Ethical Theory Matrix: Healthcare Ethics and Ethical Decision-Making

This assignment presents an Ethical Theory Matrix, a comparative analysis of five key ethical theories: Utilitarianism, Kantian Ethics, Ross's Ethics, Natural Law Ethics, and Virtue Ethics. The matrix explores each theory's decision criteria, strengths, weaknesses, and prominent philosophers associated with them. Each theory is illustrated with a healthcare-related example, such as a nurse's duty of care, and includes two common objections to the theory along with responses to those objections. The assignment references several scholarly sources to support the analysis and provide context for the ethical frameworks within the healthcare setting. The theories are applied to real-world nursing scenarios, emphasizing the importance of ethical decision-making in patient care and professional practice.

Running head: ETHICAL THEORY MATRIX
ETHICAL THEORY MATRIX
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author’s Note:
1

Theory Decision
Criteria
Your Own
Example
Strengths Weaknesses Prominent
Philosophers
Who
Accepted
Theory
Two Objections
to Theory
Responses to
the
Objections
Utilitarianism The decision
criteria that
can be taken
into
consideration
are decisions
are made
based on the
result, it
should be
focused on
right and
justice (Mill,
2016).
It states that
the nurse
needs to be
honest with
the patient
and inform
them all
about the
treatment in
order to
make an
informed
decision.
The strengths of
Utilitarianism theory are:
 It offers intrinsic
value to
happiness
 Utilitarianism
consider harming
other is wrong
 It is logical in
nature ( Scarre,
2018)
 It is a
straightforward
approach that
The weaknesses
of the theory are:
 It does
not
consider
other
goods
such as
freedom,
life and
love. Its
major
focus is
happiness
(Liu,
Jeremy
Bentham and
Stuart Mill
The two
objections to the
theory are
happiness should
not be a rational
aim for human,
and thus, it is
unachievable in
complete sense
and people are
existing in the
world without
happiness;
therefore,
virtuous people
Stuart Mill
had replied to
the object that
happiness is
an
overstatement
that people
cannot be
happy.
2

Theory Decision
Criteria
Your Own
Example
Strengths Weaknesses Prominent
Philosophers
Who
Accepted
Theory
Two Objections
to Theory
Responses to
the
Objections
weighs the
positive and
negative aspects
of the actions
 It does not
involve
secularism
 It is based on
objective
 It is universal in
nature
Schuckert
& Law,
2018)
 The
outcome
is not
always
justifiable
 It is
unpredict
able and
immeasur
able
 It is
subjective
have relinquished
happiness
3

Theory Decision
Criteria
Your Own
Example
Strengths Weaknesses Prominent
Philosophers
Who
Accepted
Theory
Two Objections
to Theory
Responses to
the
Objections
as a
different
individual
have a
different
definition
of
happiness
Kantian
Ethics
The two
decision
criteria of
Kantian
ethics are the
rule of
universality
that state that
The duty of
care of a
nurse is
stated to be a
duty of
virtue. When
an individual
decides to
The advantages of
Kantian ethics are:
 The morality in
this ethic is
straightforward
and is logical,
which can be
accessed by
The weaknesses
of Kant ethics
are:
 It is
abstract
in nature
 The
Jurgen
Habermas,
John Rawls
and Jacques
Lacan
According to
some
philosophers,
Kant was in favor
of freedom and
putting duty
above all is stated
to be inhuman as
According to
Kant, it is
important to
respect others
and not to use
people as
mean to an
end. It is a
4

Theory Decision
Criteria
Your Own
Example
Strengths Weaknesses Prominent
Philosophers
Who
Accepted
Theory
Two Objections
to Theory
Responses to
the
Objections
one should
behave the
way they feel
apt that is
applicable to
all people
and all time
and rule of
respect where
people are
vital and
welfare of
each moral
depends on
itself (Evans,
2018).
become a
nurse, it is
the
responsibility
to abide by
the duty. A
nurse can
take care of a
patient;
however,
they cannot
perform
surgery by
herself or
himself.
anyone for
making the
decision.
 Responsibility or
duty is an integral
part of the human
experience
(Azadegan, 2018)
 It is clear that
morality is a way
of conducting
responsibility and
do not involve the
following
feelings.
principle
of
universali
ty can be
applied to
everythin
g
(Donalds
on, 2017).
 It is
confusing
that ethics
were
related to
deontolog
ical or
there is no place
for love and
compassion.
general
aspect;
however, it is
not stated
what an
individual
should not as
per the
situation
( Clewis,
2017).
5

Theory Decision
Criteria
Your Own
Example
Strengths Weaknesses Prominent
Philosophers
Who
Accepted
Theory
Two Objections
to Theory
Responses to
the
Objections
teleologic
al.
Ross’s Ethics The decision
criteria of
Ross’s ethic
include seven
prima facie
duties that
include
justice,
gratitude,
fidelity, non-
maleficence,
reparation
and self-
improvement.
As a nurse, it
is important
to respect the
needs and
demand of
patient and
informing
patient and
family
members
about the
treatment in
detail
without any
The advantages of Ross’s
ethics are:
 It is straight
forward and uses
common rules
 It involves basic
principles
 Do not control a
situation
 It focuses on
human good
 The decision is
The disadvantage
of Ross’s ethics
are:
 It is not
systemati
c in
nature
(Jovanovi
ć, 2019)
 It fails to
offer
specific
ethical
The
prominent
philosopher
who accepted
the theory is
G.E. Moore
and Aristotle.
The two
objections to the
theory of Ross
are it fails to offer
an unambiguous
ethical answer
and the moral
intuitions are not
valid or reliable
in nature.
As per Ross,
the answer is
dependent on
the situation
and thus, it is
important to
evaluate it
before taking
action. The
intuitions are
feelings that
may go
wrong;
therefore, it is
6

Theory Decision
Criteria
Your Own
Example
Strengths Weaknesses Prominent
Philosophers
Who
Accepted
Theory
Two Objections
to Theory
Responses to
the
Objections
form of
deception
(Phillips,
2019).
not taken based
reasoning, also
include emotion,
wisdom and
passion (Salter,
2019)
outcomes
 It does
not
include
the
inclinatio
n of an
individual
vital to
address a
situation
based on
critical
understanding.
Natural Law
Ethics
The decision
criteria for
Natural Law
ethics are law
and morality.
This involves
abiding by
natural law
such as as a
nurse;
abortion
should not be
supported
The advantage of Natural
Law Ethics are:
 It is clear cut
theory and simple
to understand
 It is based on
morals (Boyle,
The weakness is:
 The
answer is
unfair
 It is
outdated
Albert, the
Great and
Thomas
Aquinas
were a great
philosopher
that had
supported the
The two
objections raised
against the theory
were one cannot
rationale derive
to moral
judgment by
observing facts of
In response to
the objection,
the Church
opined that
the absence of
evidence does
not indicate
evidence of
7

Theory Decision
Criteria
Your Own
Example
Strengths Weaknesses Prominent
Philosophers
Who
Accepted
Theory
Two Objections
to Theory
Responses to
the
Objections
because it is
an artificial
means of
birth control
or killing of
unborn life.
2017)
 It is universal in
nature
 It includes
cardinal virtues
 It follows
theological
virtues
 It is reliable in
nature
 The
doctrine
involves a
double
effect
(d'Entrev
es, 2017)
theory of
Natural law
ethics
nature and it
stated that the
assumption of the
theory is
contradictory to
the assumption.
absence. It
means that in
case science
do not detect
moral laws do
not indicate
that they do
not exist in the
real world.
This argument
opens an array
of argument
based on faith.
Virtue Ethics The decision
criteria of
virtue ethics
Patients
belong to the
diverse
The advantages of virtue
ethics are:
 It motivates to
The weaknesses
of this particular
Mark White
and Robert
The objectives of
virtue ethics are:
The virtue
ethicists
respond with
8

Theory Decision
Criteria
Your Own
Example
Strengths Weaknesses Prominent
Philosophers
Who
Accepted
Theory
Two Objections
to Theory
Responses to
the
Objections
are a person
need to have
the
knowledge,
make the
conscious
decision of
choosing act
and for
themselves
(Barrett &
Duns, 2019).
The decision
needs to be
based on
their own
background
and thus, are
different in
all sense.
The nursing
practice
needs to be
such that it
does not
discriminate
or have a
biased
opinion
about any
patient. This
is intended to
work on morality
 It is based on
moral reasoning
 Do not rely on
theory
 It states that it is
good to be partial
theory include:
 There is
no single
and
definitive
outcome
(Tsoukas,
2018)
 It is
contradict
ory in
nature
 It is hard
to predict
how one
Arp  Any
virtue
theorist
needs to
overcome
the
difficulty
by
figuring
characteri
stics that
are
considere
d as virtue
and there
is an issue
adequacy by
rejecting the
supposition
that the theory
needs to be
based on the
business of
offering the
right action.
The categories
of right and
wrong are
blurred and
are dependent
on the
situation.
9

Theory Decision
Criteria
Your Own
Example
Strengths Weaknesses Prominent
Philosophers
Who
Accepted
Theory
Two Objections
to Theory
Responses to
the
Objections
character. offer care to
the patient
with the
intention of
enhancing
the quality of
life.
get
motivates
 Do not
incorporat
e right or
wrong
action
of virtue
conflict in
resolving
moral
dilemmas.
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References
Mill, J. S. (2016). Utilitarianism. In Seven masterpieces of philosophy (pp. 337-383). Routledge.
Scarre, G. (2018). Utilitarianism and evil. In The History of Evil in the Eighteenth and Nineteenth Centuries (pp. 118-135). Routledge.
Liu, X., Schuckert, M., & Law, R. (2018). Utilitarianism and knowledge growth during status seeking: evidence from text mining of
online reviews. Tourism Management, 66, 38-46.
Evans, D. (2018). From Kantian ethics to mystical experience: An exploration of jouissance. In Key concepts of Lacanian
psychoanalysis (pp. 1-28). Routledge.
Azadegan, E. (2018). Review of Business Ethics: A Kantian Perspective, by Norman E. Bowie.
Donaldson, C. M. (2017). Using Kantian ethics in medical ethics education. Medical Science Educator, 27(4), 841-845.
Clewis, R. R. (2017). Does Kantian Ethics Condone Mood and Cognitive Enhancement?. Neuroethics, 10(3), 349-361.
Phillips, D. (2019). Rossian Ethics: WD Ross and Contemporary Moral Theory. Oxford University Press.
Jovanović, M. (2019). Prima facie duties and the structure of ethical explanations. Theoria, Beograd, 62(3), 53-64.
Salter, E. K. (2019). When Better Isn't Good Enough: Commentary on Ross's" Better than Best (Interest Standard) in Pediatric
Decision Making". The Journal of clinical ethics, 30(3), 213.
Boyle, J. (2017). Natural law and the ethics of traditions. In Thomas Aquinas (pp. 157-184). Routledge.
d'Entreves, A. P. (2017). Natural law: An introduction to legal philosophy. Routledge.
Barrett, F. J., & Duns, R. (2019, July). Integrative Virtue Ethics for the Planet: Organizational Implications of Laudato Si. In Academy
of Management Proceedings (Vol. 2019, No. 1, p. 15327). Briarcliff Manor, NY 10510: Academy of Management.
Tsoukas, H. (2018). Strategy and virtue: Developing strategy-as-practice through virtue ethics. Strategic Organization, 16(3), 323-
351.
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