The Limits of Moral Principle: An Ends, Means, and Role Spheres Model of the Ethical Threshold.

This thesis deals with the philosophical problem of distinguishing right from wrong. Concepts including the existence of truth, intrinsic good, instrumental good, natural law theory, social contract theory, just war theory, and role expectations are integrated into a geometric model of the ethical threshold. The ethical threshold is a secular framework as opposed to an ecclesiastical one representing a crossover boundary between what is ethically justified and what is not. The framework deals more particularly with situations where severe means are contemplated to achieve good ends. The model of the ethical threshold is offered as a device for illuminating or clarifying the issues surrounding ethical dilemmas. This illumination of values can be useful in coping with stressful situations, or it can be of benefit in every aspect of a persons life, depending on ones point of view. In either case, society will benefit. The model can be included in educational curriculum, can be incorporated into quantitative decision making techniques for managerial decisions, and can provide a categorizations scheme for classifying ethical situations in future surveys or studies of ethical issues.