Ethics and the Maritime Profession: An Argument for Teaching in Maritime Training and Strategies for Making Ethical Decisions

T. R. Moore
Maine Maritime Academy, USA

T. R. Moore

Abstract

The teaching of ethical decision-making should be included as an integral part of professional mariner training. While traditional training must cover essential areas such as power plants, navigation, personnel management, and communication, it is equally important to teach a basic knowledge of ethical reasoning.

In our competitive, global business world we must subscribe to the maxim that good business is ethical business. To that end, mariner training should include an historical overview of the philosophy of ethics as well as discussions of case studies. Even more important, however, is to articulate and discuss paradigms for making ethical decisions. Training should provide a framework for thinking that will generate insight and provide direction for final decisions. The work of Dr. Rush-worth Kidder at the Institute for Global Ethics in Camden, Maine, provides a language and a methodology for such decision-making.