O'Toole B
Mercy Health Services, Farmington Hills, MI, USA.
Health Prog. 1998 Nov-Dec;79(6):38-41, 43.
Most people use four different approaches when making ethical decisions. Some people use one approach predominantly; others vary their approaches according to circumstances. In either case, the approaches are usually chosen unconsciously. The main source of conflict in decision making is the fact that two parties have chosen different approaches. The four approaches are: The principle approach, in which decisions are made according to a principle such as the Ten Commandments or the Golden Rule The consequence approach, in which decisions are made according to their likely outcomes The virtue/character approach, in which decisions are made according to the decision makers's view of his or her responsibilities The moral sentiment approach, in which decisions are made according to the decision maker's feelings Conflicts in decision making become easier to resolve once the decision makers, first, recognize that they are using different approaches, and, second, agree to "change gears" and use the same approach.
大多数人在做出道德决策时会采用四种不同的方法。有些人主要采用一种方法；另一些人则根据具体情况改变方法。无论哪种情况，这些方法通常是在无意识的情况下选择的。决策中冲突的主要来源是双方选择了不同的方法。这四种方法是：原则方法，即根据诸如十诫或黄金法则等原则做出决策；后果方法，即根据可能的结果做出决策；美德/品格方法，即根据决策者对其责任的看法做出决策；道德情感方法，即根据决策者的感受做出决策。一旦决策者首先认识到他们使用的是不同的方法，其次同意“换挡”并使用相同的方法，决策中的冲突就会更容易解决。
