Describe how you go about making ethical decisions, relating it to broad theoretical foundations or perspectives, or even to specific texts and theories if you feel they fit.

My main personal values consist of being a responsible, accountable and considerate person. I think this can be demonstrated through actions in everyday life and I try to guide my actions beyond social norms and what is deemed moral or right by society standards. I think many others approach everyday life in a similar manner. Some examples being going above and beyond recycling programs by the city, to ensure all recyclable materials are disposed of properly and buying certain products that have little to no impact on the environment.

I think the major ideas that my ethical conscience falls under would be Rights: I believe that everyone has a basic equal right in society in terms of opportunity. My approach to other people is that everyone deserves privacy and respect of their own lives without much intervention (Negative Rights) while we should all be given equal opportunity in terms of education and career advancement (Positive Rights) (Awakengreen, 2012).

Further I think I could relate my approach somewhat to the theory of Ethical Relativism, where my beliefs are based on that of the culture that I was raised in. I think Ethical Relativism can also be applied to most people around the world. In Canada for example, being a very multi-cultural society based on democratic laws and principals, many citizens act respectful to one another and adopt Canadian culture as a basis for their ethical and moral decisions (respect to others, freedom of religion, etc.). 

All of these values and ethical theories I feel are intrinsically embedded in my actions and thought process and influence how I go about my day and approach people. I think this is a hard question posed this week and one can definitely go into mass detail regarding ethical decisions made in everyday life.

Does anyone else approach life in a similar manner? Please share your thoughts!

References:

https://awakengreen.wordpress.com/2012/12/02/an-introduction-to-five-ethical-theories/

http://www.britannica.com/topic/ethical-relativism