After reading the article “Thinking Ethically”, I realized that I can resonate with the ethical questions that arise when making difficult decisions. At my job working at my family’s funeral home over the summer I oftentimes had to make the decision on whether or not to spend more time talking and comforting people grieving while also ensuring I completed all of the tasks I was given to make sure things run smoothly behind the scenes. I feel like I oftentimes used the Virtue Approach because it values compassion, integrity, fairness, and other characteristics that I apply to the work place.

This article reminds me of a book I had to read called How Good People Make Tough Choices by Rushworth Kidder. This book outlines the “right vs. right” decision making process in which there is no wrong way to go in a dilemma just a better choice for you that aligns with personal values. When making an important decision, I think looking at all outcomes and taking the time to evaluate each step leads to more ethically driven frameworks.

Lastly, I think that this article is very much connected to current events in the world such as the assassination of Charlie Kirk. I think ethics really come into play when there is such a division surrounding a devastating tragedy. It goes to show that not everyone has morals nor do they think ethically when making a choice to hurt another person. I think that better decision making processes could help avoid people making rational decisions to do something so horrible.

Velasquez, Manuel, Claire Andre, Thomas Shanks, S.J., and Michael J. Meyer. “Thinking Ethically.” Markkula Center for Applied Ethics, Santa Clara University.