A Question of Ethics

by William F. Traester, CPCU, member, CPCU Society Ethics Committee

Do the Right Thing

Some years ago, an oft-heard phrase was "Do the right thing." At some level, ethics can be reduced to doing the right thing or refraining from doing the wrong thing. Doing or not doing involves choices. We all have the power within ourselves to make the right choice or to make the wrong choice. Often making the right choice is not easy.

Daily, we are reminded by the media that there are many among us who do not do the right thing. Often when the right thing has been done, such as the return of misplaced property to its owner, a reward is not only expected but rather it is demanded.

When we are not rewarded for doing the right thing many people feel like they have been short-changed. Some even feel that the lack of a reward is a punishment, such as in the expression: "No good deed ever goes unpunished."

Acting in an ethical manner should bring us peace, even when it hurts from a material standpoint. If we do not, or cannot, accept that acting in an ethical manner is good, studying ethics may be a waste of time. We will never have the peace that doing the right thing should bring. Ethics should not be a theoretical exercise.

Knowing the Right Thing

It is possible to study ethics and to become an academic expert in the subject without being an ethical person. With respect to ethics, doing the right thing is of paramount importance. Knowing the right thing is much less important than doing the right thing. In fact, there are many ethical people in this world who do the right thing without ever having studied ethics. Ethical behavior is acquired by acting in an ethical manner.

Aristotle has said: "To be a competent student of what is right and just . . . one must first have received a proper upbringing in moral conduct."

Where does one acquire the proper upbringing in moral conduct? Does the state have any role in this matter? The role of government is one of deterrence. Our government has defined certain activities as not being allowed. Violators of these acts, which society has decided are immoral or unethical, are subject to punishment. Due to its ability to punish, government is in an excellent position to motivate people to do the right thing.

But when it comes to making sure that the individual has a proper moral upbringing, the government enters into the process rather late.

Private institutions, most notably the family (and those entrusted by the family) must by necessity take the earliest and primary role. Acting in an ethical and moral manner needs to become a habit. This should be done before one has an opportunity to transgress in a way that piques the interest of government.

What Is the Right Thing?

The rules of ethical behavior are very difficult to define. It is perhaps easier to define what isn’t ethical than to define what is. This is very different from the study of physical science where there are rules (laws) that can be applied to almost everything. If the family or other private institutions are by necessity entrusted with instilling moral and ethical values to the young, where do they find the guidance to determine what the right thing is? If one does not believe in certain principles, be they based upon religious precepts or a moral code, studying ethics is an empty academic exercise. It is from these principles or codes that ethical behavior springs.

In day-to-day life, the variety of possibilities is endless when it comes to ethics. No two situations are ever exactly alike. Change one of dozens of characteristics and the ethical action may be completely different.

For those few who always do the right thing, it is easy to be ethical. For those who regularly do not do the right thing, unethical behavior is also easy. Most of us fall in between and face ethical problems all of the time. Is it okay to do something only a "little unethical" if it brings others or ourselves happiness? Is it possible to be happy if we have done something a "little unethical"? The correct answer to both of these questions is no. The study of ethics can help us sort out these issues.

Doing the Right Thing

To do the right thing, one must have had a moral upbringing (or have acquired one later in life). You must want to do the right thing. Studying ethics then becomes useful. It helps us to decide the proper course of action. We may then make reasoned choices so that we are able to: Do the right thing.

In upcoming issues of the CPCU News, the authorship of the "Question of Ethics" feature will rotate among members of the CPCU Society’s Ethics Committee. If you have suggestions for upcoming articles or comments about the "Question of Ethics" column, please contact Timothy J. Gephart, CPCU, Ethics Committee Chairman, at tjg@mlmins.com.

Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this column are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the CPCU Society membership.