Identifying Three Sources of Professional Values

Identifying three sources of professional values and ethics “Gold existed before barter, money, and systems of economics were invented to use gold. Animals existed before Zoology was invented to study animals. Ethics and morals existed before religions and philosophies were invented to use to study ethics and morals. No religion nor philosophy invented ethics, nor can any religion or philosophy lay claim of being the source or measure of ethics.” (Gowdy, 2008). The sources of professional values and ethics when researched are open to many interpretations. Early philosophers debated whether values and ethics were internal or were they an individual will; or could it be social to justify a moral norm? (Chambliss, 1996). One source of professional values and ethics is the self, or individual. When an individual is born, they began to adopt ethics and values, whether they are good or bad. An article in the Business Ethics Quarterly by Bill Shaw sums up the individual as a source of ethics by stating, “The acquisition of an ethic is not an optional thing. It is, instead, a way of life. One cannot not have an ethic any more than one cannot not have a personality. An ethic simply "comes with the territory," and as one matures that ethic is capable of undergoing change, perhaps even radical change.” (Shaw, 1997) The organization is a source of the professional values and ethics; it is where individuals within a business environment focus on group conduct. The organization has the code of ethics; these codes are a set of rules that guide individuals in decision-making and behavior. (U.S. Legal Forms Inc, 2010). There are normally three types of codes; an aspirational code is a statement of ideals to which professionals should strive. The educational code seeks to buttress understanding of its provisions with extensive commentary and interpretation. The regulatory code includes a set of detailed rules to govern professional conduct and to serve as a basis

References: Becker, L. C. (2001). In Encyclopedia of Ethics. Retrieved October 22, 2010, from Business Ethics: http://www.credoreference.com/entry/routethics/business_ethics Chambliss, J. (1996). In Philosophy of Education: An Encyclopedia. Retrieved October 18, 2010, from Ethics and Morality: http://www.credoreference.com/entry/routpe/ethics_and_morality Frankel, M. S. (1989). Professional Codes: Why, How, and with What Impact? Journal of Business Ethics , 110-111. Gowdy, L. N. (2008). Defination of Ethics, Morals, Virtue and Quality. Retrieved October 22, 2010, from Angelfire.com: www.angelfire.com/home/sesquiq/2007sesethics.html Shaw, B. (1997). Sources of Virtue: The Market and the Community. Business Ethics Quarterly, 6. U.S. Legal Forms Inc. (2010). USLegal. Retrieved October 24, 2010, from USLegal.com: http://definitions.uslegal.com/c/code-of-ethics/