In: Nursing
Explain what Vaughn means when he says that one of the key features of ethics is that they have "normative dominance" and give at least one concrete example of ethics being normatively dominant.
Ethics can be described as in terms of morality which is the human principles which help us with our actions, beliefs, practices to keep us focused on what is right or wrong for the collective good. Essential moral principles are beneficence, justice, autonomy and utility. So when Vaugn says that one of the key features of ethics is that they have "normative dominance" , he essentially means that when in crisis or in a critical judgment situation and the stakes re high in terms of human life and ethics, the normative dominance supersedes all other norms for that situation. We all live in a society where we have set rules and laws for functioning in a way that helps us conduct a happy and peaceful life, but when in crisis we often observe that there is a dominant morality in terms of normative dominance that takes over all the other norms, rules or laws put forth. So in normative ethics it is our morality that helps us decide right from wrong and in out behaviors this morality shows a dominance in our conduct and actions. So morality is a normative characteristics that decides good from bad based on goodness of a person's character on his moral conduct displayed.
The example of normative dominance can be
1. Stealing someones car without getting caught - In this example not getting caught does not justify the act of stealing. Whether caught or not stealing is a bad thing according to ethics and morality. So in terms of normative dominance, stealing supersedes or is in dominant form in terms of bad ethics or morality and getting caught is not a good thing
2. Attacking other person on suspicion of theft - Although theft is a concerning issue and safety and protection of your valuables is important but in terms of normative dominance attacking other human beings is wrong and it supersedes than the act of attacking.