Knowledge brings a huge responsibility along with it. This statement is an inescapable fact. Knowledge itself is a blessing. When individuals are ignorant, there are no expectations from them. However, religion and society together place a huge emphasis on the role of a knowledgeable person. A small example of this are specialized persons everywhere who, being expert in their fields, are expected to practically implement their years of learning. A fireman will be expected to put out fire by society because he or she has the necessary skills for completing the action. It is mandatory to adopt an active role in society whenever duty calls because knowledge decays if it is not actively updated. The implementing of the action will update the knowledge database in the human mind regularly, enabling him or her to challenge the circumstances and change everything for the better.
There are other examples which support this claim. During eye witness testimonies as well as other areas of life such as robbery and criminal investigation, the people who are aware of the anomaly are expected by the society to help those in need of help. They are, reluctantly, faced with the ethical issue of moral reasoning where they have to decide between whether they would like to withhold the information or if they wish to reveal it. Sometimes, they have to weigh their solutions against the consequences that are posed to the society itself. Knowledge is a gift which has to be cherished and used to the utmost benefit of the society.
The importance of knowledge and its correct implementation has also been argued by religion. Jesus Christ laid a great amount of stress on using knowledge ideally. All religious values are based on the idea that actions must be governed by morals. These morals are shaped by religion and require an individual to act in accordance with the morals that are shaped by the society. The idea of knowledge in religion relates with enlightenment. This pertains to the fact that a person knows how to distinguish between right and wrong. Therefore, knowledge, which is an opposite of ignorance, expects them to shape moralistic values.
The ethical responsibility comes in the decision making that is required on the part of the individual who is expected to decide why he or she is inclined towards a certain decision. Moreover, the decision taken by a person is contingent upon personal benefits over social benefits. Having knowledge leads a person to questioning the society. This is why most people argue that ignorance is bliss because this is an attempt to escape the burden that is accompanied with knowing something. However, the ethical issues lie in the way each individual accepts or refuses the responsibility to accept anything that has occurred.
This concept of ethics makes it incumbent to define the idea of knowledge in ethics. The term knowledge management is a curriculum that aims to rethink the nature of knowledge and its application in different fields. There is a consensus that the subject of Ethics deals with ruminating over the problem. There is no emphasis on the definition of the problem as it is believed that problem is widespread enough for the individual dealing in resolving the ethical aspects knows what the problem is all about. In such cases where the ethical criteria is to be met, Later on, this subject was combined with the discourse on Ethics defining how the definition of knowledge that changes with various subjects applies to the action that is undertaken.
In a research conducted at the St. Olaf college in United States of America, it was hypothesized that the knowledge management systems and the Knowledge of Ethics were interrelated. The research was backed up by a report produced on how the computer experts use details from several researches conducted in their relevant fields that permit them to make moralistic decisions.
In the study that looked into the field of computing, moral exemplars from Scandinavia and UK were called in to discuss their ideology on good computing. There were four common points in the moral exemplars in the field of good computing. There criteria for recruiting persons in the field were primarily dependent on the following factors:
Evidence indicating a moral respect in the field of computing
Showing respect for humanity by maintaining a balance between interests of a personal nature and the moral issues
An ability to make a computing decision that would drive the larger crowd towards a morally justified action.
The aforementioned factors display a mix of two concepts that are namely awareness and ethics. This study advocates the statement that the possession of knowledge carries greater responsibility needed to channel people towards moral action. Apart from the field of computing, there are other areas which are governed through the inter-mix of knowledge and ethics. In the area of business and industries, more and more empirical research is being conducted on the probability of industrial and natural disasters and their effects on one another. Furthermore, there is also an issue that has arisen due to the industrial disasters that have caused the industrial leaders, emergency managers to re-assess their information and knowledge management systems with regard to what moral actions must be taken to reduce the probability and risks of an industrial disaster.
This research that is being advanced in the field of business with regard to industrial damage has caused the emergency managers to revise their concepts and update them to fit into the current nature of moral action.
Another example of Knowledge and Ethical reasoning is with regard to the issue of Euthanasia which is also referred to as mercy-killing. This is a question of morality on the part of lawyers, doctors, nurses and the family members of people who are involved in this. Even after years and years of debate, the issues still remains highly debatable. It is because no resolution has been sought to deal with it. This has given rise to social dilemma that is involved in the decision making which has to be resolved but it is difficult to achieve due to conflict between knowledge and emotions. (Tamayo, 2011)
A study was conducted in Australia testing the knowledge and attitudes of nurses on the issues of Euthanasia and assisted suicide. A total of 390 nurses were required to complete an online questionnaire that expected them to identify a situation of Euthanasia and the one of physician-assisted suicide. There was a huge support in legalizing Euthanasia when compared with the permission of physician assisted suicide. The findings of the study pointed at the need for educating the nurses more on the issue of Euthanasia and the difference between physician assisted suicides. This gap in analysis on the part of nurses was due to way they had limited information on the issue which further questioned their position to the authority in making decisions for patients.
As mentioned earlier, knowledge is a blessing. While the prevalent concept must have been ignorance is bliss, this proverb was invented by people who lacked the courage to face the new piece of information and utilize it effectively got moral action. (Berry, 2006)
The idea behind moral judgment is contingent upon the ability to act on the information provided. Professionals and experts in the field are approached by people because they require the right pattern of problem solving which could only come from people who have the necessary knowledge to chalk out an effective strategy to problem solving.
Most people argue that they do not choose to be given such a responsibility and they do not wish that it should be trusted over their shoulders. While this question is largely debatable due to the consequences it leaves on personal choice and collective decision making, the idea of responsibility is imposed by society. Why does a person choose to know something? There has to be a desire to bring change which comes through making a decision that would actually bring this change. (Hayes, 2011)
Those who are bestowed with the ability to attain some degree of knowledge are provided with the ultimate weapon needed to change the world. What governs the world is the right way through which the information could actually allow an individual to question and become an active member of the society for his and her as well as the good of the society in general.
In conclusion, it is absolutely justified to argue that knowledge brings a great amount of responsibility which must be accepted rather than turned away through the veil of ignorance.
Works Cited
Tamayo-Velázquez, María-Isabel, Pablo Simón-Lorda, and Maite Cruz-Piqueras. "Euthanasia And Physician-Assisted Suicide: Knowledge, Attitudes And Experiences Of Nurses In Andalusia (Spain)." Nursing Ethics 19.5 (2012): 677-691. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 Nov. 2012.
B. Hayes, et al. "Ego Development, Ethical Decision-Making, And Legal And Ethical Knowledge In School Counselors." Journal Of Adult Development 18.1 (2011): 50-59. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 Nov. 2012.
Berry, R. J. "Fabricated Nature: Where Are The Boundaries?." Ecotheology: Journal Of Religion, Nature & The Environment 11.1 (2006): 9-31. Academic Search Complete. Web. 16 Nov. 2012.
