Tasks 5A, 5B and a little bit of 5C

Ethics in my work place was a bit of a strange one to approach. I'm not currently what people would call an 'active' actor. What with my busy work schedule and all this uni work I have set that aside until I have time for auditions and what not. So, I have done list based around working as a theatre crew member.

I think a lot of these disciplines cross over with those you have when you are performing/acting. Although the two jobs are very different, I feel there is a basic set of values that we all have within the industry. I always aim to be early to work so I'm prepared to 'start' on time. There is an unwritten rule I believe to be there before 'the half' in the theatre so that there is plenty of time, that's why the half was created after all.

I think the term 'ethics' is batted around so much now that it can be confusing. I took Philosophy and Ethics at A Level which I now think is very helpful, it has made this whole idea of ethics a little easier to understand. However, Reader 5 sums it up very well 'Ethics has its roots in moral philosophy and is concerned about the right or the good way to carry out actions'.  I find the history of ethics fascinating (and somewhat comforting as all of it comes flooding back to me whilst I still try to figure out my inquiry question). I know I tend to let my brain run away with an idea so I must try not to let that happen the more I read into ethics.

Ethics In a Professional Context

Ethics is often seen as a basic set of rules to follow. Task 5B asks us to find out what the codes of practice are in our places of work/ professional community. Within my job the hours can be long, often over 12 hour shifts so, I began by looking at the EU Laws on working hours.

Within the acting industry organisations such as Equity are there to protect those 'in the field'. Eleanor wrote a post on the nudity clause.

I've learnt that during my inquiry it is important to ask normative questions, defined as 'In philosophy, normative statements make claims about how things should or ought to be, how to value them, which things are good or bad, and which actions are right or wrong.' This is because it asks you to think about what makes a question right or wrong to ask, it makes you think about the true reasoning behind why you do something. 

Case study 3 brought up some interesting thoughts. Drama schools often have a reputation of being a bit harsh and I'm sure we've all been on the end of some harsh 'constructive' criticism. But how far can you go until it is no longer acceptable? Does that depend on the receiver or the ethics of the distributor? Being aware of the boundaries is something we must all consider during our inquiry, and in some instances when (if at all) it's okay to push them slightly. 

The diagram below shows how all areas of ethics are intertwined. It is important to remember that while my personal ethics may be different to others, I shouldn't let my opinion stop me from listening/ be biased against what they may say. Instead, I should look deeper into why I think one way and someone else the other. By doing this it allows for a more well rounded representation of information. This is because each opinion/idea has been researched and represented with great detail - everyone is given equal chance/representation resulting in a more ethical result.

Reader 5 asks us to think about 'whose door do ethical principles lie' but I think everyone has an 'ethical responsibility'. So I did a quick diagram to show what ethical considerations I will take during my inquiry.

Ethics isn't something that is black and white. During my inquiry I am going to aim to make sure ethics are running throughout and documented evidence is available when required.