Grounding Development in Ethics. Ethics’ Metatheoretical Foundations and Implications to Development

Abstract or Introduction

The paper surveys five dominant ethical frameworks in ethical studies: Virtue Ethics, Deontological Ethics, Utilitarianism, Ethics of Difference, and the Ethics of Care. In so doing, it attempts to answer the question "Is there a need to ground development theory and practice in ethics?"

The author discusses the five frameworks' ethical questions, ethical aim, and their relevance, appropriateness, and responsiveness to both development theory and practice. Ultimately, the author argues that grounding development in ethics is not only an urgent and necessary task, but also, a fulfilling one.

In order to comprehend the peculiarities of development ethics, the perusal of five dominant ethical frameworks in ethical studies: Virtue Ethics, Deontological Ethics, Utilitarianism, Ethics of Difference, and the Ethics of Care, is a must. In so doing, it is hoped that one’s conception of development and its application would be duly informed by the various justifications for ethical behavior and the sources of normativity, as presented by the different approaches. Coursing through these various frameworks, one is faced with the question of the necessity and urgency to ground development in ethics.