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Any student of ethics should understand that concepts surrounding ethics are based in philosophy. For individuals, the ethical theory they employ for decision making emphasizes aspects of an ethical dilemma which is important to them. Understanding the variations in the ethical theories can help professionals understand their control environment and the culture in which they are operating.  In addition, understanding ethical philosophies will assist in directing personnel to the most ethically correct resolution per the guidelines within the ethical theory.  This understanding will assist in evaluating and acknowledging ethical behavior in the workplace.

The field of ethics involves systematizing, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong behavior. Philosophers divide ethical theories into four general subject areas: meta-ethics; normative ethics; applied ethics; descriptive ethics. This course focuses on meta-ethics and the three categories of normative ethics which include:

  • Consequentialism
  • Deontology
  • Virtue

Course Series

This course is included in the following series:

1 CoursePsychology Behind Ethics

  1. Ethics and the Psychology Behind the Concept - Part 2
Learning Objectives
  • Identify the purpose of ethical theories.
  • Explore the theory behind meta-ethics and its application in the workforce.
  • Identify questions related to meta-ethics.
  • Explore the theory behind normative ethics and the variations in the sub-philosophies within this theory.
    • Consequentialism
    • Virtue ethics
    • Deontology ethics
  • Identify questions that relate to normative ethics.
  • Recognize examples of normative ethical behavior.
  • Explore the use of ethical theories in business.
Last updated/reviewed: March 9, 2024

Included In Certifications

This course is included in the following Certification Programs:

13 CoursesEthical Leadership Certification

  1. History of Ethics
  2. Ethics and the Psychology Behind the Concept - Part 2
  3. COSO 2013 Control Environment
  4. Today’s Corporate Ethical Culture - An updated course
  5. Managing Through Corporate Politics
  6. Real World Business Ethics Scenarios
  7. Relationship between Ethics, Morality, and the Law
  8. Impact of Ethics on Leadership
  9. Framework for Ethical Decision Making
  10. Keys to an Effective Code of Conduct
  11. Keys to Understanding Conflicts of Interest
  12. Whistleblower Hotlines - History and Regulations
  13. Whistleblower Hotlines - Effective Management
33 Reviews (128 ratings)

Reviews

4
Member's Profile
Deontology got me thinking quite a bit: it's not what the individual believes his/her duty to be, but the greater good...so, the idiom of "It's not my job" is an ethical violation of Deontology since the greater good is not considered as important/ethical....

5
Anonymous Author
The course was well organized and easy to follow. The right level of detail was provided to make the concepts memorable and the many examples provided gave stronger clarity to the principles discussed.

3
Anonymous Author
It is a little challenging to listen to this presenter. She seems very repetitive. I also was discouraged that every time she referred to a leadership position, she used the term "he."

4
Anonymous Author
The instructor did a good job of breaking down the lesson into manageable parts to make them easier to comprehend. I recommend this course. definitely applicable to my everyday.

4
Member's Profile
Liked the Meta-Ethics section. I wish there was more about how organizations define what is right and wrong and how inclusion and diversity fit with the company code of conduct.

5
Member's Profile
Another great class from Lynn. Lynn is very knowledgeable in this area. I like all the examples she provides to help me understand the various concepts.

5
Anonymous Author
The different theories presented were thought-provoking and perspective changing in how to evaluate an organization and individual ethics. Thanks Lynn.

4
Anonymous Author
A good course, however, could have been better with historical examples of corporations and showing examples of different types of ethical issues.

4
Anonymous Author
Interesting discussion of ethics. The various theories were presented in real-world context which enhanced the respectful differencies.

5
Member's Profile
Nice overview of ethical theories. The examples of how to apply each in a business setting were appreciated but a little hard to follow.

5
Member's Profile
By the end of this course, I realized these theories, in part, could be found in various parts of an organization. Enlightening.

3
Anonymous Author
Good general explanation of the different forms of ethics and the applications of these ethics with the help of examples.

5
Anonymous Author
Clear and interesting presentation! Really appreciated Lynn's lining the theories too business examples and applications.

5
Anonymous Author
I feel this course gave me a good foundation to the study of ethics and made me want to consider more ethics training.

5
Anonymous Author
I always liked presentations of Lynn. This one is a good example of a good and informative presentation of the topic.

5
Member's Profile
Very interesting and totally new concepts of ethics to me. Enjoyed it very much. Thought provoking.

5
Member's Profile
Excellent presentation. Ms. Fountain is easy to understand and is thorough in her presentation.

5
Member's Profile
I love Lynn's courses. Easy to listen to and great context. This was all new material for me.

4
Anonymous Author
Good part 1 of a very broad topic. It would be nice to have a list of additional readings.

5
Member's Profile
Psychology in any field is interesting but even more so when it relates to ethics.

5
Anonymous Author
Clear and entertaining explanation of the basics of ethics, with enough examples.

5
Anonymous Author
Very interesting way of presenting a subject that could otherwise be tedious.

5
Member's Profile
The information was presented very well and therefore easy to understand

4
Member's Profile
Felt like I was back in college in my philosophy courses. Loved it.

5
Member's Profile
Going to keep taking all your courses and tell everyone on LinkedIn

5
Member's Profile
Good course and explanation of the different ethical theories.

4
Member's Profile
Great examples of how the different theories apply in business.

3
Anonymous Author
There are a lot of theories that were new to me in this course.

4
Anonymous Author
I am really amazed at the extensive knowledge of the speaker.

5
Anonymous Author
Well organized and relatable through practical examples.

5
Anonymous Author
Well developed and presented course. Good review for me

5
Anonymous Author
Heavy duty learning, this could easily be a 2 CPE class

3
Anonymous Author
well thought out and acceptable for cpe review purposes

Prerequisites
Course Complexity: Intermediate

No Advanced Preparation or Prerequisites are needed for this course. 

Education Provider Information
Company: Illumeo, Inc., 75 East Santa Clara St., Suite 1215, San Jose, CA 95113
Contact: For more information regarding this course, including complaint and cancellation policies, please contact our offices at (408) 400- 3993 or send an e-mail to .
Instructor for this course
Course Syllabus
INTRODUCTION AND OVERVIEW
  Introduction To Ethics and the Psychology Behind the Concept - Part 15:31
  Ethical Theories8:46
Consequentialism, Deontology, and Virtue
  Normative Ethics3:36
  Normative Ethics Consequentialism6:10
  Consequentialism Application Examples5:00
  Consequentialism Business Application8:39
  Normative Ethics Deontology2:17
  Deontology Application5:31
  Normative Ethics Virtue Ethics8:03
  Using Theories in Business7:32
CONCLUSION
  Summary3:09
CONTINUOUS PLAY
  Ethics and the Psychology Behind the Concept - Part 11:04:14
SUPPORTING MATERIALS
  Slides: Ethics and the Psychology Behind the Concept - Part 1PDF
  Ethics and the Psychology Behind the Concept - Part 1 Glossary/IndexPDF
REVIEW AND TEST
  Review Questions quiz
 Final Examexam