Applications of social ethics to
modern issues
A look through “21 Lessons for the 21st Century” by Yuval Noah Harari
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Applications of social ethics to modern issues
• Gender Bias and Issues
• Social ethics principles like justice and equality can be applied to
identify and challenge gender bial
• This includes issues like
• Unequal pay
• Lack of representation in leadership positions and
• Discriminatory social norms
• Gender violence
• Social ethics condemn violence of any kind
• Addressing gender violence required promoting respect for all
individuals fostering a culture of zero tolerance for abuse
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Applications of social ethics to modern issues
• Social discrimination
• Social ethics advocate for treating everyone with dignity and respect,
regardless of background or identity
• This means challenging discrimination based on race, ethnicity,
religion, sexual orientation or any other factor
• Constitutional protection and policies
• Constitution often enshrine fundamental rights and principles that
reflect social ethics values like equality and due process
• Social ethics can inform policy decisions to ensure these rights are
upheld and create a just and equitable society
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Applications of social ethics to modern issues
• Inclusive Practices
• Social ethics encourage fostering inclusive practices that welcome and
value diversity
• This can evolve creating spaces where everyone feels safe to
participate and contribute, regardless of their background or beliefs
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Possible insights from Harari’s book
• Global challenges and shared values
• Harari’s book might explore how global challenges like climate change
or pandemics necessitate cooperation and shared ethical values across
societies
• Impact of technology
• The book might discuss the ethical implications of new technologies
like artificial intelligence on issues like gender bias or social
discrimination
• The future of work and social justice
• The book explores how automation and technological advancements
might impact social justice issues like income inequality or access to
opportunities 5
APPLICATION OF ETHICAL
REASONING TO SOCIAL
PROBLEMS
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Application of ethical reasoning to social problems
1. Identifying social problems
• Ethical reasoning begins by identifying and defining social problems
that involve ethical considerations
• These problems may include issues such as
• Poverty
• Inequality
• Discrimination
• Environmental degradation
• Access to healthcare and
• Human rights violation
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Application of ethical reasoning to social problems
2. Analysis of Ethical dimensions
• Ethical reasoning involves analyzing the ethical dimensions of social
problems, considering how they impact
• Individuals
• Communities and
• Society as a whole
• This analysis may involve examining questions of
• Fairness
• Justice
• Rights
• Responsibilities and
• The common good
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Application of ethical reasoning to social problems
3. Ethical principles and values
• Ethical reasoning dawns upon a range of ethical principles and values
to guide decision-making and action
• These may include principles such as
• Respect for autonomy
• Beneficence (நற்செயல்)
• Non-maleficence (தீங் கற்ற தன்மை)
• Justice
• Fairness
• Compassion and
• Empathy
• By applying these principles, individuals and communities can evaluate
the ethical implications of different courses of action
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Application of ethical reasoning to social problems
4. Balancing conflicting values
• Ethical reasoning requires balancing the competing concerns in a way
that respects the dignity and rights of all individuals involved
• Example: addressing poverty may require balancing concerns for
economic efficiency with considerations of social justice and equity
(நியாயம்)
• 5. Ethical decision-making
• This involves weighing the potential benefits and harms of different
options, considering the perspectives of all stakeholders and choosing
actions that align with ethical principles and values
• Decision-making may involve trade-offs and compromises, but ethical
reasoning helps ensure that choices are guided by moral integrity and
concern for the well-being of others
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Application of ethical reasoning to social problems
6. Ethical advocacy and action
• Ethical reasoning motivates individuals and communicates to advocate
for social change and take action to address social problems
• This may involve
• Raising awareness
• Mobilizing resources
• Engaging in activism
• Lobbying for policy change and
• Supporting initiatives that promote social justice
• Equality and
• Human rights
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Application of ethical reasoning to social problems
7. Evaluation and reflection
• Ethical reasoning also involves ongoing evaluation and reflection on
the effectiveness and ethical implications of interventions aimed at
addressing social problems
• This includes
• Assessing whether actions align with ethical principles
• Evaluating their impact on affected individuals and communities and
• Adapting strategies in light of new information and
• Changing circumstances
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Application of ethical reasoning to social problems
8. Promoting ethical leadership and collaboration
• Ethical reasoning encourages ethical leadership and collaboration
among individuals, organizations and institutions involved in
addressing social problems
• By fostering a culture of ethical behavior, accountability and mutual
respect, ethical reasoning helps build trust and solidarity, enhancing
efforts to create positive social change
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Application of ethical reasoning to social problems
Challenges of Ethical reasoning
• Competing Values
• Different ethical frameworks may prioritize different values, leading to
conflicting solutions
• Unforeseen consequences
• Solutions may have unintended consequences that create new ethical
dilemmas
• Power dynamics
• Implementation of solutions can be difficult due to power imbalances
in society
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Application of ethical reasoning to social problems
• Importance of ethical reasoning
• We can approach social problems in a thoughtful and systematic way
• It helps us identify solutions that are not just effective but also fair, just
and respectful of human dignity
• Its an ongoing process that requires critical thinking, open dialogue
and a commitment to building a better future for all
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Applying ethical reasoning to
social problems – insights from
st
“21 lessons for the 21 century”
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GENDER BIAS AND ISSUES
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GENDER BIAS AND ISSUES
1. Economic disparities (வித்தியாெம்)
• Compared to men, women often face
• Wage gaps
• Occupational segregation and
• Limited access to economic opportunities
• This is influenced by factors such as
• Unequal pay for equal work
• Lack of representation in leadership positions and
• Societal expectations regarding women’s roles in workforce
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GENDER BIAS AND ISSUES
2. Education
• Despite progress, disparities in education still exist with girls in some
regions facing barriers such as
• Limited access to schooling
• Gender-based violence in educational settings and
• Cultural norms that prioritize boys’ education over girls’
3. Healthcare
• Women may encounter gender bias in healthcare including disparities
in
• Medical research
• Misdiagnosis or underdiagnosis of certain health conditions and
• Limited access to reproductive healthcare services including contraception
(கருத்தமை) and abortion (கருச்ெிமதவு)
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GENDER BIAS AND ISSUES
4. Violence against women
• Gender-based violence including
• Domestic violence
• Sexual assault and
• Trafficking
• Women and girls are disproportionately affected by such violence,
often stemming from unequal power dynamics and entrenched
(வவரூன்றிய) gender norms
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GENDER BIAS AND ISSUES
5. Political representation
• Women continue to be underrepresented in political leadership roles,
both globally and domestically
• Women’s participation in politics and decision-making processes are
often hindered by
• Structural barriers
• Societal norms and
• Cultural attitudes
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GENDER BIAS AND ISSUES
6. Media representation
• Gender bias in media portrayal perpetuates (நிமைத்த) harmful
stereotypes and unrealistic standards for both men and women
• This includes
• Objectification ( Puranilaipaduthudhal)
• Sexualization and
• Limited portrayal (sitharippu) of diverse gender identities and experiences
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GENDER BIAS AND ISSUES
7. Legal Rights
• Despite progress in legal frameworks, gender bias still exists in laws
and policies, affecting issues such as
• Property rights
• Inheritance laws and
• Access to justice for survivors of gender-based violence
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GENDER BIAS AND ISSUES
Types of Gender Bias
• Stereotypes
• Attributing certain traits, behaviors or abilities to a person based solely on
their gender
• Eg.: Men are assertive, women are emotional
• Unconscious bias
• Implicit biases that we may not even be aware of, influencing our thoughts
and behavior towards different genders
• Gender discrimination
• Treating someone differently or denying them opportunities based on their
gender (unequal pay, limited career advancement)
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GENDER BIAS AND ISSUES
Consequences of gender bias
• Limited opportunities
• Individuals may be excluded from pursuing their full potential due to bias
• Unequal access to resources
• Psychological impact
• Low self-esteem(சுயைரியாமத)
• Anxiety (கவமை) and
• Depression (ைனச்வொர்வு)
• Social costs
• Hinders economic growth and social progress
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GENDER BIAS AND ISSUES
Combating gender bias
• Raising awareness
• Policy changes
• Implementing policies that promote equal pay, parental leave, etc.
• Workplace initiatives
• Companies can implement unconscious bias training and create a culture of
inclusion and respect
• Individual action
• Challenging our own biases and promoting gender equality in our daily
interactions
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