself. The tension lies where ambition counters fair play.

23. Advertising to Children: Children are impressionable, and advertising can manipulate their desires and behaviours. The ethical issue is whether and how businesses should be regulated in their marketing towards children.

24. Cyberbullying: This form of bullying can have severe psychological impacts. The ethical challenge lies in developing effective regulations to prevent it, whilst upholding freedoms of speech and expression.

25. Consumer Data Mining: The mining of consumer data can result in more personalized experiences but raises concerns about privacy, consent, and security. It sparks debates on who should control data and how it can be used.

26. Factory Farming: This method, emphasizing high-volume, low-cost meat production, generates ethical concerns about animal welfare, environmental impacts, and workers’ conditions.

27. Endangered Species: Protecting endangered species sometimes clashes with human development and livelihoods. The ethical concern lies in balancing conservation with societal advancement.

28. Land Rights: Disputes over land embody a range of ethical issues, including indigenous rights, historical injustices, and sustainable use; deciding who has a rightful claim can be a complex decision.

29. Digital Piracy: The unauthorized distribution of copyrighted material infringes intellectual property rights but is regularly justified as a rebellion against perceived corporate greed. The ethical discussion revolves around fairness, respect, and how entertainment should be valued.

30. Responsible Tourism: Traveling can stimulate economies and foster understanding, but it can also be harmful, both to the environment and local cultures. The ethical challenge is to promote responsible tourism that respects local customs and values ecological preservation.

31. Biased Algorithms: As AI becomes more integral in our lives, the issue of algorithms inadvertently perpetuating human biases arises. Addressing this requires broad collaborations to eliminate discriminatory results.

32. Renewable vs. Non-Renewable Energy: While renewable energy is better for the environment, transitioning from non-renewable sources could disrupt economies and livelihoods. Striking a balance is an ethical priority.

33. Planned Obsolescence: This business strategy involves deliberately designing products to become obsolete after a certain period. Ethics come into play when considering long term environmental impact and consumer rights.

34. Sweatshops: The operation of sweatshops involves human rights abuses but can provide jobs where few exist. The ethical concerns involve workers’ rights, consumer responsibility, and the role of global trade practice.

35. Censorship in Media: While done to protect people from harmful or sensitive content, it can lead to public misinformation and ignorance. The ethical debate revolves around security, free speech, and the power dynamics between governments and citizens.

36. Gene Editing for Enhancement: Altering human genes to get rid of harmful health conditions is one thing, but using it to enhance our physical or cognitive abilities is another. It raises questions about the line between ‘natural’ and ‘unnatural’, the potential widening of social inequalities and even what it means to be human.

37. Fair Taxation: The issue of taxation forms a key ethical dilemma: we need money to pay for public services, but excessive taxation can disincentivize work, business, and investment.

38. Body Image in Media: The ideal body image portrayed by the media can lead to unhealthy comparisons & behaviors, including eating disorders and body dysmorphia. This issue questions the responsibility media has in promoting a diverse and realistic range of body types versus its right to market aspirational content.

39. Child Soldiers: In some conflict zones, children are forced into fighting as soldiers. This practice not only robs them of their childhood but also exposes them to extreme physical and psychological harm.

40. Human Trafficking: Regrettably, human trafficking, a form of modern slavery, continues to occur on a global scale. The act of trading humans for forced labor or sexual exploitation poses serious ethical issues, not to mention gross human rights violations.

41. Digital Divide: The gap between those who have access to the internet and digital devices and those who do not is known as the digital divide. With growing reliance on digital technologies, addressing this gap is crucial to ensure equal opportunities for education, work, and communication (Reynolds, 2014).

42. Autonomous Vehicles: The use of AI in driving raises several ethical questions, from the algorithms used in decision-making during accidents to the security of these vehicles against hacking. Furthermore, job displacement due to automation is a significant concern.

43. Invasive Species: There’s a dilemma between controlling invasive species, which often involves methods that can harm them and the impact they have on native species and ecosystems. These decisions often weigh the preservation of biodiversity against animal welfare.

44. Girls’ Education: The education of girls in developing nations continues to be an issue of great important, with girls often afforded dramatically fewer rights than boys. This doesn’t only cause gender inequality – it also stifles nations’ economies.

45. Vaccination: While vaccines can protect society from deadly diseases, many also argue that they may infringe on an individual’s freedom of choice. Many people who choose not to be vaccinated are often convinced by nefarious actors and fake news perpetrators – such as, sadly, prominent politicians – who falsely claim links between vaccines and conditions such as autism.

46. Littering: Littering has a significant impact on the environment, wildlife, and our living spaces. The ethical considerations revolve around our individual and collective responsibilities to keep our planet clean.

47. Whistleblowing: Those who expose institutional malpractices or corruption often face risks, including job loss and physical danger. The ethical dilemmas involve finding a balance between ensuring the truth is heard and protecting the individual whistleblower’s rights.

48. Public vs. Private Education: Balancing the offered pros of private education—such as smaller classes and specialized programs—with the commitment to ensure high-quality public education for all students is a key ethical issue.

49. Preservation of Historical Sites: The clash between preserving architectural heritage and the demand for new, modern infrastructure poses an ethical problem. It brings into question the value we place on culture and history versus development and progress.

50. Child Marriage: Prevalent in certain cultures and societies, child marriage raises concerns about the violation of children’s rights, their physiological and psychological well-being, and the perpetuation of poverty and gender inequality.

51. Economic Inequality: The gap between the wealthy and the poor, both within countries and worldwide, poses ethical questions about fairness, social justice , and the roles and responsibilities of individuals, corporations, and governments.

52. Freedom of Speech vs. Hate Speech: While freedom of speech is a fundamental democratic right, it can sometimes intersect with promoting hate speech. Striking a balance between protecting individuals’ rights to express their views and preventing harm towards marginalized groups presents an ongoing ethical dilemma.

53. Animal Testing: Used in medical research and cosmetics testing, this practice raises ethical considerations of animal welfare, rights, and the justification of causing harm for potential human benefit.

54. Right to Internet Access: As the internet becomes more integral to daily life, the idea it should be a basic human right is suggested. But this opens up ethical discussions about access, affordability, and who should ensure these conditions are met.

55. Artificially Increasing Food Prices: This practice can make food inaccessible to poorer populations, leading to ethical questions about fairness, exploitation, and basic human rights to food and nourishment.

56. Zoos and Aquariums: While providing an educational opportunity for the public, and often acting as conservation centers, the business of keeping animals in captivity for entertainment faces moral questions. Balancing the welfare and quality of life for these animals against their conservation and our learning needs can be controversial.

57. Cultural Relativism : The premise that no culture’s ethics are superior to another means that potentially harmful practices such as female genital mutilation or child labor may be condoned in some societies. Deciding where to draw the line between respecting cultural differences and global human rights efforts can be challenging.

58. Right to be Forgotten: In our digital age, past mistakes can follow us forever. The ethical issue here is finding a balance between someone’s right to wipe their online slate clean, and the public’s right to information, particularly information which protects them.

59. Human Cloning: While the science is still premature, human cloning could potentially offer benefits such as organ transplants. However, concerns over the potential misuse of technology, the rights of clones, and unforeseen consequences present major ethical dilemmas.

60. Space Exploration vs. Earth Issues: It’s inspiring to reach for the stars, but allocating extensive resources to space exploration whilst Earth faces urgent crises such as poverty and climate change creates a significant moral debate.

61. Landfills: They keep our homes clean, but the environmental impact of dumping waste into land, including risks to local water supplies and wildlife, is of ethical concern. It forces us to evaluate our consumer habits and waste-management systems.

62. Colonialism’s Legacy : Divergent perspectives on whether to address past harms through restitution or reparation, or to focus on development on an individual country basis, and understandings of history, present significant ethical dilemmas.

63. Microtransactions in Gaming: Consumers, particularly young people, can spend substantial money on digital goods in games. Fairness and the potential exploitation of vulnerable consumers are pressing ethical concerns here.

64. Unpaid Internships: They may provide experience and a foot-in-the-door, but they can also favor those who can afford to work without pay, reinforcing socio-economic inequalities. Ethical dilemmas include combating this potential elitism and the exploitation of young workers.

65. Influencer Transparency: As influencers become major product pushers, issues such as undisclosed sponsorships and the manipulation of trust become critical ethical considerations.

66. Population Control: With increasing global population comes strain on resources and environmental systems. However, discussion of any form of population control often strikes chords of draconian tactics and human rights violations.

67. Redistribution of Wealth: Balancing economic inequality through wealth redistribution speaks to principles of fairness and social justice, but it also raises concerns about individual rights , especially those of the wealthy.

68. Monopolies : They can innovate and bring efficiencies, but they can also abuse their power, causing harm to consumers and potential competitors. Policies to regulate or dismantle them raise ethical considerations around business and consumer rights.

69. Preservation of Indigenous Languages: When a language dies, a way of understanding the world dies with it. Principles of cultural respect, diversity, and prevention of linguistic discrimination are central to this ethical issue.

70. Public Health vs. Personal Freedom: Measures such as mandatory vaccination infringe on individual liberties but protect public health. Striking a balance between community well-being and personal rights sparks complex ethical debates.

71. Habitat Destruction: Building for human needs often destroys local ecosystems. Ethical considerations include species rights, human wants, and ecological and climate impacts.

72. Media Bias : Media outlets have significant influence over public opinion, yet they are often accused of bias. Ethics here include a commitment to reporting truthfully and equitably, protecting democratic processes (Plaisance, 2017).

73. Ethical Consumption: It’s often difficult to make fully informed, ethical consumption choices. From product origin transparency issues to the potential costs of ethical goods, this issue raises questions about personal responsibilities, global inequalities, and market transparency.

74. Parental Rights vs. Child’s Best Interest: Balancing a parent’s rights to raise their children as they see fit creates challenging ethical questions, especially if the parents choose to hide important information from their children or raise them in an unsafe environment.

75. Work-Life Balance : Ensuring fair pay, humane working hours, and sufficient vacation while maintaining business’ profitability and productivity is at play here.

76. Right to Repair: The ethical dilemma is between a consumer’s right to repair their own purchased goods and a company’s right to control intellectual property, affecting affordability, sustainability, and consumer rights.

77. Religious Freedom: Freedom of religion is guaranteed in most democratic countries. However, ethical issues continue to arise around religion, such as whether religious institutions should pay taxes and separation of church and state.

78. Fake News: Dissemination of false information can mislead the public and shake trust in democratic institutions. Balancing free speech with informational integrity and societal repercussions ensues as a major ethical dilemma.

79. Captive Breeding: While captive breeding programs can help save endangered species from extinction, they raise ethical questions. Are we justified in limiting an animal’s freedom for the sake of their survival? How can we ensure adequate living conditions for captive-bred animals?

80. Public Surveillance: Public security aims to protect us, but what about our right to privacy? Striking a balance between guaranteeing public safety and upholding individual privacy, especially with technological advances in surveillance, paves the way to ongoing debates.

81. Circus Animals: While traditional circuses may provide entertainment, they confine animals to unnatural living conditions and often subject them to harsh training methods. Is our entertainment worth the potential suffering of animals?

82. Duty to Report: There can be moral dilemmas surrounding our duty to report illegal activities. Should we breach friendships, family ties or professional confidence to uphold the rule of law?

83. Economic Sanctions: Designed as a non-violent method to enforce international norms, economic sanctions can inadvertently harm innocent citizens, raising questions about their ethical value.

84. Native Advertising: Native ads, which blend with editorial content, can be deceptive and blur the line between entertainment and salesmanship. This raises ethical questions surrounding transparency and the consumer’s right to know.

85. Digital Detox: As technology permeates every aspect of our lives, the idea of consciously disconnecting feels increasingly rebellious. This raises ethical questions about the extent of our reliance on digital media and the length these companies go to retain our attention.

86. Preservation vs. Progress: Balancing the preservation of historical sites or natural environments against infrastructural and technological progress can provoke ethical and moral debates about respecting our past and catering to our future.

87. Ethical Banking: As some financial institutions are implicated in questionable practices such as supporting fossil fuels or oppressive regimes, the rise of ethical banking poses questions about financial responsibility and the role of money in supporting societal wellbeing or harm.

88. Welfare Programs: The allocation of welfare raises ethical questions. Who should be eligible, and how much support should they receive? Is it okay to let some people struggle if that means more money goes to the most vulnerable?

89. Healthcare: Some places in the world consider healthcare to be a right for all citizens, implementing universal access to all through progressive taxation. But many nations in the world do not guarantee this, causing it to become an area of ethical contention.

90. Access to Education: Disparities in the quality of, and access to, education fuels social inequality, raising ethical questions about fair and equitable opportunities for all children.

91. Captive Marine Life: The capture and captivity of marine life for entertainment, research or conservation purposes face ethical scrutiny, most particularly concerning animal welfare, ethics of captivity and conservation issues.

92. Child Stardom: Forcing or allowing children into the limelight at a young age can potentially rob them of a normal childhood and expose them prematurely to high-pressure situations. Balancing parental ambitions, child protections and artistic potential is a challenging ethical questions.

93. Cognitive Enhancements: The use of drugs or procedures to augment cognitive abilities presents ethical dilemmas. Do these advantages deepen societal inequalities ? Is it ethical to pathologize normal cognitive variations?

94. Food Labeling: Ethical issues arise when companies use misleading, false, or confusing language on food labels, which may compromise the consumer’s right to know what they’re consuming, especially in regard to health and environmental implications.

95. Charity Efficiency: While donating to charity is a noble cause, not all charities use donations efficiently. The ethical issue here is how much transparency there should be about how donations are used, and how efficiency should be measured.

96. Right to Clean Water: Despite being a basic human necessity, access to clean water isn’t universally granted. Ensuring equal access poses an ethical challenge, particularly when determining responsibility between citizens, corporations, and governments.

97. End-of-Life Care: Decisions around end-of-life care, such as palliative care and withholding treatment, raise profound ethical concerns about the value and quality of life, autonomy and dignity , and the role of medical professionals in these decisions.

98. Use of Drones: The use of drones raises ethical concerns, particularly around privacy – are we okay with potentially being watched without our consent? There are also issues of public safety and questions about the legality of their proliferation.

99. Upcycling vs. Recycling: Both are better for the environment than simply throwing things away, but which is better? Upcycling can create new, usable items, but it can use more resources than simply recycling the material.

100. Digital Accessibility: As our world becomes more digitized, it’s crucial to ensure everyone, including those with disabilities, can equitably access information and services. Failing to design for all users raises ethical implications about inclusivity and diversity in the digital era.

101. Isolationism: There is extensive debate over whether nations should participate in global institutions like the UN and attempt to support victimized nations like Ukraine and Taiwan, or whether to retreat from global politics.

Ethical issues are all around us, presenting conflicting courses of action that often diverge based upon differing worldviews and conflicting ideologies. Sometimes, our ethical issues are also simply based upon a trade-off between two good but different options, or two bad options (in which case you need to consider the lesser evil).

Ferrell, O. C., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell, L. (2018). Business ethics: Ethical decision making & cases (12th ed.). Boston: Cengage.

Barrett, C. (2018). Everyday ethics for practicing planners . London: Routledge.

Plaisance, P-L. (2017). Media Ethics: Key Principles for Responsible Practice (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.

Reynolds, G. (2014). Ethics in Information Technology (4th ed.). New York: Cengage Learning.

Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Number Games for Kids (Free and Easy)
Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Word Games for Kids (Free and Easy)
Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 25 Outdoor Games for Kids
Chris Drew (PhD) https://helpfulprofessor.com/author/chris-drew-phd-2/ 50 Incentives to Give to Students

Writing Ethical Papers: Top Tips to Ace Your Assignment

17 August, 2021

13 minutes read

Author: Kate Smith

Writing a complex essay paper can be a tough task for any student, especially for those who do not have their skills developed well or do not have enough time for lengthy assignments. At the same time, the majority of college students need to keep their grades high to maintain their right to receive merit-based scholarships and continue their studies the next year. To help you with your ethical papers writing, we created this guide. Below, you will find out what an ethical paper is, how to structure it and write it efficiently.

What is an Ethical Paper?

An ethics paper is a type of an argumentative assignment that deals with a certain ethical problem that a student has to describe and solve. Also, it can be an essay where a certain controversial event or concept is elaborated through an ethical lens (e.g. moral rules and principles), or a certain ethical dilemma is explained. Since ethics is connected to moral concepts and choices, a student needs to have a fair knowledge of philosophy and get ready to answer questions related to relationships, justice, professional and social duties, the origin of good and evil, etc., to write a quality paper. Also, writing an ethics paper implies that a student should process a great amount of information regarding their topic and analyze it according to paper terms.

General Aspects of Writing an Ethics Paper

Understanding the ethical papers’ features.

Every essay has differences and features that make it unique. Writing ethical papers implies that a student will use their knowledge of morality and philosophy to resolve a certain ethical dilemma or solve a situation. It can also be a paper in which a student needs to provide their reasoning on ethical or legal circumstances that follow a social issue. Finally, it can be an assignment in which an ethical concept and its application are described. On the contrary, a history essay deals with events that took place somewhen earlier, while a narrative essay is a paper where students demonstrate their storytelling skills, etc.

Defining What Type of Essay Should Be Written

Most of the time, ethical paper topics imply that a student will write an argumentative essay; however, ethics essays can also be descriptive and expository. Each of these essay types has different guidelines for writing, so be sure you know them before you start writing your papers on ethics. In case you missed this step in your ethical paper preparation stage, you would end up writing a paper that misses many important points.

Studying the Ethical Paper Guidelines

Once you get your ethical paper assignment, look through the guidelines that your instructor provided to you. If you receive them during the class, don’t hesitate to pose any questions immediately to remove any misunderstanding before writing an ethics paper outline, or ask for references that you need to use. When you are about to write your first draft, don’t rush: read the paper instructions once again to make sure you understand what is needed from you.

Paying Attention to the Paper Topic

The next thing you need to pay attention to is the ethical paper topic: once you are given one, make sure it falls into the scope of your educational course. After that, consider what additional knowledge may be needed to elaborate on your topic and think about what courses of your program could be helpful for it. Once you are done, read through your topic again to recheck whether you understand your assignment right.

Understanding the Notions of Ethical Arguments, Ethical and Legal Implications, and Ethical Dilemma

Last but not least, another important factor is that a student has to understand the basic terms of the assignment to write a high-quality paper. Ethical arguments are a set of moral rules that are used to defend your position on an ethical issue stated in your essay topic. We refer to ethical versus legal implications when we think about the compensation for certain ethical dilemma outcomes and whether it should be a moral punishment or legal judgment. An ethical dilemma itself refers to a problem or situation which makes an individual doubt what position to take: e.g, abortion, bribery, corruption, etc.

Writing Outline and Structure of an Ethics Paper

Every essay has a structure that makes it a solid piece of writing with straight reasoning and argumentation, and an ethics paper is not an exclusion. This paper has an introduction, body paragraphs, and conclusion. Below, we will describe how each part of ethical papers should be organized and what information they should contain.

First comes the introduction. It is the opening part of your paper which helps a reader to get familiar with your topic and understand what your paper will be about. Therefore, it should contain some information on your ethics paper topics and a thesis statement, which is a central statement of your paper.

The essay body is the most substantive part of your essay where all the reasoning and arguments should be presented. Each paragraph should contain an argument that supports or contradicts your thesis statement and pieces of evidence to support your position. Pick at least three arguments to make your position clear in your essay, and then your paper will be considered well-structured.

The third part of an ethics paper outline is a conclusion, which is a finishing essay part. Its goal is to wrap up the whole essay and make the author’s position clear for the last time. The thoughtful formulation in this essay part should be especially clear and concise to demonstrate the writer’s ability to make conclusions and persuade readers.

Also, don’t forget to include the works cited page after your writing. It should mention all the reference materials that you used in your paper in the order of appearance or in the alphabetical one. This page should be formatted according to the assigned formatting style. Most often, the most frequently used format for ethical papers is APA.

20 Examples of Ethical Paper Topics

Are there any issues in the 21st century that we can consider immoral and why?
What is corporate ethics?
Why is being selfish no longer an issue in 2023?
Euthanasia: pros and cons
Marijuana legalization: should it be allowed all over the world?
Is abortion an ethical issue nowadays?
Can we invent a universal religion appropriate for all?
Is the church necessary to pray to God?
Can we forgive infidelity and should we do it?
How to react if you are witnessing high school bullying?
What are the ways to respond to a family abusing individual?
How to demand your privacy protection in a digital world?
The history of the American ethical thought
Can war be ethical and what should the conflicting sides do to make it possible?
Ethical issues of keeping a zoo in 2023
Who is in charge of controlling the world’s population?
How to achieve equality in the world’s rich and poor gap?
Is science ethical?
How ethical is genetic engineering?
Why many countries refuse to go back to carrying out the death penalty?

Ethical Papers Examples

If you still have no idea about how to write an ethics paper, looking through other students’ successful examples is always a good idea. Below, you can find a relevant ethics paper example that you can skim through and see how to build your reasoning and argumentation in your own paper.

https://www.currentschoolnews.com/education-news/ethics-essay-examples/

https://sites.psu.edu/academy/2014/11/18/essay-2-personal-ethics-and-decision-making/

Ethical Papers Writing Tips

Choose a topic that falls into the ethics course program.

In case you were not given the ethics paper topic, consider choosing it yourself. To do that, brainstorm the ethical issues that fascinate you enough to do research. List all these issues on a paper sheet and then cross out those that are too broad or require expertise that you don’t have. The next step you need to take is to choose three or four ethical topics for papers from the list and try to do a quick search online to find out whether these topics are elaborated enough to find sources and reference materials on them. Last, choose one topic that you like the most and find the most relevant one in terms of available data for reference.

Do your research

Once the topic is chosen and organized, dive deeper into it to find the most credible, reliable, and trusted service. Use your university library, online scientific journals, documentaries, and other sources to get the information from. Remember to take notes while working with every new piece of reference material to not forget the ideas that you will base your argumentation on.

Follow the guidelines for a paper outline

During the preparation for your ethical paper and the process of writing it, remember to follow your professor’s instructions (e.g. font, size, spacing, citation style, etc.). If you neglect them, your grade for the paper will decrease significantly.

Write the essay body first

Do not rush to start writing your ethics papers from the very beginning; to write a good essay, you need to have your outline and thesis statement first. Then, go to writing body paragraphs to demonstrate your expertise on the issue you are writing about. Remember that one supporting idea should be covered in one paragraph and should be followed by the piece of evidence that confirms it.

Make sure your introduction and conclusion translate the same message

After your essay body is done, write a conclusion and an introduction for your paper. The main tip regarding these ethics paper parts is that you should make them interrelated: your conclusion has to restate your introduction but not repeat it. Also, a conclusion should wrap up your writing and make it credible for the audience.

Add citations

Every top-quality paper has the works cited page and citations to demonstrate that the research on the topic has been carried out. Therefore, do not omit this point when formatting your paper: add all the sources to the works cited page and pay attention to citing throughout the text. The latter should be done according to the formatting style indicated in your instructions.

Edit your paper

Last but not least is the editing and proofreading stage that you need to carry out before you submit your paper to your instructor. Consider keeping your first draft away from sight for a day or two to have a rest, and then go back to check it for errors and redundant phrases. Don’t rush to change anything immediately after finishing your writing since you are already tired and less focused, so some mistakes may be missed.

Writing Help by Handmadewriting

If you feel that you need help with writing an ethics paper in view of its chellnging nature, you can contact us and send an order through a respective button. You can add your paper details by following all steps of the order placing process that you will find on the website. Once your order is placed, we will get back to you as soon as possible. You will be able to contact your essay writer and let them know all your wishes regarding your ethical paper.

Our writers have expertise in writing ethical papers including, so you don’t need to worry about the quality of the essay that you will receive. Your assignment will be delivered on time and at a reasonable price. Note that urgent papers will cost slightly more than assignments with a postponed deadline, so do not wait too long to make your order. We will be glad to assist you with your writing and guarantee 24/7 support until you receive your paper.

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180 Ethics Topics & Ethical Questions to Debate

Our code of ethics is derived from what we think is right or wrong. On top of that, we have to agree to the moral standards established by the society we live in. Conventional norms generally label theft, murder, or harassment as bad. However, there are many influences that impact our considerations and understanding of ethics.

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that studies moral issues. This article outlines the three different types of ethics and presents a list of compelling ethics topics for essays and research papers, as well as ethical questions to debate.

You don’t know how to write about ethics or which ethical argument topic to choose for your paper? Maybe your assignment deadline is dreadfully looming over you? Our custom writing service is happy to help you craft a fantastic essay on ethics whenever the need arises.

🔝 Top 10 Ethical Topics

🧑🤝🧑Types of Ethics
🤔 Ethical Issues
🖥️ Computer Ethics
🧬 Bioethics
🚓👮 Criminal Justice
⚖️ Ethical Dilemmas

⭐ Top 10 Ethics Topics to Debate

😈 ethical questions to debate, 🔍 references.

Religious beliefs vs. medical care
Issues behind unpaid internships
Toxic environment at the workplace
The dilemma of reporting an accident
Should one’s political leanings be private?
The limits of doctor-patient confidentiality
Is it ethical to pay children for good grades?
Ethics at the workplace and discrimination
Should social media be allowed at the workplace?
Promotion of environmental responsibility in business

🧑🤝🧑 Types of Ethics

Modern philosophy splits ethics into three groups: metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics.

The core question of metaethics is: “What is morality, and where does it come from?” It is also concerned with the emergence of human values, motivation, and reasoning.
Normative ethics seeks to answer the question, “How should I act?” An example of a normative moral theory is Kant’s Categorical Imperative: Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law . In other words: be kind.
Applied ethics seeks to apply moral considerations into real-life controversial subjects. Its contents can vary greatly and touch bioethics as well as criminal justice. It studies specific actions and practices from the point of moral acceptance.

However, ethics does not end with these three types. Over the centuries, philosophers have proposed various ethical theories. Their four general categories are deontological, utilitarian, right, and virtue ethics.

A deontologist is a person with a set of moral duties from which they will not adhere. When faced with an ethical conflict, they will always act according to their self-proclaimed obligations.
For a utilitarian , a decision needs to yield the greatest benefit for the majority.
If rights are the root of an ethical theory, these are the highest priority. A person’s rights can either be established in a society by law or bestowed from one individual upon another.
Judging someone by virtue means considering a person’s character rather than their actions. Here, an individual’s reputation, motivation, and ethics play a crucial role.

Now that you know the basics, you have the perfect ground to start your ethics essay.

🤔 Ethical Topics for an Essay

Ethical issues are situations in which an individual needs to evaluate which course of action is morally right. Essays on this topic shine a light on difficult questions. Therefore, students need to defend their position convincingly.

Discuss what we should do about climate change.
What are the moral problems surrounding abortion?
Can we still justify eating meat?
Investigate the use of plastic in the beauty industry.
Is it unethical to be extremely rich?
Should you buy Nestlé products despite the fact that the company privatizes water?
Is the unequal distribution of wealth unethical?
Discuss how workplace ethics should take sexism into account.
What can we do to combat racism?
Why are LGBT+ people discriminated against?
Should euthanasia be legal?
Can war be ethical?
Should schools punish students for attending the Fridays for Future protests?
Would drug use be unethical if it were legal?
Explain the moral problems that come with automating jobs.

Is it ethical to hire someone to do assignments for you?
How far should everyone’s right to privacy go?
Is using animals for scientific testing unethical?
How should governments deal with refugees?
Discuss the carbon impact of having children.
Can modern societies still be held accountable for what their nation did in the past?
Analyze the benefits and disadvantages of universal income.
How much control should the state have on the press?
Should schools teach religion?
What are ethical concerns regarding downloading media from the internet?

🖥️ Computer Ethics Essay Topics

The advent of information technology has altered every aspect of our lives. Computer ethics applies traditional moral theories to everything surrounding computers and cyber security. The list below contains enthralling ethical topics concerned with the realm of computing.

How much work should we leave entirely to computers?
Discuss the dangers of storing vulnerable data online.
Are computers secure enough to contain so much information about our lives?
Discuss if hacking can be morally justified.
Examine privacy-related concerns regarding computers .
Should all software be free?
How can you legitimize the possession of a computer algorithm patent?
What can be done to prevent cyberbullying?
Investigate the moral effects anonymity has on internet users.
Whose laws apply if you wish to protect your rights online?
Discuss how the necessity to own a computer impacts poorer nations and people.
Which ethical problems can people face due to the internet’s possibilities?
When is sabotaging another person’s computer justified?
Analyze the social responsibility that comes with developing new software.
Are computer crimes less harmful than crimes against humans?
Who owns information that is distributed online?
What is more important: easy accessibility or privacy?
Investigate the moral problems associated with AI.
If a computer makes a critical mistake, whose fault is it?
Discuss the importance of netiquette.
How should tech companies deal with ethical problems?
Can AI algorithms ensure ethical behavior?
Why do tech companies need ethics boards?
Which ethical conflicts appear when using drones?
Investigate racial bias in facial recognition systems.

🏅 Sports Ethics Topics for a Paper

Morality in sports is based on integrity, respect, responsibility, and fairness. Often, this puts athletes into a dilemma: do I want to be ethical, or do I want to win? Answering these questions is not always easy. The following list compiles sports topics for a research paper on ethics.

What are moral complications when using enhancement drugs?
Is gamesmanship unethical?
How important is ethics in sports?
Discuss the moral responsibilities of athletes .
What are ethical reasons to pay college athletes?
Investigate the ethical implications of kneeling for the national anthem .
Can college sports and the principles of higher education go hand in hand?
Investigate the sexist bias in sports.
Was it selfish when the American female soccer team went to court to demand equal pay?

What moral obligations do universities have towards their athletes?
When can you justify cheating?
Concerning the environment, how can professional sports events be ethical?
Which ethical issues do healthcare workers have concerning sportspeople?
Which moral duties do teams’ coaches have?
Are the extremely high salaries of sports professionals justified?
In 2003, the Olympics abolished the wild card system. Was that fair?
Because of the Paralympics, disabled athletes cannot take part in the real Olympics. Is that discriminatory?
Discuss how money influences the fairness of a sport.
Debate if and how children are exploited to become elite athletes.
Which moral duties should a good sport follow?
How much should parents get involved in their child’s physical education?
Investigate if everyday codes of ethics should apply to sports.
Discuss the ethical implications of motorsports.
Who is responsible if a player gets injured?
Are referees always fair?

🧬 Bioethics Topics for an Essay

Bioethics comes into play when we talk about life and health. It expands from genetics to neurology and even plastic surgery. In the name of the common good, researchers often find themselves in conflicting positions. This makes bioethics an especially exciting topic to write about.

Discuss the moral conflicts of genetic engineering.
What are the ethical responsibilities associated with using CRISPR?
Investigate the problems of stem cell research.
When can humans be used for drug testing?
Should vaccinations be mandatory for everyone?
Investigate the ethics that apply to a medical worker.
Discuss the harmful effects of plastic surgery.
Should a person who is brain dead be kept alive?
Is it just that medical care is linked to an individual’s ability to pay?
Should everyone be an organ donor by default?
What is more important: a person’s right to privacy or the information of at-risk relatives?
Is prenatal invasive testing ethical?
Should neuroenhancement drugs be legal?
Discuss ethical conflicts concerning Disclosure and Barring Service.
Is it ethical to improve memory functions with brain stimulation?
Analyze the ethical issues concerning precision medicine.
What are the problems of surrogacy?
Should medical personnel collect healthy tissues of a deceased person without their consent?

Bioethics is closely connected with the fields of technology, medicine, politics, philosophy, and law,

What should be done with the child of a brain-dead pregnant woman?
How important is a subject’s anonymity during research?
Discuss the ethics of shared decision-making .
How much responsibility do mentally challenged people carry for their actions?
Was Sweden right not to impose strict lockdown rules during the COVID-19 pandemic?
To what extent are businesses responsible for their employees’ health?
Should universal healthcare be free?

🚓👮 Criminal Justice Ethics Topics to Write About

Law enforcers should always act ethically. Unfortunately, it is not always the case. Police officers and attorneys often end up in morally ambiguous situations. In many cases, they don’t do what the public deems the right thing. Below are the examples of criminal justice ethics topics.

When is it legitimate for a police officer to use violence?
How can an officer remain impartial?
Should law enforcement visibly wear guns in public?
How much force is too much?
Investigate possible ethical implications associated with true crime podcasts.
Should prostitution be legal in the US?
How ethical is interrogation?
Can torture be justified?
Discuss the ethical consequences of lying when working in criminal justice .
Is working undercover deception?
Debate whether it is an American citizen’s moral duty to participate in jury duty.
Should the police be allowed to access everyone’s data?
Discuss the moral complications of “innocent until proven guilty.”
Should convicted pedophiles be allowed to see their children?
Can teaching ethics at schools prevent crime?
Analyze ethical problems of the Stanford Prison Experiment.
Should NATO have become involved in America’s Afghan war?
What are the ethical implications of shooter drills at school?
Was Edward Snowden morally in the wrong?
How should we deal with child soldiers?
Discuss if the prosecution of Julian Assange is justified.
Examine the ethical problems of private prisons.
What moral obligations should someone consider when granting prisoners the right to work?
When is capital punishment justified?
Is it ethical to incarcerate juvenile offenders?

⚖️ Ethical Dilemma Topics to Write About

An ethical issue becomes a dilemma when different moral standards clash with each other. In this situation, it is impossible to find a path to an ethically permissible solution that is unambiguous. The following sample topics are a solid base to start a discussion on morals.

Should parents watch over what their children do on the internet?
Would you report an accident you caused if there are no witnesses?
What should a doctor do if a patient refuses life-saving treatment for religious reasons?
Should you turn down a client if their political views do not match yours?
Would you promote something you are not convinced of to get money?
Should you lie to land a job that gets you out of poverty?

Your partner cheated on you. Now, you get the chance to take your revenge with someone you really like. Would you do it?
Should students use automated writing tools like free thesis generators , summarizers, and paraphrasers?
Your teacher is continuously mocking your classmate. You are a teacher’s pet. Would you speak up?
Your son likes to wear dresses. One day, he asks if he can wear one to school. Will you let him?
You are very religious. Your daughter wants to get married to another woman and invites you to her wedding. What will you do?
Prenatal testing showed that your unborn child has a disability. Would you terminate pregnancy?
You are in a long-term relationship. Suddenly, your partner gets a job offer in another part of the world. What would you do?
You have a terminal illness. This makes you a financial burden to your relatives. Are you obliged towards them to quit your treatment?
You have a red and a blue candy bar. Blue is your favorite, but you also know that it’s your friend’s favorite. Will you give it to them?
A friend asked you for a loan. Since then, they have not given you anything back. They are still not wholly stable financially. Will you ask them to return the money?
Your grandma passed away and bequeathed her favorite mink coat to you. You are a vegan. What do you do?
A few years ago, you borrowed a gun from a friend. Now, they ask for it back, but their mental state seems to be rapidly deteriorating. This makes you scared they are going to shoot someone, or themselves. What do you do?
You find out that your friend cheats on their spouse. You are close friends with their family. Will you tell on them?
For your birthday, your friend gave you a sweater they’ve made themselves. You think it’s ugly. Do you tell them?
You are a vegan. Should you buy vegan products which are highly problematic to produce?
You are in a restaurant. Your order arrives too late. The waitress looks stressed. Will you make her take it back?
You went to the store and bought a new, expensive item. The clerk gives you too much change. Do you give it back?
You are walking with a friend and find $50 on the floor. Would you share it with them?
Your child firmly believes in Santa Claus. One Christmas, they start suspecting that he is not real. What do you do?
Is having pets ethical?
Can eating meat be justified?
Should we defund the police?
Should atomic bombs be banned?
Can discrimination be justified?
Is it ethical to ask someone’s age?
Should children get paid for chores?
Is it unprofessional to send voice messages?
Should children be allowed to vote?
Should influencers promote products they don’t use?
Should there be any limitations to doctor and patient confidentiality?
Should physician-assisted suicide be allowed?
Can teenagers get plastic surgery?
What to do when you find out that your relative has committed an offense?
What to do when you see your friend cheating on the exam?
Should sportsmen be paid more than teachers?
Should gender quotas be used during parliamentary elections?
Do companies have the right to collect information about their customers?
Can politicians appeal to religious issues during electoral campaigns?
Should fake news be censored in a democratic society?

We hope that in this list you’ve found the ethics topic that fits you the best. Good luck with your assignment!

376 Ethical Topics & Questions for Research Papers, Essays, Debates, & More

Are there white lies with good intentions? Should euthanasia be permitted by law?

Both of these questions are ethical dilemmas – situations with two or more conflicting moral choices. Ethical dilemmas involve conflicting values and moral obligations. To ease the understanding of such predicaments, you can approach ethics (or moral philosophy). This branch of philosophy suggests the concepts of good and bad and provides theories to determine moral behavior.

In this article, we will explore different ethical topics and theories applicable to them. You will also find practical tips on how to write an essay on the most complex ethical issue. Let’s start!

💥 TOP 12 Ethical Topics

📚 Normative Ethical Theories

🤔 How to Answer Ethical Dilemmas

📝 Ethical Research Paper Topics

🧑🏾‍⚕️ ethical topics in healthcare.

🌳 Environmental Ethical Issues

🖥️ Ethical Topics in Technology

⚡ ethical argument topics.

🏺 Philosophy Essay Topics
👩🏽‍🎓 Ethical Questions for Students

💬 Ethical Persuasive Speech Topics

🔦 ethical topics for presentation, ❓ ethical questions: faq, 🔗 references, 💥 top-12 ethical topics.

Here are some ethical topics that are popular for discussion in 2023:

Privacy concerns in social media advertisement.
Ethics of using artificial intelligence for marketing.
Digital surveillance and personal data protection.
Genetic engineering and ethical boundaries.
Ethical issues in educational technology.
Ethical challenges in healthcare data sharing.
Environmental ethics and sustainable development.
Ethical dilemmas of autonomous vehicles.
Bioethics in medical research and experimentation.
Ethical considerations in cybersecurity practices.
Ethical concerns in the use of big data.
Ethical implications of blockchain technology.

Normative ethical theories provide principles or guidelines for determining what is morally right or wrong. There are three broad (and competing) groups of ethical theories:

Consequentialism believes that the consequences of an action determine its moral value.
Deontology emphasizes adherence to moral rules and duties.
Virtue ethics focuses on developing moral character and embodying virtuous traits.

Consequentialism	Deontology	Virtue Ethics
Consequences	Rules	Character
Actions are judged by outcomes	Actions are judged by rules and duties	Actions are judged by virtues and moral character
Goodness is determined by positive consequences	Goodness is determined by following moral rules	Goodness is determined by the development of virtuous traits
Weighs potential outcomes and chooses the one with the greatest overall benefit	Follows moral rules and duties regardless of outcomes	Considers virtues and aims to cultivate moral character
,

🤔 How to Answer Ethical Dilemma Questions

Sometimes it seems that ethical dilemmas don’t have the right answers . But you can choose the best one for yourself if you establish a certain decision-making algorithm.

To answer ethical dilemma questions, follow these steps:

	Clearly articulate the moral dilemma and the conflicting principles.
	all relevant information and make sure you fully understand the situation. Study the individuals involved, their motivations, and the potential consequences of different courses of action.
	Consult applicable laws, regulations, and that apply to the specific case. Consider how these guidelines address similar cases and which guidance they offer.
	Use normative ethical theories to analyze the situation. Assess the moral sides of different actions based on these theories considering the values and principles they emphasize.
	Select the most moral course of action based on ethical analysis. Evaluate the potential consequences, the rights and duties involved, and the virtues to be cultivated. Make a decision that aligns with ethical principles and reflects a thoughtful and balanced approach.

Below, you will see lists of ethical topics from different areas of human knowledge and activities. There are plenty of topics to write about, no matter what your focus of study is.

Ethical Topics in Business

Corporate social responsibility in multinational companies.
The role of business ethics in insurance companies .
Ethical challenges in international supply chain management.
Transparency and accountability in financial reporting.
The role of business ethics in recruiting new employees using social media .
Workplace diversity and inclusion ethics in the USA.
Data privacy and security of employees in the workplace.
Global warming and business ethics .
Bribery and corruption in business transactions.
Whistleblowing and ethical reporting mechanisms.
Business ethics: Indian tea plantation workers .
Ethical considerations in advertising and marketing practices.
Fairtrade and ethical sourcing in global business.
Business ethics of concealing facts in reports .
Ethical leadership and decision-making in organizations.

Ethical Fashion Topics

Sustainability and eco-friendly practices in fashion.
Maintaining ethical standards in fashion .
Ethical implications of fast fashion and overconsumption.
Fair wages and labor rights in garment manufacturing.
Supply chain as a crucial component of sustainability in the fashion industry .
Animal cruelty-free and ethical sourcing of materials.
Transparency in supply chains and traceability of products.
Child labor in the fashion industry .
Body image and ethical representation in fashion advertising.
Recycling and upcycling in the fashion industry.
Overseas sweatshops in the fashion industry .
Cultural appropriation and respect for traditional designs.
Ethical considerations in fashion collaborations and partnerships.
Fashion Nova’s labor standards and transparency .
Fashion industry’s impact on local communities and artisans.

Ethical Issues in Criminal Justice Topics

Use of force and police brutality in the United States.
The code of ethics in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice .
Racial profiling and discriminatory practices in law enforcement.
Ethical considerations in undercover operations and informant handling.
Criminal justice: philosophies of corrections .
Integrity and honesty in witness testimony and evidence presentation.
Ethical challenges in the use of informants and confidential sources.
Professional ethics in criminal justice: Singleton vs. Norris .
Juvenile justice and ethical treatment of young offenders.
Capital punishment and ethical implications of the death penalty.
Criminal justice ethics: police corruption & drug sales .
Ethical issues in plea bargaining and prosecutorial discretion.
Ethical responsibilities of defense attorneys and client representation.
The criminal justice service violations and ethical issues .
Rehabilitation and ethical approaches to offender reintegration.

Media Ethics Paper Topics

Accuracy and fact-checking in media reporting.
Communication and social media ethics in the United Arab Emirates .
Journalism ethics in the era of misinformation.
Privacy concerns and ethical boundaries in media coverage.
Media ethics: censorship of online material and behavior .
Ethical considerations in photojournalism and image manipulation.
Sensationalism and ethical dilemmas in news reporting.
Media ethics: principle of privacy .
Conflict of interest and transparency in media ownership.
Diversity and representation in media storytelling and content.
Mass media ethics in news coverage .
Ethical challenges in social media and online journalism.
Intellectual property and plagiarism in media production.
Media censorship in the US .
The role of media in promoting ethical discourse.

Ethics in healthcare ensures that medical professionals prioritize patient well-being, maintain confidentiality, and make decisions rooted in moral principles. Choose one of the topics below for a paper on ethics in medicine:

Informed consent and patient autonomy in healthcare decisions.
Healthcare ethics: physician-assisted death .
Ethical considerations in end-of-life care and medical assistance.
Allocation of scarce resources and equitable healthcare distribution.
Abortion: an ethical dilemma .
Confidentiality and privacy of patient health information.
Ethical challenges in clinical research and human experimentation.
Medical ethics: implications of a confidentiality breach .
Ethics of physician-assisted suicide in healthcare.
Organ transplantation and ethical considerations in donor selection.
Obamacare and healthcare reform: ethical challenges .
Ethical dilemmas in reproductive medicine and assisted reproduction .
Cultural competence and ethical practices in healthcare delivery.
Medical ethics: pet euthanasia .
Ethical considerations in the use of emerging technologies in healthcare.

Ethical Topics in Nursing

Ethical considerations of artificial intelligence in nursing care.
Nursing ethics in patient advocacy .
Understanding and managing confidentiality breaches in nursing.
Ethical implications of assisted suicide for nursing practice.
Hospice care and nursing ethics provisions .
The moral dilemma of resource allocation in nursing.
Addressing the tension between cultural sensitivity and medical guidelines.
Euthanizing handicapped people: ethical and moral concerns .
Discussing the impact of health inequities on nursing ethics.
Ethical challenges in implementing telehealth in nursing.
Circumcision: ethical dilemma and a nurse’s role in it .
The moral landscape of mandatory vaccination for nurses.
The nursing profession’s role in addressing medical errors.
Ethic-of-care and ethic-of-justice in nursing leadership .
Exploring the nurse’s role in patient advocacy.

Biomedical Ethics Topics

Impact of gene editing on the future of healthcare.
Cryonics and its ethical side .
Ethical issues surrounding prenatal genetic testing.
The role of bioethics in emerging infectious diseases.
Embryo harvesting: ethical implications .
Ethical challenges in stem cell research .
Ethical considerations in human organ and tissue transplantation.
Bioethics: the use of marijuana for medical purposes .
Privacy and consent in the age of digital health data.
Addressing animal rights in the context of biomedical research.
Neuroimaging methods and arising ethical issues .
The ethics of personalized medicine and genetic discrimination.
Bioethics of advancements in neurotechnology and brain-computer interfaces.
Cloning research ethics: ethical dispute and issues .
The ethics of extending human lifespan through biotechnology.
Surgery complications and bioethical decision-making .

🌳 Environmental Ethical Issues Topics

Environmental ethics guide individuals and organizations to act responsibly towards the planet. Such actions promote sustainable practices and biodiversity conservation and mitigate the adverse impacts of human activities on ecosystems. Here is a list of ethical environmental topics for research:

Ethical responsibility for climate change for future generations.
Sea dumping: legal and ethical issues .
The role of environmental justice in urban planning.
Ethical considerations in the use and disposal of plastics.
The issue of global climate change from an ethical perspective .
Implications of luxury fashion on the environment and ethics.
The ethical responsibility of corporations in pollution.
Land use and environmental ethics .
The intersection of environmental ethics and indigenous rights.
The ethical debate surrounding geoengineering as a climate solution.
Environmental ethics: genetically modified organisms .
The moral duty towards the preservation of biodiversity.
Ethical considerations in the transition to renewable energy sources.
Environmental ethics: intrinsic value of objects .
The role of capitalism in environmental degradation.
Commercial fishing: environmental ethics case study .

Animal Ethics Topics

Ethical considerations in the treatment of companion animals.
Nestlé animal testing and business ethics .
The role of ethics in wildlife conservation efforts.
The ethics of animal testing in scientific research.
Ethical issues in animal research .
The environmental and ethical impact of factory farming.
The moral status of animals in ecological ethics.
Is animal testing ethical ?
Ethical approaches to invasive species management.
Addressing the ethical implications of zoos and animal captivity.
Ethics of using animals in medical research .
The ethical debate around hunting as a conservation strategy.
Ethics of the human-wildlife conflict resolution.
Scientific experiments on animals from ethical perspectives .
The moral side of animal cloning and bioengineering.

Food Ethics Topics

Ethical concerns of genetically modified foods’ impact on the environment.
Underweight products and deontological ethics .
Food waste and its ethical concerns.
The ethical debate on organic versus conventional farming.
Ethical eating in daily food practices .
The ethical and ecological effects of the meat industry.
Balancing the demand for seafood with sustainable practices.
Food safety issues in modern agriculture .
The ethics of the global food supply chain in developing countries.
Evaluation of the environmental ethics of palm oil production.
Food ads ban for childhood obesity prevention .
Food sovereignty and its significance in ecological ethics.
The ethical implications of mono-cropping and biodiversity loss.
Do marketers condition us to buy more junk food ?
Ethical dilemmas in the use of pesticides in agriculture.

In the technology sphere , ethics can influence the development and use of innovations. Ethical approach ensures privacy protection and promotes inclusive technology solutions. Below, you will find several topic lists regarding ethics in technology:

Computer Science Ethics Topics

The ethical concerns of artificial intelligence development.
Electronic surveillance as an unethical practice .
Outdoor privacy and surveillance in the digital age.
The ethics of data collection and use by tech companies.
Computer attacks and critical privacy threats .
Implications of autonomous vehicles on societal ethics and safety.
Ethical considerations in the development and use of deepfakes.
Obscenity and computer ethics .
Cybersecurity and ethical considerations in protecting user data.
The ethics of algorithmic bias in machine learning.
Computer ethics and privacy .
Ethical challenges in the application of facial recognition technology.
The responsibility of tech companies in spreading disinformation.
Computer ethics and data protection .
The ethics behind AI’s influence on job displacement and unemployment.

Aviation Ethics Topics

Ethical challenges of automation in aviation safety.
Aviation security and Al-Qaeda in Yemen .
The balance between profitability and safety in commercial aviation.
Ethical responsibilities of air traffic controllers.
Safety risks in the modern aviation industry .
Ethical considerations in the age of crewless aerial vehicles.
Ethics of environmental sustainability in the aviation industry.
Criminalization of aviation accidents .
Ethical challenges in aviation maintenance practices.
The moral dilemma of overbooking flights in the airline industry.
Aviation security is over-reliant on technology .
Ethical issues in the crisis management in aviation.
The role of whistleblowers in promoting aviation safety.
Sustainability in global aviation companies .
Ethical implications of advanced surveillance technologies in aviation security.

Engineering Ethics Research Paper Topics

Navigating the ethics of autonomous vehicles in society.
Engineering professionalism and ethics .
The role of ethics in sustainable engineering practices.
Ethical considerations in the age of artificial intelligence engineering.
Chernobyl disaster and engineering ethics .
Conflicts between innovation and safety in civil engineering projects.
The responsibility of engineers in managing climate change.
Engineering ethics: patent rights and legal issues .
Ethical challenges in the disclosure of engineering failures.
The implications of biotechnology in bioengineering ethics.
Machinery accident from an ethical standpoint .
The role of ethics in software engineering and data privacy.
Ethical considerations in the use of drones for engineering.
Ethical manufacturing and technology trends .
The ethical dilemmas in nuclear engineering.
Engineering competence and the code of ethics .
The ethics of using performance-enhancing drugs in sports.
Circumcision: medical, ethical, and human rights issues .
Should artificial intelligence be allowed to make life-or-death decisions?
Do celebrities have a moral responsibility to be role models?
Nightingale Pledge: medical ethics perspectives .
The ethical debate on privacy versus security in the digital age.
Are autonomous vehicles a boon or a bane for society?
Hurricane Katrina: government ethical dilemmas .
Should schools be allowed to use surveillance cameras on students?
Is it ethical to use animals for scientific experimentation?
Debate on circumcision: is it unethical and unlawful ?
Is the use of gene editing in babies ethically acceptable?
Is it ethically right to deny healthcare based on lifestyle choices?
Samsung and child labor: business ethics case .
The ethics of commercialization of organ transplants.
Are social platforms ethically responsible for the spread of fake news?
Obesity in Afro-Americans: ethics of intervention .
Should governments be allowed to censor the internet for national security?
Is it ethically right to use facial recognition technology in public?
Fetal abnormality and the ethical dilemma of abortion .
Is it ethical to prioritize economic growth over environmental sustainability?
The ethical implications of giving minorities benefits in college admissions.
Discrimination as an unethical business situation .
Should companies have the right to track their employees’ online activities?
The ethical debate on the death penalty as a justice form.
Ethical dilemmas in business: KFC Company’s case .
Is it ethically acceptable to use AI for predictive policing ?
Should parents have the right to choose their child’s genetic traits?
The relationship between economic rationality and ethical behaviour .
Is it ethically right to implement social credit systems in society?

🏺 Philosophy Essay Topics: Ethics

The role of cultural relativism in moral philosophy.
Aristotle’s views on ethics .
Ethics of the philosophy of existentialism.
Kantian ethics in contemporary society.
Kant’s deontological ethical theory .
The use of virtue ethics in modern moral dilemmas.
The influence of Stoicism on contemporary ethical thinking.
Cicero’s views on citizenship and ethics .
The ethical debate on utilitarianism versus deontology .
The philosophical implications of moral objectivism versus moral subjectivism.
Kant’s and Mill’s ethical philosophies .
Ethical implications of free will in the era of AI.
The philosophy of ethical egoism in capitalist societies.
Aristotle’s ethical theory about euthanasia .
The relevance of Nietzsche’s master-slave morality in modern ethics.
The role of empathy in moral philosophy and ethics.
Moral philosophical views: from Plato to Nussbaum .
Ethical questions raised by determinism and indeterminism.
The influence of Eastern philosophies on contemporary ethics.
Aristotle and virtue ethics .
The role of ethics in postmodern philosophy.
The ethics of responsibility in existentialist thought.
Theories of ethics: consequentialism and ethical relativism .
Moral obligations towards future generations in environmental ethics.
Individual ethics versus collective ethics.
Philosophical views of ethics and morality .
Aristotle’s concept of eudaimonia in modern society.
The ethical questions raised by the philosophy of solipsism.
Nonconsequential theory of ethics: case analysis .
The ethics of hedonism in contemporary societies.

👩🏽‍🎓 List of Ethical Questions for Students

We have ensured that you can find the perfect ethical topic depending on the type of assignment you received. You can find debate, discussion, speech, and presentation topics here.

Ethical Debate Topics

What are the ethical implications of capital punishment?
Fetus with deformities: what is its moral status ?
Should there be a moral limit to scientific discoveries?
Is it ethical to use animals in circus performances?
How do ethical theories view gay marriage ?
Is the commercialization of human organs ethical?
Is it ethical to use DNA from extinct species?
Should parents be responsible for children’s crimes ?
Should physicians be allowed to assist in patient suicide?
Is it ethical to clone humans for medical purposes?
Should parents spank their children ?
Is the use of child labor ethical?
Should religious beliefs influence public health policy?
Why should you be moral when it is not in your best interest to do so ?
Should gene editing in unborn children be allowed?
Is it ethical to implement robotic soldiers in warfare?
Should the United States abolish the death penalty ?
Is euthanasia in terminally ill patients ethical?
Should society implement universal basic income?
Should the sale of human organs be legalized ?
Is it ethical to design babies with specific traits?
Is the censorship of artistic expression ethical?
Should animals be used in medical research ?

Ethical Discussion Topics

The ethical implications of social media on personal privacy.
Should sex and violence be restricted on television ?
How should we address ethical issues in global outsourcing?
The ethical implications of data breaches and digital privacy.
Should same-sex couples be allowed to adopt children ?
The ethics of sustainable consumption of electronic devices.
The ethics of wealth disparity in capitalist societies.
Should we not abolish capital punishment ?
The role of ethics in sustainable development and climate change.
Ethical considerations of health disparities in society.
Should smoking be illegal ?
Ethical considerations of pandemic response and vaccine distribution.
The role of ethics in animal rights and testing.
Should parents avoid vaccinating their children ?
Ethical considerations in the rise of the gig economy.
The ethical implications of facial recognition technology in public.
The right-to-die bill: why should all states pass it ?
Ethical dilemmas in genetic testing and personalized medicine.
The role of ethics in global migration and refugee crisis.
Should cigarette manufacturers be prohibited ?
The ethics of using AI in predictive policing.
The ethical considerations of child labor in global supply chains.
Should Kant be criticized for his absolutism ?
Why should animal testing for cosmetics be globally banned?
Corporate fraud as an ethical and leadership dilemma .
The need for ethical considerations in AI development.
Why the right to privacy should be prioritized in the digital age?
Stem cell research ethics, pros and cons, and benefits .
The importance of ethical farming practices for a sustainable future.
Why must corporations take responsibility for their carbon emissions?
Ethics of Obamacare and Trumpcare .
The necessity of ethical treatment of workers in global supply chains.
The importance of ethical considerations in medical research.
Should Americans adopt a vegan lifestyle ?
Why should technology companies be held accountable for data breaches?
The need for ethical standards in reporting and journalism.
Should we withhold life support ?
Why should businesses prioritize corporate social responsibility?
The importance of ethical considerations in education system reforms.
Should children be tried as adults for murder ?
Why should organ donation be encouraged as an ethical duty?
The necessity of transparency in governmental decision-making.
Ethical dilemma: should gene editing be performed on human embryos ?
Why should we consider the ethical implications of autonomous weapons?
The importance of sustainable consumption in the fight against climate change.
Animal testing for cosmetic or medical purposes should not be allowed .
Why should we prioritize ethics in the fashion industry?
The necessity for implementing ethical norms in genetic engineering.
Should human cloning be allowed ?
Why should we consider ethical implications of wealth disparity ?
The importance of ethically addressing refugee and migration crises.
How much should we do for our fellow men ?
The necessity of ethical governance in the use of facial recognition.
Ethical concerns in using virtual reality for psychological treatment.
Patient’s violence and the use of doctor force – medical ethics .
The role of ethical dilemmas in shaping public policy.
The ethical issues and carbon footprint of global supply chains.
British Petroleum: corruption involving ethics .
The ethical implications of data breaches in technology companies.
The ethical landscape of genetic engineering.
Domino’s Pizza: ethical dilemma case .
Ethical considerations in the use of personal data for political microtargeting.
Evaluating the ethical considerations in predictive policing.
The code of ethics of the American Nurses Association .
The role of ethics in responsible journalism and fake news.
The ethics of personalized pricing based on consumer data analysis.
Apple Corporation: ethical and social responsibility .
Ethical implications of intensive livestock farming on animal welfare.
Visualizing the environmental impact of single-use plastics in marine ecosystems.
Business ethics and dilemmas in the film Michael Clayton .
Ethical considerations in access to healthcare for marginalized populations.
Ethical dimensions of cultural appropriation.
International legal and ethical issues in business .
The role of ethics in organ donation and transplantation.
The ethical implications of economic disparity in capitalist societies.
Chevron Company: ethical analysis .
Ethical considerations in journalism and media ethics.
The role of ethics in sustainable development and consumption.
College sport: ethical issues .
Visualizing the environmental impact of fast fashion through data.
Ethical dilemmas in pharmaceutical industry marketing strategies.
Ethical dilemmas in Shakespeare’s Hamlet .
The ethical challenges in the education reform policies.

What Are Ethical Questions?

Ethical questions are inquiries that explore moral issues, challenging us to consider right and wrong, good and bad. They often deal with dilemmas where a decision about the appropriate behavior or action must be made. Ethical questions are relevant in many fields, such as business, healthcare, politics, science, and education.

What Are the Seven Ethical Principles?

The seven ethical principles are common guidelines in ethical decision-making across various fields:

Autonomy – respect for individuals’ right to decide for themselves.
Beneficence – obligation to promote well-being and good.
Non-maleficence – duty to cause no harm.
Justice – ensuring fairness and equitable distribution of resources.
Fidelity – maintaining loyalty and keeping promises.
Veracity – commitment to truthfulness and honesty.
Confidentiality – respecting the privacy of others.

What Are Some Ethical Topics?

Ethical topics cover a broad spectrum of issues across multiple domains. In healthcare, topics like euthanasia, patient confidentiality, and genetic engineering are common. In business, we discuss corporate social responsibility, whistleblowing, and fair trade. Environmental ethics covers animal rights, sustainability, and climate change. In technology, topics like data privacy, AI ethics, and cybersecurity are popular.

Ethics Awareness: UC San Diego
Solving Ethical Dilemmas; Ethics in Law Enforcement
A Framework for Ethical Decision Making – Markkula Center for Applied Ethics
5 Ethical Issues in Technology to Watch for in 2023 | CompTIA
The Very Best 127 Philosophical Questions 2023
Identifying Ethical Issues; Exploring Business
How to Write About an Ethical Dilemma – Synonym
The RIGHT Decision Method: An approach for solving ethical dilemmas | Institute on Community Integration Publications
A Brief Guide to Writing the Philosophy Paper | Harvard College Writing Center
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177 Interesting Ethics Paper Topics For Your Thesis

Ethics is a branch of study in philosophy that studies the concept of morality—what is good or bad, what is acceptable or unacceptable. It’s a philosophical theory that looks into moral rules and codes, principles, value systems, and other related concepts.

In academia, an ethical theory is used as one of the analytical tools in drawing analysis on several socio-cultural topics. Ethics can be applied to any particular subject matter in human society. And, on this, so many compelling, controversial or interesting ethical topics for academic essays and research papers have continued to spring up.

For students writing either an essay or a research paper on ethics, there are some relevant things to note about a good essay/research topic and writing a dissertation. They include:

Brainstorm on different topics Always go for a topic you are familiar with Choose a topic that has enough “flesh”. This is important as interesting topics will help you develop your essay/research Define your subject of interest. It makes the writing easier Properly researching for topics that serve contemporary social relevance Outlining is important for your research topic

What following some of these processes does for your essay/research/thesis is that it enriches your work and affords you the ability to communicate ideas clearly to readers. Here are some topics in ethics you can use for your essay/research.

Interesting Top Level Ethics Paper Topics for All Students

Writing a paper on ethics makes for an interesting writing experience because they usually require that the writer make a case for a particular subject based on whether the subject is right or wrong. There are so many ethical topics for papers. As a student, there are several ethical questions to debate, and you can choose to model your topic using some of these samples:

Discuss what should be done concerning the rise in the ban on safe abortion
Is the right to safe abortion practice unethical?
Should abortion practice be promoted or championed for women in society?
Are humans truly the root source for the issues of climate change and global warming the world is currently experiencing?
Is it right to discriminate against the sexes?
Is there a defining difference between sexes and gender?
Is the practice of gender-based violence ethical?
Should safe sexual practices be promoted?
Sex: A Study of the growing practice of sexual relationships outside marriage
Domestic Violence and how it can be combated
Marijuana: The distinction to its health roles and health challenges it poses on individuals
Is it unethical to promote capitalism and capitalist concepts?
A Study of Racism and measures to ensure its decline
Is it ethical to be a millionaire while there are so many less privileged people?
A study of the ethical challenges that come with being in the academia
Is war an ethical practice?
Why LGBTQ+ people should not be discriminated against
What are the ways workplace ethics can address issues of homophobia and internalized sexism?
Is sexism in the workplace an ethical practice?
The issue of microaggression and how it can be addressed
A study of why workplaces need ethical conduct that monitors issues of workplace harassment
Should salaries be uneven?
How unethical are uneven salary payment structures?
Should start-up tech companies hire more men for starters?
How people can prioritize online privacy
Is bridging online privacy unethical?
Is the right to privacy unethical?

Engaging Ethical Dilemma Topics

As ethics deals with the debate on morals, one of the ways topics on ethics manifests is in the subject of dilemma. Topics like this focus on trying to find a suitable justification for one idea over another. There are several ethics topics to write about on this subject. Some of them include:

Should students be allowed to bring their phones to school?
Should parents police every social activity of their children?
Should teachers use the cane on students as a disciplinary measure?
Is flogging a good correctional practice?
Should you leave your partner if they are of opposing political views?
Should opposing religious beliefs be a deal-breaker in relationships?
Should capitalism be abolished completely?
Should a teacher maintain some level of friendship with their students?
Is there any lingering importance of capitalism to society?
Is revenge a viable option in a relationship if your partner cheats on you?
Is sharing your experiences online the same as showing off a lifestyle?
Should people from different religious beliefs and backgrounds partner?
Is checking the DNA of your children important or necessary?
Should parents enforce their children on behaviors to take up?
Can discipline properly correct the attitudes of a child?
Should eating junk foods be avoided completely?
Should Halloween Trick or Treat and Costume be prioritized over Thanksgiving Dinners?
Should children hold different religious beliefs from their parents while still young?
Does strict parenting serve as the best way to raise a child?
Is it important to reveal a secret to a friend or to keep one’s peace?
Should cooking at home be prioritized over eating out?
Is socialism a more suitable social practice than capitalism?
Is accepting financial assistance from your parents acceptable after a certain age?
Should school authorities seize phones brought to school?
Is sending a child to a mixed school better than same-sex schools?
Can afforestation alone save the world from global warming and the general climate change condition?
Does being educated equate with being intelligent?

Ethical Issues to Write about in Your College Essay

One important thing to note about ethical topics is that they touch across so many different subjects. As a college student preparing to write an essay on ethics, rest assured as there are so many ethics ideas to write about. Here are some ethical topics to write about:

Does Hiring female employees cover a company’s sexist motives?
Should Actors be paid more than teachers?
Taking medical decisions for a patient without their consent
How ethical is the interference of the judiciary by the legislative arm of government?
Is it ethical to fire someone due to their dress code?
Is it unethical to wear colored hair to work?
Is censorship ethical?
Where does media censorship draw the line?
Is it ethical for religious figureheads to meddle in state politics?
Should gender be the reason why a person is restricted access to certain social privileges?
Should sexuality be a discriminatory factor in society?
Should companies and places of work provide counseling and therapy services for their employees?
Can Children wear makeup on special occasions?
Is it unethical to make medical decisions for a patient without any recognizable relatives?
Does dress code need to affect how you are addressed?
Should implementing ethics in sports be recommended?
Is police brutality an ethical practice?
The impacts of the excessive consumption of media content?
Is the excessive use of social media healthy?
How can companies ensure paid maternal and paternal leave?
How can the inclusion of non-binary people in company policies promote growth?
Is exclusion on the grounds of sexuality ethical?
Is exclusion due to political beliefs unethical?
How to promote ethical work culture?
How can a company ensure that ethical practices are promoted in their companies?

Ethical Argument Topics to Write About

The best part about writing an ethical essay is that it is about anything that is of interest. An important aspect of the ethical argument topic is that it is supported with evidence. There are so many ethical topics to write about that fall within this category, and they include:

Is the having of ethical codes and conducts important in an organization?
Should people only implement progressive ideas to meet societal needs?
Why LGBTQ+ should not be discriminated against
Is it unethical to come to work late?
Is government-sanctioned execution an ethical practice?
Is the American incarceration system an effective corrective system?
Is corrective rape an ethical practice?
Should the issue of internalized homophobia be addressed?
Internalized patriarchy and internalized homophobia, which one births one
Should smoking weed be made legal?
Why do the less privileged need free healthcare services
A study of the effects of colonialism and internalized slavery
Must aspiring journalists only focus on journalism courses?
Addressing what it means to be of ethical behavior
Should students be given a take-home assignment?
Is there any academic relevance to assignments?
Is access to free healthcare important?
Does following the ethics code have abt social relevance?
What role should developed countries play for developing countries?
Is analysis writing an important aspect of literature?
What role does ethics play in schools
Should the address of global warming be continuous?
Is there room for possible positive developments in global warming?
Is the practice of ethics the same as moral teaching
Should schools create sex education into their education curriculum

Comprehensive Ethics Debate Topics for Anyone

Just like the argumentative ethics topic, a debate topic on ethics centers majorly on choosing a part to argue for or against. This argument also is wrapped with evidence to support it. Your ethic topics can be on any subject. You can choose moral topics or any other topic with relevance. Here are some lists of ethical debate topics anyone can write on:

Should the use of Contraceptives be promoted?
Does legalizing weed make it any healthier?
Should school children bring phones into school settings?
The health impact of excessive engagement on social media
Social relevance and importance of having ethical conducts
Do companies with ethical conduct grow ahead
Does ethics make a workplace safer?
Are there importance on why sex education should be added to student’s
Why safe abortion rights should be legalized
Why the discrimination based on sexuality is harmful
Why the practice of hedonism is important
Sexual pleasure: Is it morally good?
Is happiness dependent on an external factor?
Why Institutionalized racism is the root cause of racism and racist beliefs
Should the use of drugs be legalized?
Is there any progressive importance to having a conservative view on things?
Should social media apps allow explicit sexual content?
Should social app builders have access to individual account
Can homeschool match formal school training?
Should the government ensure censorship measures?
Is voting during elections the only form of patriotism?
Is voting a patriotic display
Are families allowed to have contradicting religious beliefs?
Should state governments have any interference with the federal government?
Should teenagers have access to contraceptives?

Good Ethical Research Papers for your Thesis or Dissertation

Writing either a thesis or a dissertation is a necessary part of academia. As a university student, you can’t graduate from only writing essays withiut writing your graduating thesis. There are so many areas your research paper about ethics can focus on. Here is a list of ethical topics:

The contemporary relevance of applied ethics
The psychological impacts of the proliferation of technology
A Case Study of the legality of weed
A multi-dimensional approach to the subject of marriage
An ethical approach to the killing of animals
A case study of the critical ethical debates on the use of contraception
An analytical study of the relevance of ethical conduct in the workplace
An investigation into the social relevance and importance of the beauty pageantry culture
A critical study of normative ethics
The role of applied ethics in the building of a healthy work culture
An overview of the barriers associated with good leadership practice
A Study of the importance of ethical practice in the healthcare system
The study of ethics in business social responsibility
An Overview on how Ethics promotes a saner working culture
A look into how ethics promotes healthy social relationships
The ethical relevance for Doctor and Patient Confidentiality
Malpractice and Negligence an ethically challenging issue within the healthcare system
The social and health relevance to access to free healthcare insurance
A Study of the social relevance of ethics
Violence: violence against animals is still abuse
A look into strategic approaches to managing cyber crimes
Ethic reasons for the separation of the church from politics
Ethical Conduct: How Organizations with practicable ethics produces a toxic work environment
A look into how Social media negatively impacts the IQ of a student
The role of self-awareness and professional responsibility impacts social ethics in the workplace

Good Ethical Questions for Discussion

Primarily, ethics asks and answers the question of wrong or good. There are so many social issues that will make for good ethical questions for discussion. Here is a list of ethical questions for students to form insights from:

How does ethics help to promote healthy workplace awareness?
Does the practice of abortion negate morality?
Is it right for a rape victim to be denied access to safe and free abortion?
How do homophobia, racism, misogyny, and ableist practices hinder social growth?
Should there be free access to condoms and contraceptive pills?
Is free access to contraceptives better than the provision of menstrual materials
How can racism be dismantled in an organization without consideration to institutionalized racism?
How does the continuous promotion of capitalist concepts hinder societal progress?
Does capitalism truly hinder social growth?
Why should there be free access to contraceptive materials especially for women?
What are the possible feasible solutions to the issue of climate change?
Is it unethical not to share the wealth?
Is engaging in warfare the right way to bring solutions?
Does the use of makeup contradict the concept of beauty?
Why are LGBTQ+ rights human rights?
Is the legalization of cannabis ethical?
Does the way you dress need to be the reason you are addressed a certain way?
Are there moral problems that come with job automation?
What can be done to combat the use of harmful substances
Why should companies stop discriminating based on sex?
What is the social relevance of providing workplace access?
Why should parents and teachers stop flogging students?
What is the distinction between discipline and strictness?
Should religious beliefs be a dealbreaker in any relationship?

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12 Interesting Ethical Topics for Essay Papers

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Writing a persuasive essay requires identifying interesting ethical topics, and these options might inspire you to create a powerful and engaging essay, position paper , or speech for your next assignment.

Should Teens Have Plastic Surgery?

Good looks are highly prized in society. You can see advertisements everywhere urging you to buy products that will supposedly enhance your appearance. While many products are topical, plastic surgery is probably the ultimate game-changer. Going under the knife to enhance your looks can be a quick fix and help you achieve the look you desire. It also carries risks and can have lifelong consequences. Consider whether you think teens—who are still developing into mature individuals—should have the right to make such a big decision at such a young age, or if their parents should be able to decide for them.

Would You Tell If You Saw a Popular Kid Bullying?

Bullying is a big problem in schools and even in society in general. But it can be difficult to show courage, step up—and step in—if you see a popular kid bullying someone at school. Would you report it if you saw this happening? Why or why not?

Would You Speak Up If Your Friend Abused an Animal?

Animal abuse by youngsters can foreshadow more violent acts as these individuals grow up. Speaking up might save the animal pain and suffering today, and it might steer that person away from more violent acts in the future. But would you have the courage to do so? Why or why not?

Would You Tell If You Saw a Friend Cheating on a Test?

Courage can come in subtle forms, and that can include reporting seeing someone cheat on a test. Cheating on a test might not seem like such a big deal; perhaps you've cheated on a test yourself. But it is against the policies of schools and universities worldwide. If you saw someone cheating, would you speak up and tell the teacher? What if it were your buddy cheating and telling might cost you a friendship? Explain your stance.

Should News Stories Slant Toward What People Want to Hear?

There is much debate over whether the news should be unbiased or allow commentary. Newspapers, radios, and news television stations are businesses, just as much as a grocery store or online retailers. They need customers to survive, and that means appealing to what their customers want to hear or see. Slanting reports toward popular opinions could increase ratings and readership, in turn saving newspapers and news shows, as well as jobs. But is this practice ethical? What do you think?

Would You Tell If Your Best Friend Had a Drink at the Prom?

Most schools have strict rules about drinking at the prom, but many students still engage in the practice. After all, they'll be graduating soon. If you saw a friend imbibing, would you tell or look the other way? Why?

Should Football Coaches Be Paid More Than Professors?

Football often brings in more money than any other single activity or program a school offers, including academic classes. In the corporate world, if a business is profitable, the CEO and those who contributed to the success are often rewarded handsomely. With that in mind, shouldn't it be the same in academia? Should top football coaches get paid more than top professors? Why or why not?

Should Politics and Church Be Separate?

Candidates often invoke religion when they're campaigning. It's generally a good way to attract votes. But should the practice be discouraged? The U.S. Constitution, after all, dictates that there should be a separation of church and state in this country. What do you think and why?

Would You Speak Up If You Heard an Ugly Ethnic Statement at a Party Filled With Popular Kids?

As in the previous examples, it can be hard to speak up, especially when an incident involves popular kids. Would you have the courage to say something and risk the ire of the "in" crowd? Who would you tell?

Should Assisted Suicides Be Allowed for Terminally Ill Patients?

Some countries, like the Netherlands, allow assisted suicides , as do some U.S. states. Should "mercy killing" be legal for terminally ill patients who are suffering from great physical pain? What about patients whose diseases will negatively impact their families? Why or why not?

Should a Student's Ethnicity Be a Consideration for College Acceptance?

There has been a long-standing debate about the role ethnicity should play in college acceptance. Proponents of affirmative action argue that underrepresented groups should be given a leg up. Opponents say that all college candidates should be judged on their merits alone. What do you think and why?

Should Companies Gather Information About Their Customers?

Information privacy is a big and growing issue. Every time you log onto the internet and visit an online retailer, news company, or social media site, companies gather information about you. Should they have the right to do so, or should the practice be banned? Why do you think so? Explain your answer.

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Workplace Ethical Issues Essay

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Workplace ethics refers to moral principles and values governing proper behavioral conduct in the place of work (Barry & Shaw, 2013). Work ethics guide the managers as well as employees to do the right thing even if doing the wrong thing can equally be rewarding and satisfying. Therefore, workplace ethical issues involve a plethora of ethical dilemmas and ethical abuses that come into play in any job.

An ethical issue is defined as an illegal, unethical, or irresponsible act made against the employer, and it jeopardizes the employer’s business. Ethical issues arise when workers including the managers and the subordinates are given the responsibility of making decisions about alternative courses of action. This paper discusses a few ethical issues that arise in the workplace.

Harassment of the co-workers or clients is one of the major workplace ethical issues that involve violation of the employers’ workplace ethics policy. Harassment in any workplace may involve unsolicited sexual advances, interferences with work performance through intimidation, or non-compliance with the conditions of work. Sometimes illegal harassment can be based on sex, religion, age, disability, race, or color.

Johnson (2007) provides that harassment does not only involve violation of business ethics, but also involves a breach of the federal laws. Sexual harassment is the common ethical issue many workers experience at their workplaces and it is propagated by both the management and regular employees.

Basically, sexual harassment of any nature makes the workplace hostile and causes distress among the sexually abused employees. According to Bredeson and Goree (2011), the most common ethical issue within sexual harassment is a dual relationship that involves sexual relationships between employees who share professional responsibilities.

Furthermore, sexual harassment occurs when employees engage in unethical intimate relationships, which in turn affects their professional decision-making process. Consensual relationships at workplace between a senior employee and a junior employee can become dangerous.

This may happen because a senior employee has more authority to affect the working ability of the junior employee if their intimate relationship breaks.

However, if this happens, the subordinates should report the act to the relevant authorities because it is improper for any person to use his/her authority to demand favors or create a hostile work environment (Barry & Shaw, 2013). Therefore, it is advisable to avoid consensual relationships with co-workers to combat ethical dilemmas and workplace distress.

Substance abuse is another ethical issue that crops up at many workplaces. It may involve dependence on stimulating substances such as alcohol and other addictive intoxicating drugs. Addiction to any substance becomes a workplace ethical issue when either a manager or a regular employee’s work performance and productivity are impaired until they use the substance (Johnson, 2007).

Alcohol is the most abused substance, and when the employees carry alcohol to workplaces or use in the workplace, it raises serious ethical questions. Generally, substance abuse can be a serious ethical issue if not handled with care since it can create a hostile work environment, and consequently jeopardize the productivity and performance of the entire workforce.

In addition, confidentiality is a workplace ethical principle that becomes a familiar ethical issue when it is violated (Johnson, 2007). For instance, the disclosure of an employee’s personal information or the employer’s business strategy to rival organizations is a major violation of the workplace ethics.

Actually, protecting the employees from privacy invasion creates trust and perhaps increases their productivity. However, when confidentiality is violated, serious ethical implications may occur, which affect the business negatively. Work ethics require that the clients’ private information or the co-workers personal information be accessed by authorized individuals only.

Conflict of interest is another common workplace ethical issue. It refers to a situation whereby an individual’s interests affect or influence his/her workplace judgment, actions, or decisions. Conflicts of interest are virtually unethical and illegal because they negatively affect workplace performance, decision-making process, and relationships with other participants (Bredeson & Goree, 2011).

Conflict of interest is a serious ethical issue, which should be avoided or resolved immediately it appears because it may result in professional misconduct in the workplace. Despite workplace ethical issues being endless, organizations can devise moral or ethical policies to protect their employees from ethical violations.

For instance, an organization can develop a workplace policy based mission, vision and code of conduct, and ensure that each employee understands the code of ethics.

In addition, the organization can provide workplace ethics training for employees, create a legal office to deal with employees ethical issues, and research all federal and employment laws relating to whistle blowing to avoid making decisions that lead to negative ethical implications (Bredeson & Goree, 2011).

In summary, ethical issues exist in almost every workplace because workers often face situations, which involve ethical dilemmas. Moreover, when ethical issues are not resolved in time, they result in a hostile work environment making it harder for the employees to give their maximum potential.

Thus, it is imperative for employers to respond appropriately to every ethical issue that arises in the workplace to make the workplace safe and friendly.

Barry, V., & Shaw, W. (2013). Moral Issues in Business (12th Ed.). Wadsworth: Cenage Learning.

Bredeson, D. & Goree, K. (2011). Ethics in the workplace (3 rd Ed). New York: Cengage Learning.

Johnson, C. (2007). Ethics in the workplace: tools and Tactics for organizational Transformation . London: Sage Publications.

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Methodology

Ethical Considerations in Research | Types & Examples

Ethical Considerations in Research | Types & Examples

Published on October 18, 2021 by Pritha Bhandari . Revised on May 9, 2024.

Ethical considerations in research are a set of principles that guide your research designs and practices. Scientists and researchers must always adhere to a certain code of conduct when collecting data from people.

The goals of human research often include understanding real-life phenomena, studying effective treatments, investigating behaviors, and improving lives in other ways. What you decide to research and how you conduct that research involve key ethical considerations.

These considerations work to

protect the rights of research participants
enhance research validity
maintain scientific or academic integrity

Why do research ethics matter, getting ethical approval for your study, types of ethical issues, voluntary participation, informed consent, confidentiality, potential for harm, results communication, examples of ethical failures, other interesting articles, frequently asked questions about research ethics.

Research ethics matter for scientific integrity, human rights and dignity, and collaboration between science and society. These principles make sure that participation in studies is voluntary, informed, and safe for research subjects.

You’ll balance pursuing important research objectives with using ethical research methods and procedures. It’s always necessary to prevent permanent or excessive harm to participants, whether inadvertent or not.

Defying research ethics will also lower the credibility of your research because it’s hard for others to trust your data if your methods are morally questionable.

Even if a research idea is valuable to society, it doesn’t justify violating the human rights or dignity of your study participants.

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Before you start any study involving data collection with people, you’ll submit your research proposal to an institutional review board (IRB) .

An IRB is a committee that checks whether your research aims and research design are ethically acceptable and follow your institution’s code of conduct. They check that your research materials and procedures are up to code.

If successful, you’ll receive IRB approval, and you can begin collecting data according to the approved procedures. If you want to make any changes to your procedures or materials, you’ll need to submit a modification application to the IRB for approval.

If unsuccessful, you may be asked to re-submit with modifications or your research proposal may receive a rejection. To get IRB approval, it’s important to explicitly note how you’ll tackle each of the ethical issues that may arise in your study.

There are several ethical issues you should always pay attention to in your research design, and these issues can overlap with each other.

You’ll usually outline ways you’ll deal with each issue in your research proposal if you plan to collect data from participants.


Voluntary participation	Your participants are free to opt in or out of the study at any point in time.
Informed consent	Participants know the purpose, benefits, risks, and funding behind the study before they agree or decline to join.
Anonymity	You don’t know the identities of the participants. Personally identifiable data is not collected.
Confidentiality	You know who the participants are but you keep that information hidden from everyone else. You anonymize personally identifiable data so that it can’t be linked to other data by anyone else.
Potential for harm	Physical, social, psychological and all other types of harm are kept to an absolute minimum.
Results communication	You ensure your work is free of or research misconduct, and you accurately represent your results.

Voluntary participation means that all research subjects are free to choose to participate without any pressure or coercion.

All participants are able to withdraw from, or leave, the study at any point without feeling an obligation to continue. Your participants don’t need to provide a reason for leaving the study.

It’s important to make it clear to participants that there are no negative consequences or repercussions to their refusal to participate. After all, they’re taking the time to help you in the research process , so you should respect their decisions without trying to change their minds.

Voluntary participation is an ethical principle protected by international law and many scientific codes of conduct.

Take special care to ensure there’s no pressure on participants when you’re working with vulnerable groups of people who may find it hard to stop the study even when they want to.

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Informed consent refers to a situation in which all potential participants receive and understand all the information they need to decide whether they want to participate. This includes information about the study’s benefits, risks, funding, and institutional approval.

You make sure to provide all potential participants with all the relevant information about

what the study is about
the risks and benefits of taking part
how long the study will take
your supervisor’s contact information and the institution’s approval number

Usually, you’ll provide participants with a text for them to read and ask them if they have any questions. If they agree to participate, they can sign or initial the consent form. Note that this may not be sufficient for informed consent when you work with particularly vulnerable groups of people.

If you’re collecting data from people with low literacy, make sure to verbally explain the consent form to them before they agree to participate.

For participants with very limited English proficiency, you should always translate the study materials or work with an interpreter so they have all the information in their first language.

In research with children, you’ll often need informed permission for their participation from their parents or guardians. Although children cannot give informed consent, it’s best to also ask for their assent (agreement) to participate, depending on their age and maturity level.

Anonymity means that you don’t know who the participants are and you can’t link any individual participant to their data.

You can only guarantee anonymity by not collecting any personally identifying information—for example, names, phone numbers, email addresses, IP addresses, physical characteristics, photos, and videos.

In many cases, it may be impossible to truly anonymize data collection . For example, data collected in person or by phone cannot be considered fully anonymous because some personal identifiers (demographic information or phone numbers) are impossible to hide.

You’ll also need to collect some identifying information if you give your participants the option to withdraw their data at a later stage.

Data pseudonymization is an alternative method where you replace identifying information about participants with pseudonymous, or fake, identifiers. The data can still be linked to participants but it’s harder to do so because you separate personal information from the study data.

Confidentiality means that you know who the participants are, but you remove all identifying information from your report.

All participants have a right to privacy, so you should protect their personal data for as long as you store or use it. Even when you can’t collect data anonymously, you should secure confidentiality whenever you can.

Some research designs aren’t conducive to confidentiality, but it’s important to make all attempts and inform participants of the risks involved.

As a researcher, you have to consider all possible sources of harm to participants. Harm can come in many different forms.

Psychological harm: Sensitive questions or tasks may trigger negative emotions such as shame or anxiety.
Social harm: Participation can involve social risks, public embarrassment, or stigma.
Physical harm: Pain or injury can result from the study procedures.
Legal harm: Reporting sensitive data could lead to legal risks or a breach of privacy.

It’s best to consider every possible source of harm in your study as well as concrete ways to mitigate them. Involve your supervisor to discuss steps for harm reduction.

Make sure to disclose all possible risks of harm to participants before the study to get informed consent. If there is a risk of harm, prepare to provide participants with resources or counseling or medical services if needed.

Some of these questions may bring up negative emotions, so you inform participants about the sensitive nature of the survey and assure them that their responses will be confidential.

The way you communicate your research results can sometimes involve ethical issues. Good science communication is honest, reliable, and credible. It’s best to make your results as transparent as possible.

Take steps to actively avoid plagiarism and research misconduct wherever possible.

Plagiarism means submitting others’ works as your own. Although it can be unintentional, copying someone else’s work without proper credit amounts to stealing. It’s an ethical problem in research communication because you may benefit by harming other researchers.

Self-plagiarism is when you republish or re-submit parts of your own papers or reports without properly citing your original work.

This is problematic because you may benefit from presenting your ideas as new and original even though they’ve already been published elsewhere in the past. You may also be infringing on your previous publisher’s copyright, violating an ethical code, or wasting time and resources by doing so.

In extreme cases of self-plagiarism, entire datasets or papers are sometimes duplicated. These are major ethical violations because they can skew research findings if taken as original data.

You notice that two published studies have similar characteristics even though they are from different years. Their sample sizes, locations, treatments, and results are highly similar, and the studies share one author in common.

Research misconduct

Research misconduct means making up or falsifying data, manipulating data analyses, or misrepresenting results in research reports. It’s a form of academic fraud.

These actions are committed intentionally and can have serious consequences; research misconduct is not a simple mistake or a point of disagreement about data analyses.

Research misconduct is a serious ethical issue because it can undermine academic integrity and institutional credibility. It leads to a waste of funding and resources that could have been used for alternative research.

Later investigations revealed that they fabricated and manipulated their data to show a nonexistent link between vaccines and autism. Wakefield also neglected to disclose important conflicts of interest, and his medical license was taken away.

This fraudulent work sparked vaccine hesitancy among parents and caregivers. The rate of MMR vaccinations in children fell sharply, and measles outbreaks became more common due to a lack of herd immunity.

Research scandals with ethical failures are littered throughout history, but some took place not that long ago.

Some scientists in positions of power have historically mistreated or even abused research participants to investigate research problems at any cost. These participants were prisoners, under their care, or otherwise trusted them to treat them with dignity.

To demonstrate the importance of research ethics, we’ll briefly review two research studies that violated human rights in modern history.

These experiments were inhumane and resulted in trauma, permanent disabilities, or death in many cases.

After some Nazi doctors were put on trial for their crimes, the Nuremberg Code of research ethics for human experimentation was developed in 1947 to establish a new standard for human experimentation in medical research.

In reality, the actual goal was to study the effects of the disease when left untreated, and the researchers never informed participants about their diagnoses or the research aims.

Although participants experienced severe health problems, including blindness and other complications, the researchers only pretended to provide medical care.

When treatment became possible in 1943, 11 years after the study began, none of the participants were offered it, despite their health conditions and high risk of death.

Ethical failures like these resulted in severe harm to participants, wasted resources, and lower trust in science and scientists. This is why all research institutions have strict ethical guidelines for performing research.

If you want to know more about statistics , methodology , or research bias , make sure to check out some of our other articles with explanations and examples.

Normal distribution
Measures of central tendency
Chi square tests
Confidence interval
Quartiles & Quantiles
Cluster sampling
Stratified sampling
Thematic analysis
Cohort study
Peer review
Ethnography

Research bias

Implicit bias
Cognitive bias
Conformity bias
Hawthorne effect
Availability heuristic
Attrition bias
Social desirability bias

Ethical considerations in research are a set of principles that guide your research designs and practices. These principles include voluntary participation, informed consent, anonymity, confidentiality, potential for harm, and results communication.

Scientists and researchers must always adhere to a certain code of conduct when collecting data from others .

These considerations protect the rights of research participants, enhance research validity , and maintain scientific integrity.

Anonymity means you don’t know who the participants are, while confidentiality means you know who they are but remove identifying information from your research report. Both are important ethical considerations .

You can keep data confidential by using aggregate information in your research report, so that you only refer to groups of participants rather than individuals.

These actions are committed intentionally and can have serious consequences; research misconduct is not a simple mistake or a point of disagreement but a serious ethical failure.

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Introduction & Top Questions

Introduction of moral codes

Problems of divine origin
Nonhuman behaviour
Kinship and reciprocity
Anthropology and ethics
The Middle East
Ancient Greece
The Epicureans
Ethics in the New Testament
St. Augustine
St. Thomas Aquinas and the Scholastics
Machiavelli
The first Protestants
Early intuitionists: Cudworth, More, and Clarke
Shaftesbury and the moral sense school
Butler on self-interest and conscience
The climax of moral sense theory: Hutcheson and Hume
The intuitionist response: Price and Reid
Moore and the naturalistic fallacy
Modern intuitionism
Existentialism
Universal prescriptivism
Moral realism
Kantian constructivism: a middle ground?
Irrealist views: projectivism and expressivism
Ethics and reasons for action
The debate over consequentialism
Varieties of consequentialism
Objections to consequentialism
An ethics of prima facie duties
Rawls’s theory of justice
Rights theories
Natural law ethics
Virtue ethics
Feminist ethics
Ethical egoism
Environmental ethics
War and peace
Abortion, euthanasia, and the value of human life

What is ethics?

How is ethics different from morality, why does ethics matter, is ethics a social science.

What did Aristotle do?

Aristotle (384-322 BC), Ancient Greek philosopher and scientist. One of the most influential philosophers in the history of Western thought, Aristotle established the foundations for the modern scientific method of enquiry. Statue

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Humanities LibreTexts - What is Ethics?
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Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy - Empathy and Sympathy in Ethics
VIVA Open Publishing - Ethics and Society - Ethical Behavior and Moral Values in Everyday Life
Philosophy Basics - Ethics
American Medical Association - Journal of Ethics - Triage and Ethics
Psychology Today - Ethics and Morality
Government of Canada - Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat - What is ethics?
Cornell Law School - Legal Information Institute - Ethics
ethics and morality - Student Encyclopedia (Ages 11 and up)
Table Of Contents

The term ethics may refer to the philosophical study of the concepts of moral right and wrong and moral good and bad, to any philosophical theory of what is morally right and wrong or morally good and bad, and to any system or code of moral rules, principles, or values. The last may be associated with particular religions , cultures, professions, or virtually any other group that is at least partly characterized by its moral outlook.

Traditionally, ethics referred to the philosophical study of morality, the latter being a more or less systematic set of beliefs, usually held in common by a group, about how people should live. Ethics also referred to particular philosophical theories of morality. Later the term was applied to particular (and narrower) moral codes or value systems. Ethics and morality are now used almost interchangeably in many contexts, but the name of the philosophical study remains ethics .

Ethics matters because (1) it is part of how many groups define themselves and thus part of the identity of their individual members, (2) other-regarding values in most ethical systems both reflect and foster close human relationships and mutual respect and trust, and (3) it could be “rational” for a self-interested person to be moral, because his or her self-interest is arguably best served in the long run by reciprocating the moral behaviour of others.

No. Understood as equivalent to morality, ethics could be studied as a social-psychological or historical phenomenon, but in that case it would be an object of social-scientific study, not a social science in itself. Understood as the philosophical study of moral concepts, ethics is a branch of philosophy , not of social science.

ethics , the discipline concerned with what is morally good and bad and morally right and wrong. The term is also applied to any system or theory of moral values or principles.

(Read Britannica’s biography of this author, Peter Singer.)

How should we live? Shall we aim at happiness or at knowledge, virtue , or the creation of beautiful objects? If we choose happiness, will it be our own or the happiness of all? And what of the more particular questions that face us: is it right to be dishonest in a good cause? Can we justify living in opulence while elsewhere in the world people are starving? Is going to war justified in cases where it is likely that innocent people will be killed? Is it wrong to clone a human being or to destroy human embryos in medical research? What are our obligations, if any, to the generations of humans who will come after us and to the nonhuman animals with whom we share the planet?

Ethics deals with such questions at all levels. Its subject consists of the fundamental issues of practical decision making , and its major concerns include the nature of ultimate value and the standards by which human actions can be judged right or wrong .

The terms ethics and morality are closely related. It is now common to refer to ethical judgments or to ethical principles where it once would have been more accurate to speak of moral judgments or moral principles. These applications are an extension of the meaning of ethics. In earlier usage, the term referred not to morality itself but to the field of study, or branch of inquiry, that has morality as its subject matter. In this sense, ethics is equivalent to moral philosophy.

Although ethics has always been viewed as a branch of philosophy , its all-embracing practical nature links it with many other areas of study, including anthropology , biology , economics , history , politics , sociology , and theology . Yet, ethics remains distinct from such disciplines because it is not a matter of factual knowledge in the way that the sciences and other branches of inquiry are. Rather, it has to do with determining the nature of normative theories and applying these sets of principles to practical moral problems.

This article, then, will deal with ethics as a field of philosophy, especially as it has developed in the West. For coverage of religious conceptions of ethics and the ethical systems associated with world religions, see Buddhism ; Christianity ; Confucianism ; Hinduism ; Jainism ; Judaism ; Sikhism .

The origins of ethics

Mythical accounts.

When did ethics begin and how did it originate? If one has in mind ethics proper—i.e., the systematic study of what is morally right and wrong—it is clear that ethics could have come into existence only when human beings started to reflect on the best way to live. This reflective stage emerged long after human societies had developed some kind of morality, usually in the form of customary standards of right and wrong conduct . The process of reflection tended to arise from such customs, even if in the end it may have found them wanting. Accordingly, ethics began with the introduction of the first moral codes .

Virtually every human society has some form of myth to explain the origin of morality. In the Louvre in Paris there is a black Babylonian column with a relief showing the sun god Shamash presenting the code of laws to Hammurabi (died c. 1750 bce ), known as the Code of Hammurabi . The Hebrew Bible ( Old Testament ) account of God’s giving the Ten Commandments to Moses (flourished 14th–13th century bce ) on Mount Sinai might be considered another example. In the dialogue Protagoras by Plato (428/427–348/347 bce ), there is an avowedly mythical account of how Zeus took pity on the hapless humans, who were physically no match for the other beasts. To make up for these deficiencies, Zeus gave humans a moral sense and the capacity for law and justice , so that they could live in larger communities and cooperate with one another.

That morality should be invested with all the mystery and power of divine origin is not surprising. Nothing else could provide such strong reasons for accepting the moral law. By attributing a divine origin to morality, the priesthood became its interpreter and guardian and thereby secured for itself a power that it would not readily relinquish. This link between morality and religion has been so firmly forged that it is still sometimes asserted that there can be no morality without religion. According to this view, ethics is not an independent field of study but rather a branch of theology ( see moral theology ).

There is some difficulty, already known to Plato, with the view that morality was created by a divine power. In his dialogue Euthyphro , Plato considered the suggestion that it is divine approval that makes an action good . Plato pointed out that, if this were the case, one could not say that the gods approve of such actions because they are good. Why then do they approve of them? Is their approval entirely arbitrary? Plato considered this impossible and so held that there must be some standards of right or wrong that are independent of the likes and dislikes of the gods. Modern philosophers have generally accepted Plato’s argument, because the alternative implies that if, for example, the gods had happened to approve of torturing children and to disapprove of helping one’s neighbours, then torture would have been good and neighbourliness bad.

DOI: 10.1111/evj.14204
Corpus ID: 271309023

Ethical issues concerning UK veterinary surgeons practicing in equine sports medicine.

Kate J. Allen , Mike King , +1 author S. Mullan
Published in Equine Veterinary Journal 20 July 2024

11 References

Competing interests at the heart of equine sports medicine ethics: a scoping review and thematic analysis., the role of veterinarians in equestrian sport: a comparative review of ethical issues surrounding human and equine sports medicine☆, ethical issues concerning new zealand sports doctors, testing and refining the ethical framework for the use of horses in sport, an ethical framework for the use of horses in competitive sport: theory and function, applying ethical standards to guide shared decision-making with youth athletes, writing a new code of ethics for sports physicians: principles and challenges, safeguarding the child athlete in sport: a review, a framework and recommendations for the ioc youth athlete development model, contractual obligations and the sharing of confidential health information in sport, time for change: a roadmap to guide the implementation of the world anti-doping code 2015, related papers.

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August 01, 2024

Emerging ethical issues you should know.

Corporate transparency and the unauthorized practice of law are among the hot topics that lawyers have a responsibility to know how the issues apply to them and their clients, according to a panel of legal ethicists at the American Bar Association 2024 Annual Meeting in Chicago.

“Issues From the Frontlines: Hot and Emerging Legal Ethics and Professional Responsibility Issues That Lawyers Should Know About,” presented on Aug. 1, was one of the sessions of the ABA’s CLE in the City series, which offered meeting attendees exclusive access to programming organized by well-known law firms in downtown Chicago.

The Corporate Transparency Act, known as the CTA, became effective Jan. 1, 2024, and is an important issue for lawyers in a number of ways, including client due diligence, said Tyler Maulsby of Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz and president of the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers.

The CTA requires certain business entities to file beneficial ownership information with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network of the U.S. Department of the Treasury in an effort to combat money laundering and other financial crimes. Lawyers and law firms are often involved in the incorporation of the entity and may be held responsible for filing the information. But lawyers are not exempt from adhering to CTA requirements.

Also, law firms need to inform their clients of the CTA’s beneficial ownership information reporting requirements and be prepared to advise them on compliance. Failure to flag it at all to the client can have real consequences for the lawyer — and the client.

“A lot of lawyers are not paying attention to (the CTA) that much,” said Trisha M. Rich, a partner at Holland & Knight. And the stakes are high for those who fail to comply.

“Because of the stakes here, a lot of people don’t want to touch it,” Tyler said. “If you get it wrong it could be a federal offense.”

The biggest risk of the CTA is for the solo practitioner who tries to do everything, Tyler said. Also, a firm that has a corporate department that can file the necessary paperwork but has a client who tries to get around it also faces risk, he said.

A way to avoid liability is to clearly outline the scope of services in engagement letters to define who is the client. Panelists also advised sending termination letters to formally end their services to clients in order to prevent being held accountable later. Lawyers also should consider disengaging from clients who are unwilling to disclose required information.

Another hot topic among legal professionals is the unauthorized practice of law, known as UPL, which came into the spotlight during COVID. The pandemic changed the way — and where — lawyers work and prompted the question, “Should we regulate lawyers this way?” Rich said.

David Majchrzak, a lawyer with Klinedinst, said the Association of Professional Responsibility Lawyers and the ABA have proposed changes to Model Rule 5.5, which governs UPL and multijurisdictional practice. Changes to the rule are needed because it is a barrier to lawyer mobility and client choice, and it requires costly multiple bar applications and licenses.

However, potential issues arise with the unauthorized practice of law, such as who pays for client protection fund claims and how regulatory resources are allocated to address investigations and discipline.

Other topics for CLE in the City sessions range from artificial intelligence to the evolution of the gambling industry.

Warning of ‘Extreme’ Agenda, Biden Calls for Supreme Court Overhaul

In a speech in Austin, Texas, the president outlined a proposal that included term limits and an enforceable ethics code for the justices but that faces long odds in a divided Congress.

Share full article

Biden Calls for Supreme Court Reforms

The president outlined his proposals for major changes to the supreme court, including imposing term limits and creating an enforceable code of ethics on the justices..

We need a mandatory code of ethics for the Supreme Court, and we need it now. We’ve had term limits for presidents of the United States for nearly 75 years, after the Truman administration. And I believe we should have term limits for Supreme Court justices in the United States as well. I’m calling for a constitutional amendment. Called No One Is Above the Law Amendment. I mean this sincerely. It holds no immunity for crimes former president committed while in office. My fellow Americans, based on all my experience, I’m certain we need these reforms. We need these reforms to restore trust in the courts, preserve the system of checks and balances that are vital to our democracy. We’re also common sense reforms that a vast majority of the American people support, as well as leading constitutional law scholars, progressives and conservatives.

By Katie Rogers

Katie Rogers covers the White House and reported from Austin, Texas.

July 29, 2024

President Biden, warning that the country’s courts were being weaponized as part of an “extreme and unchecked” conservative agenda, said on Monday that he would push for legislation that would bring major changes to the Supreme Court, including term limits and an enforceable code of ethics on the justices.

Mr. Biden detailed his plans in a speech at the Lyndon B. Johnson Presidential Library and Museum in Austin, Texas, his first public engagement since announcing his decision to end his presidential campaign last week.

His visit was initially scheduled to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. But it quickly became a venue for Mr. Biden to begin buttoning up a 51-year legislative legacy while outlining an election-year intention to try to stop what many in his party feel is the Supreme Court’s ideological drift into conservatism.

The proposal would require congressional approval and has little hope of gaining traction in a Republican-controlled House and a divided Senate. In a social media post, Speaker Mike Johnson called the plan “dead on arrival” in the House. (Mr. Biden later said onstage that Mr. Johnson’s “thinking is dead on arrival.”)

Earlier this month, the court issued a 6-to-3 ruling that grants broad immunity to presidents from prosecution for actions they take while in office. Mr. Biden called for a constitutional amendment that would limit such immunity .

“For all practical purposes, the court’s decision almost certainly means that the president can violate the oath, flout our laws and face no consequences,” Mr. Biden said. “Folks, just imagine what a president could do trampling civil rights and liberties, given such immunity.”

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