Ethical Principles and Decision-Making Tools: A Comparative Study

This report provides an analysis of ethical principles and decision-making tools within a religious context. It examines the Kidder Process and the Potter Box, offering a comparative study of their methodologies and applications in resolving moral dilemmas. The report outlines the distinct procedures associated with each tool, highlighting the steps involved in identifying policies, analyzing situations, and determining relevant values. Furthermore, it differentiates between personal and social sin, explaining their origins and impacts. The assignment aims to enhance understanding of ethical frameworks and their practical application in navigating complex moral scenarios, providing a comprehensive overview of ethical considerations and decision-making processes within the framework of religious and societal norms. This report, available on Desklib, offers valuable insights for students studying ethics and religious studies.

Research paper
Question 1
Ethical principles refer to the behaviors which are mutually accepted in society. There are very
many ways and tools that assist an individual to have moral principles. One of the tools available
is the Kidder process. Kidder process outlines various ethical ideas that help one to make the
final decision. The second tool is the Potter Box. Potter is a tool that was created by Ralph Potter
to provide a precise method of deciding when one is in a dilemma.
Question 2
The tools provide different procedures in reaching an ethical decision. For example, when
applying the Potter Box there are specific procedures outlined. The first step is identifying the
policy that resulted to the dilemma. Secondly, the individual need to do an analysis of the
situation. For instance, the person has to identify what, who, when, how and why the current
situation has occurred. The next step is to come up with the values that can assist in the dilemma,
for example honesty and reliability. When it comes to Kidder process, the first step is to agree
that the individual has some moral dilemma and need solution. The other step is to analyze the
situation and the wrong and the right decisions.
Question 3
Personal refers to human action against God will. It happens between one individual to another.
The sin results in a weaker relationship between the person and God. However, when it comes to
social sin, it refers to the evil choices made by many people against God’s direction. The origin
of social sin is the personal sin.