Essential Concepts in Professional Ethics and Law

Core Legal and Ethical Principles

• Standard of Due Care: The expected level of diligence and care in a specific situation.
• Cohort: A group sharing a common characteristic, often used in studies.
• Legal Hybrid Theory: A blend of different legal principles or theories.
• Conflict of Interest: A situation where personal interests clash with professional duties.
• Broad View of Corporate Responsibility: Corporations have wider societal responsibilities.
• Pros & Cons of Protections: Advantages and disadvantages of legal and ethical protections.
• Paternalism: Governing individuals by limiting their autonomy for their perceived benefit.
• Corporate Personhood: Legal notion granting corporations certain individual rights.
• The Pacing Problem: Technology advances faster than ethical or legal responses.
• Three Types of Causes of Failure: Moral, organizational, and systemic failures.
• Aspirational Ethics: Ethics aiming for higher standards beyond the minimum.
• Privity of Contract: Contracts binding only the agreeing parties.
• Legal Liability: Responsibility for actions under law.
• Product Liability: Manufacturer or seller responsibility for product safety.
• Strict Product Liability: Liability for product defects regardless of fault.
• Collegia: Ancient associations similar to modern professional organizations.
• Macroethical: Ethical issues affecting large groups or society.
• Groupthink: Desire for harmony in a group leading to poor decisions.
• Trade Guilds: Associations of artisans or merchants controlling a craft.
• Patent vs. Copyright: A patent protects inventions; copyright protects original works.
• Plagiarism: Using others' work or ideas without proper attribution.
• Professional Negligence: Failing to meet professional standards of care.
• Problem of Many Hands: Difficulty in pinpointing responsibility in group actions.
• NPE (Non-Practicing Entity): Entity holding patents but not manufacturing based on them.
• IP (Intellectual Property): Legal rights from intellectual activity.
• Recklessness: Disregarding substantial risks in actions.
• Technological Determinism: Belief that technology shapes society.
• Falsification of Data: Altering or misrepresenting data intentionally.
• Fabrication of Data: Making up data or results.
• Preventive Ethics: Anticipating and preventing ethical issues.
• Good Works: Actions contributing positively to society.
• Citizens United v. FEC: Supreme Court case on corporate political spending.
• Replication Crisis: Difficulty in replicating scientific study results.
• RIC (Responsible, Inclusive, Consistent): Ethical decision-making framework.