Blackwell Reference Online

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Roles are positions in business or the professions to which different social functions attach; role morality is the assumption of different normative ethical systems for different roles. The central issue here is whether different social roles require distinct norms or moral frameworks to guide their behavior. For there to be truly distinct role moralities, it is not sufficient that those in different social roles or professions enter into unique relations with others. All social roles involve relations that uniquely define them to be the roles they are. Instead, moral considerations that arise elsewhere must be weighed differently, must be systematically augmented or diminished in their weight, against opposing considerations in proper moral deliberations in these social contexts. An occupant of the role (for example, a lawyer or business manager) must be called upon to ignore certain moral rights, or certain utilities or disutilities, that would otherwise be morally decisive. Often such special norms reflect some value central to the definition of the social role in question, and the norm gives that value extra weight for the occupant of the role. Lawyers are called upon to ignore the interests of third parties in zealously pursuing the legal objectives of their clients within the bounds of law. Journalists routinely ignore what others might properly perceive as rights to privacy ... log in or subscribe to read full text