These are some examples of ethic codes in direct contrast with each other:
- Confidentiality vs. Mandatory Reporting
- Honesty vs. Loyalty
- Non-maleficence vs. Beneficence
What are these ethic codes?
Confidentiality vs. Mandatory Reporting
In many professions, such as healthcare, social work, and education, there is a strong ethical obligation to maintain confidentiality. This means that professionals must not disclose confidential information about their clients or patients to anyone else without their consent. However, there are some exceptions to this rule, such as when there is a risk of harm to the individual or others. In these cases, professionals may be mandated to report certain information to authorities.
Honesty vs. Loyalty
In general, it is considered ethical to be honest and truthful. However, there are situations in which honesty may conflict with loyalty. For example, if a friend confides in you about something illegal they have done, you may feel torn between your ethical obligation to be honest and your loyalty to your friend.
Non-maleficence vs. Beneficence
Non-maleficence is the ethical principle of avoiding harm. Beneficence is the ethical principle of doing good. These two principles can sometimes conflict with each other. For example, if you are a doctor, you may need to perform a painful procedure on a patient in order to save their life. This would be considered beneficent, but it would also involve causing harm.