Making Ethical Decisions: Alternative Approaches

May 5, 2000 - Red Deer, Alberta

How will the conference be applicable to what I do?

We all face ethical issues every day. Almost everyone faces situations in which they are responsible for making decisions that will have significant impact on someone else's health or welfare, but feel distress about whether they are doing the right thing. When you find yourself torn between various options, and are unsure of how to go about making a decision that is consistent with your considered values, you are facing an ethical question.

The conference is designed to provide you with tools to clarify what your own values are, and then to act on these. Doing so is the essence of integrity. Getting there is called ethical decision-making.

What is the goal of the conference? 

The goal of the conference is to expose participants to alternative approaches to making ethical decisions and to explore how each can be applied to practical situations in everyday life and work.

 

What will I learn? 

Participants will leave the conference with a better understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of various approaches to dealing with ethical issues.
The conference will provide the opportunity to develop skills of decision-making by seeing how these approaches are relevant to practical situations and by applying them to case scenarios.

 

Will the conference provide me with answers to ethical issues? 

No. The conference will provide you with tools to sort through ethical issues. There is no generally accepted algorithm for making ethical decisions. But there are ways of clarifying ethical issues that give us a better understanding of them and allow us to approach them in a systematic manner.

 

How will the day be structured? 

The morning will be structured in the format of a 'court of ethics'. The facts of a case will be presented and then each of the four speakers will attempt to convince the jury (the audience) of the value of their particular approach to dealing with the dilemma. This will be done in an interactive manner and questions from the jurors (you) will be invited. In the afternoon, breakout sessions will provide an opportunity to explore one of the perspectives in greater depth, and apply its reasoning to a practical dilemma. In the final session of the day, the presenters will reverse their roles and critique their own perspectives before opening up the floor for general discussion.

 

Registration & Other Notes 

Fees

• Early Registration $125
  (Registration form and payment must be received by 5:00PM, April 17, 2000 -- Sorry no exceptions)

• Regular Registration $150
  (Registration form and payment received after by 5:00PM, April 17, 2000)

• Student and Senior $60
  (Please attach a copy of dated identification)

Registration Form 

Confirmation 

All Early Registrants should receive confirmation of registration by April 24, 2000. Registrations received after April 17 will not receive confirmation. Submission of registration forms & fees on or before April 17 does not guarantee admission, as space is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.

Financial Assistance 

 A limited number of bursaries are available through the PHEN User Fund. Deadline for applications is April 10, 2000. Please contact a PHEN office for more info.

Hotel 

 The Capri Centre is located at 3310 - 50 Ave, Red Deer. For room reservations call 1.800.662.7197.

Cancellations 

 Cancellations received on or before April 24 will be refunded the full registration fee less a $25.00 administration charge. No cancellation refunds will be provided after April 24.

Accessibility 

 Capri convention facilities and select guest rooms are wheelchair accessible.