PROFESSİONALİSMAssoc. Prof. Dr. Şehnaz Şahinkarakaş

PHİLOSOPHY OF ETHİCS (BİSHOP, 2004)

Two modes of actions in Greek philosophy (Aristotle)i) do the right thing, in the right way at the right time

pros: we understand that ethical decisions are complex: not only doing it right but also timing and manner of action is important

cons: we don’t know how to figure out what is right; right manner or time

ii) act the way a good or virtuous person would act in a given situation

pros: it guides us to imagine a good person cons: how to pick out a good person

PHİLOSOPHY OF ETHİCS (BİSHOP, 2004) Two traditions from early modern developments i) satisfaction / utilitarianism: We act considering

the greatest amount of satisfaction or utility over anyone that is affected (achieving maximum satisfaction) pros: comfortable to talk about the satisfaction or utilities

(they can be measured and quantified) than talk about rights or freedom violated)

cons: (a) success is not measured only by satisfaction, but measured by achieving the worthy ends

(b) all satisfactions are accepted to be equal; i.e., dominating others is not different from helping others (e.g. a married couple’s preference for privacy is accepted to be the same as a gas company’s preference to pollute)

(c) has a narrow view of equality: distribution or resources are considered according to the satisfaction a person has, not the capacities of separate persons

PHİLOSOPHY OF ETHİCS (BİSHOP, 2004)

ii) Kantianism: determining ethical conducts not as satisfaction, but as ideals of universal law and respect for others; i.e., trying to see the rightness or wrongness of an act in itself pros: accepted to be pioneer in modern ethical

thinking cons: not instrumental in developing an

adequate professional ethics

BUT, Kant’s ethical thoughts are important while thinking about a professional ethics

KANTİANİSM AND LANGUAGE TESTİNG Two reasons/minds:

Theoretical reason: understanding objects as they are given to us; it assesses the ways things are

Practical reason: constructing objects according to a conception of them; it decides how the world should be and what individuals should do (constructivism)

For language testers Theoretical reason: measuring the degree of language

competence as it is given to them (a reliable and valid test) (WHAT to measure?) Practical reason: thinking about how to construct objects

according to a certain conception; i.e., thinking of a way to measure that language competence and the appropriate uses of those measures (responsible and ethical use of tests)

(HOW to measure it?)

WHY ARE OBJECTS CONSTRUCTED BY PRACTİCAL REASON? (BİSHOP, 2004)

1. They are not found or discovered in the world: we form an idea and we construct a system

2. They affect the way institutions and people develop and they are bound to change

3. They have certain contents that limit what can count an ethical value

DISCUSSION

For Kant, guides to ethical actions are constructed (Constructivism)

Then can we say that ethics is constructed?

And can we say standardized tests, although valid and reliable, are ethical?

PROFESSİONAL MORALİTY

A professional morality provides ‘a contract for the profession and the individual with the public’ (Davies, 1997)

What are the three moralities (Davies, 1997; Hamp-Lyons, 2000) Public/Social (large social issues; e.g. Capital

punisment) Professional (codes, contracts, professional

training) Individual (issues of conscience)

PROFESSİONALİSM AS A COMMUNİTY OF PRACTİTİONERS

Testing Practitioners!!

‘Each individual tester counts himself/herself as part of a community of practitioners, and so engages in discussion, debate and research that leads to progress’ (coursebook, p. 138)

Do you agree?

INDİVİDUALİTY (1)

‘Each individual has a critical role to challenge the community to question its currently accepted position’ (coursebook, p. 140)

In an ethical community, individuals question their positions constantly (instead of accepting things as they are)

i.e. They listen to OTHERS! And consider seriously what THEY THINK!

INDİVİDUALİTY (2)

Then what is the role of a language tester in the professional community? Being neither ‘subservient to nor independent

from the society’ (coursebook, p. 141)

‘What is public (or indeed professional) and what is individual is not stable: what for me my well be a matter of individual ethics (or morality) may for others…be a matter of public concern’ (Davies, 1997)

Then, is it possible to say that ethics is bound to change in time?

Language testers should ensure a balance between the professional ethical code and the individual moral conscience.

Is it possible to have a conflict between individual morality and professional ethics? Give reasons

Have you ever been bothered by conflict between a professional ethic and your own moral consciousness? Discuss with your friends. What did you do? How did you feel? …

Write 1-2 paragraphs in which you define what Professional Ethics is in LTA