Dr. Ralph Potter's Potter Box: An Ethical Matter?

In nearly every single decision we make there is an ethical option that come along with it, some much more pronounced than others, and nevertheless, some much more demanding than other people. Some selections are clearly the “wrong” one particular, for instance to kill a person or not to, but other individuals are not as clear cut. The potter box, developed by Dr. Ralph Potter, is made to support evaluate which selection is the ethical one is these murky situations (Apple, 1). The potter box is composed of four quadrants: circumstance, values, principle and loyalties these quadrants allow us to view the ethical dilemma from of points of view and evaluate which option is the ethical one. In this paper the four quadrants will be broken down to far better clarify how the potter box is used to discover the ethical dilemma in a situation.

Quadrant a single, or definition, of the potter box is employed to describe the situation. This is normally an ethical situation that anybody could encounter. The quadrant is employed to lay out the details of the case that are presented. This section must be as detailed as attainable, because there are numerous items that require to be disclosed about the situation/ethical dilemma becoming faced.

In an ethical dilemma there are often more than one particular point of view, and in the potter box all points of view have to be presented. There requirements to be no bias when listing the facts and presenting the differing points of view, or the outcome will not be precise there ought to be no judgements or hiding of details. Once more, as stated this need to be filled out as detailed as feasible so that no critical details are more than looked, and nothing missing. A good instance would be a photograph, if it permits, because this would present all the proof with out getting and bias or judgements getting in the way of details.

The second quadrant of the potter box, values, evaluates what a person, group, organization, nation, etc. considers to be crucial (Apple, 3). Each point of view presented in the initial quadrant will have its personal set of values for the given dilemma. This section allows for the analyst to identify the diverse perspectives of each and every party for the specific circumstance.

A scenario may possibly be judged according to specialist (innovative or prompt), logical (constant, competent), aesthetic (pleasing, harmonious), moral (truthful, nonviolence), or socio-cultural values (thrifty, hard-functioning) (Christians, et al., 2). These values represent the distinct concerns, or what is deemed essential by the parties involved. An example of this could be a shopping center being built over a green space in a neighborhood. The values of the shopping center could be making a lot more jobs, bring a lot more individuals to the region, and escalating worth of the neighborhood, these all demonstrating expert and logical values. The neighborhood it is becoming built in even though could worth the green space for its beauty, a spot for children to play, a neighborhood space, etc. the community has a lot more aesthetic, and maybe even social-cultural, values. Every side’s set of values influence the choice-making.

The third quadrant of the potter box is the evaluation of principles. Principles are the moral suggestions that are utilised when producing choices in a predicament, or, the suitable guidelines of conduct. Principles can be utilised as rules to establish the way we act or behave when faced with a scenario that could be ethically unclear. Considering the values from the second quadrant in an ethical dilemma, it will aid the selection maker when looking at this section of the potter box.

There are several ethical principles that can be looked at and utilized in this quadrant that will be outlined in the following sections.

Aristotle’s Golden Imply defines the moral virtue as a middle state, determined by particle wisdom which emphasizes self-restraint and moderation. One more is Confucius’ Golden mean, also identified as the compromise principle this says that “moral virtue is the suitable place between two extremes (Christians, et al., 11)”. Both of these focus on virtue, moderation or middle-ground of some sort.

Kant’s ethical principle is primarily based on duty (Deontological ethics), stating that we should only act on a decision that we would want every person else to act on as effectively “Act only on that maxim whereby you can at the same time will it should turn out to be universal law (Christians et al., 12).” If you would not want a person else to do the exact same issue you are picking to do, then in this sense it would not be ethical simply because you would not want it to turn into “universal law.”

Utility is one more principle in ethical guidelines, the ideal identified becoming John Stuart Mills. His utility principle states that we ought to seek the greatest happiness for the greatest quantity [of people (Christians et al., 15-16). There are two types of utilitarianism, act and rule. Act utility says that we ought to make the option that produces the greatest good in any given situation, whereas rule utility states that we must concentrate on the greatest good for the common welfare, NOT just any provided circumstance (Christians et al., 16).

John Rawls’ Veil of Ignorance is an ethical principle based on rights. This principle states that when we do not know which stakeholder position we locate ourselves in, we get rid of personal interests from the analysis and make the much more ethical choice “justice emerges when negotiating without having social differentiations (Christians et al., 16).”

The “me first” or “Only me” is one more principle that can be looked at in the third quadrant. This principle can be demonstrated by individuals that select as action that will advantage themselves, but not the larger society. This principle is one that assumes that other folks have much less value than the self (the person producing the decision) it is also considered narcissistic morality (Apple, 5). An instance of this could be a business partner throwing the other below the bus in order to advantage one’s self, even if the action or choice they created was created together. An additional principle along these signifies, is the bottom line, or income morality. Basically, this principle states that as lengthy as there is a profit, and funds is becoming produced, then everything is fine (Apple, five). Usually, it does not matter how the cash is made or what is sacrificed to make it. Each of these principles, sadly, are very frequent in what is heard on the news and among individuals these days a good example of this would be any example of a Ponzi scheme.

One more one particular that is all as well abundant is bureaucratic morality process and paperwork being a lot more important than the men and women who want to be serviced (Apple, 6). Element of the energy behind this type of morality, is the diffusion of responsibility. Tied into this thought of energy, is the Machiavellian morality. This is a single that looks for the keys to energy and considers energy to be the most crucial point this can be present in many present day and historical battles for presidency, king, and so forth. (Apple, 7). People believe it is their right to have power.

A properly-recognized, although possibly not realized, principle can be stated as ends vs. signifies. This principle asks if the end is so crucial, that any action can be morally justified to achieve it or will the end justify the implies (Apple, 4). As many say although, it is not about the location, it’s about the journey there, and I consider that this can be effectively applied for this principle. Finally, there are the ethical principles primarily based on adore. The Judeo Christian Principle, or Persons as ends. This principle is also quite effectively known, and is much more commonly stated as “treat your neighbor as your self [or how you would want to be treated]” “love all men everywhere alike (Christians et al., 17-18).” This principle emphasized the really like of our neighbors as properly as the golden rule’ we need to really like our neighbors and seek to do great to them, as we would want ourselves.

A conclusion can not be morally justified unless a clear demonstration that an ethical principle shaped the final selection (Christians, et al., 9). The principle for the parties in the ethical dilemmas can be located by evaluating the values of every single celebration from the second quadrant. These principles are critical in the all round method of reaching a justified, ethical choice or conclusion (Christians, et al., 5).

The final quadrant of the potter box is loyalties. In this quadrant every single of the parties’ loyalties have to be evaluated. These loyalties are to folks, not items the loyalty is to who the moral duty, or allegiance, is owed to by the selection-maker (Apple, eight). When analyzing these predicament, there are 5 categories of obligations, or loyalties: duty to ourselves, duty to clientele/supporters/subscribers, duty to organization or firm, duty to colleagues, and duty to society (Christians et el., 19-20). The loyalties of every party have to be examined due to the fact this is who the decision is for, in a way.

Every party will have loyalties to distinct folks, and possibly, to the same individuals. The loyalties depend on who that celebration is, for instance a news broadcaster could have loyalty to the public, their employer, and/or the market. A teacher could have loyalties to the students, the college method, their employer, a union, and the industry. There is not typically a single loyalty per party, may have loyalties to very a couple of folks and it varies each time.

Evaluation with the potter box may possibly not often supply a answer till the fourth quadrant at instances. When competing values seem like they are suitable, the resolution can occur in the third quadrant, when evaluating principles. When two ethical theories are relevant, the sufficiency of the theories will need to have to be evaluated using theology or metaphysics. Sometimes, the ethical remedy is not clear until you reach the fourth quadrant. This can happen when both sides of a dilemma have been appropriate in their predicament, values, and principles only when looking at who they loyalty is to can the dilemma be resolved this was the case for the dilemma between the U.S newspaper and the British tv (Christians et al., five-7). Both of these parties had adequate values and principles for the circumstance, but when hunting at who the parties were loyal to, this is when the more ethical can be determined.

The potter box is a tool used to find the ethical disagreement in any given scenario. This tool focuses on the moral troubles as opposed to legal or mater-of-reality issues, and can be utilised to reflect and predicament that needs moral choice-producing. Nevertheless, there will be no clear reduce, single “right’ answer, but can nonetheless aid a single to consider by means of what to do.