Etikometodik

Etikometodik, or the methodology of ethics, is a term used to describe the systematic study of how ethical conclusions are reached and how ethical considerations are integrated into decision-making. The concept foregrounds the connection between normative theories of what is good or right and the methods by which such judgments are developed, justified, and applied in practice. In etikometodik, questions concern not only what counts as a morally acceptable outcome, but also how researchers, professionals, and policymakers should reason about trade-offs, uncertainty, and competing values.

Typical components include normative ethical theories such as deontology, utilitarianism, virtue ethics, and care ethics, as well as methodological approaches like casuistry, principlism, and reflective equilibrium. In addition, ethical methodology often employs empirical methods—stakeholder analysis, value clarification, risk-benefit assessment, and participatory or deliberative processes—to ground normative claims in real-world contexts. The approach is interdisciplinary, drawing on philosophy, law, social sciences, and professional codes of conduct.

Applications of etikometodik appear in clinical ethics consultation, research ethics review, business and organizational ethics programs, and public policy design. The aim is to provide transparent, reasoned, and auditable procedures for ethical judgement that can be communicated to affected parties and subjected to critique and revision. Critiques focus on the balance between theory and practice, cultural relativity of values, potential biases in argumentation, and the difficulty of measuring ethical quality. The field continues to evolve as new technologies and social challenges raise novel ethical questions.