If someone does a bad thing for a good reason, does that make that person
ethical or unethical? Don't worry, there is no right or wrong answer -- as
ethics students quickly learn.
"There are many different approaches to, and beliefs about, right and wrong,"
says Elisabeth Boetzkes, who teaches biomedical ethics at a university. "What
may seem like a simple issue -- for instance, the ethics of cloning -- is
really very complex. If you begin with the idea that finding answers is easy,
you'll end up with a very superficial view."
Ethics is usually offered under a school's philosophy department, but
it can be offered by other areas. For example, some law schools offer
courses in legal ethics. Some science programs may offer courses in medical
or bioethics.
Students who want to specialize in a particular type of ethics may need
to study other areas as well.
"If you're interested in bioethics in particular, you might want to take
science courses, and courses in ecology, since you need to have some scientific
background both for credibility and to know what is possible in the recommendations
you want to make," says Boetzkes.
Be prepared for a lot of reading. It's also important to expose yourself
to real-life ethical issues. "For instance, I often talk to clinicians
at the hospital about difficult cases," says Boetzkes. "It's important for
remembering that ethics involves real people, and that each case is slightly
different."
You have to be willing to study moral positions, says Paul Lauritzen,
a professor of applied ethics at John Carroll University in Ohio.
"They must ask hard questions. Do I have the facts right? Am I using concepts
or terms in a way that makes sense and is defensible? Am I being consistent?
If I hold position X, which I accept, does it commit me to position Y, which
I reject?"
Lauritzen says clear thinking and the ability to write clearly are necessary
if you want to succeed.
"Writing well and thinking well go hand in hand," he says. "How are you
going to convince someone that you are right if you cannot express yourself
clearly?"
Extracurricular activities can also be an aid. "I think volunteering
with disadvantaged or vulnerable people could be helpful, as could spending
time with seniors," says Boetzkes.
Besides tuition, you'll have to pay for textbooks.
Links
Classic Texts in Ethics
Read some of the great philosophers' writings on ethics