Ethics in Public Administration - A Philosophical Approach

Ethics in Public Administration provides public administrators with a theoretical knowledge of ethical principles and a practical framework for applying them. Sheeran reviews the place of ethics in philosophy, links it to political and administrative theory and practice, and analyzes the ethical theories and concepts from which ethical principles are derived.

Before delving into ethics as part of philosophy, Sheeran provides the reader with a brief overview of philosophy and its principal subjects, including ontology, epistemology, and psychology. He offers several definitions of ethics, and discusses both the objectivist (absolutist) and interpretivist (situation ethics) perspectives. Sheeran focuses on the subject matter of ethics, human actions, and their morality, exploring Natural Law, man-made law, and conscience as sources for determining the morality of human action. In later chapters, he applies his discussion of ethics to such controversial policy issues as suicide, murder, abortion, sterilization, capital punishment, war, lying, and strikes. Recommended for graduate and upper division undergraduate courses in public administration, public policy, management, and administrative behavior.

List of contents

Status of Ethics in Public Administration
Philosophy and Ontology as the Foundation of Ethics
Epistemology and Psychology as the Roots of Ethics
The Focus of Ethics Is Human Actions
The Morality of Human Actions
Laws, Rules, Regulations, and Conscience as Sources of Ethical Guidance
Human Rights and Duties--Duties Toward Ourselves
Duties Toward Other Human Beings
Man's Rights to Private Property
Social Ethics--The Rights and Duties of Man as a Member of Society
Conclusion

About the author

Patrick J. Sheeran

Product details

• Authors: Patrick Sheeran, Sheeran Patrick J.
• Publisher: Bloomsbury
• Languages: English
• Product format: Hardback
• Released: 30.04.1993
• EAN: 9780275943110
• ISBN: 978-0-275-94311-0
• Subjects: Social sciences, law, business > Political science > Political science and political education; BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Business Ethics, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Industries / General, PHILOSOPHY / Ethics & Moral Philosophy, BUSINESS & ECONOMICS / Management, Business ethics & social responsibility, Ethics & moral philosophy, Management & management techniques, Ethics and moral philosophy, Business ethics and social responsibility, Management and management techniques, Civil service and public sector, Civil Service & Public Sector