#56: A Helpful Model For Making Wise Choices

In this episode, we are discussing how to make wise decisions when faced with ethical dilemmas, both in your personal life and in your studies. My guest is Dr. Scott Rae, a distinguished Christian ethicist and professor at the Talbot School of Theology, Biola University. Scott is widely recognized for his work in bioethics, business ethics, and moral philosophy from a Christian worldview. He holds a Ph.D. in Social Ethics from the University of Southern California and has authored or co-authored numerous influential books, including Moral Choices and Beyond Integrity. Rae is also a frequent speaker and consultant on ethical issues facing the church, business, and society.

In this podcast we discuss:

• How Scott first got interested in learning about ethical reasoning, especially related to business ethics and bioethics
• The four ways people answer the “Says who?” question about right and wrong
• Finding common ground with others on ethical issues
• Scott’s very helpful model of ethical decision making applied to three case studies:
  • Navigating your girlfriend’s pregnancy
  • Wrestling with honoring your friend vs. confidentiality at work
  • Dealing with the challenge of plagiarism at school
• Why “inner peace” is not a good guide to ethical decision making
• Why we shout at one another so much in our polarized culture today

Resources mentioned during our conversation:

• Scott Rae, Moral Choices: An Introduction to Ethics
• Scott Rae, Introducing Christian Ethics: A Short Guide to Making Moral Choices
• Scott Rae and Kenman Wong, Beyond Integrity: A Judeo-Christian Approach to Business Ethics
• Scott Rae and Kenman Wong, Business for the Common Good: A Christian Vision for the Marketplace
• The Center for Bioethics and Human Dignity
• The Theology of Work Project
• The Denver Institute for Faith and Work