Before we can resolve or avoid an ethical problem, we need to understand what makes something ethical. Practical and Professional Ethics: Key Concepts introduces us to a series of real cases where the stakes can be high, the situations complex, and the ethical issues often difficult to see. Drawing on examples from medicine, law, science, and engineering, it offers a practical approach to thinking critically about the ethical problems that occur in our lives and professions, teaching us how to:

§ focus on the ethical aspects of any situation

§ distinguish between different kinds of ethical problems

§ tailor our response to the kind of problem we face

§ construct arguments we can plausibly attribute to those involved

§ identify the role of power, discretion and moral blindness

By guiding us through the concepts, issues and skills at play when we face an ethical problem, we learn how to find a solution. Ideal for students or professionals, this book provides the grounding required to become a more complex moral thinker, a quality that can be applied in a number of fields and jobs.