Session 3 - Voices from the Past; Messages For the Present

Humans have been debating ethical behaviour since the first group decided to share a cave. A lot has changed, but the question, "How should we behave toward each other?" is still vitally important. In this session we will examine Aristotle’s Virtue Ethics, a model that defines to this day ethical business and leadership practices, and how to put it into action in the bereavement profession. We will discuss questions such as, what are my obligations to my employees/employer and what are my obligations to my clients? Is it my business to make money or to help people, and how can I ethically do both? We will also examine Social Contract Theory and the question, “How do I balance my individual rights and personal gain against my obligations to society and to others?”

Presenter

Jane Ann has written two Professional Ethics Textbooks, The Right Choice: Making Ethical Decisions on the Job and Ethics in Action: Making Ethical Decisions in Your Daily Life used in colleges across Canada. She has taught professional ethics at the college level for over a decade, as well as teaching corporate ethics through Conestoga College's corporate training department for many years. She has spoken and offered workshops at numerous conferences across North America and Internationally as well as offering hands-on workshops. Jane Ann has her degree in Adult Education, as well as a B.A. and M.A. in English and Communications.