Moral Conflict

http://www.beyondintractability.org/essay/intolerable_moral_differences/

Few helpful websites for your reading pleasures...

http://www.fred.net/tzaka/mill.html
http://www.ethics.org.au/things_to_do/ethics_workout/what_is_ethics/index.htm
http://www.bbc.co.uk/education/asguru/generalstudies/culture/02morality/index.shtml

Teleological Theories

Classical ethical theories can be categorized in two major divisions, the first being teleological. These theories measure the worth of an action by its results: The best action produces the greatest good for the most people. The emphasis is on determining what is good, rather than what is right (Ward, 1998). Consequently, it is possible to select a course of action which is harmful or unjust to an individual or group, as long as the benefits to others outweigh these negative effects. As long as the action produces more good than harm, it is ethically correct, according to teleological theory.
Evaluating an action based solely on its results creates difficulty, in that it is troublesome – often impossible – to ascertain all of the many consequences. The complexities of an issue due to such considerations as the interrelationships between people and systems and uncertainties in the many variables make it problematic to predict accurately the consequences of an action. Thus, teleological theories are limited in their usefulness for guiding a person through an ethical dilemma.
Furthermore, adherents of these theories do not seek to evaluate the process used to reach a goal or outcome. The common philosophical question of "Do the ends justify the means?" is not an issue in teleological theories because the means are irrelevant. Since the results are the only measure of the value of an action, any methods, no matter how questionable, can be justified to achieve any desirable objective.

(Source: http://zyx.org/Teleological.htm)

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Normative Ethical Principles and Theories:

Descriptive theory explains how things are (e.g., this paper is white; most Americans eat meat; etc.), whereas normative or prescriptive theory tells us how things ought to be (people ought to be honest, etc.). Ethics is about what ought to be, not what is. We simply would not need to consider what we ought to do if we always did it as a matter of course. Since we are focusing on morality and ethics, we are concerned with what morally ought to be the case. All ethical theories use various normative ethical principles in assessing or justifying actions and behavior. To be practical and beneficial, ethical discourse must use understandings, procedures, and judgment criteria that all rational people who are concerned with morality and ethics must affirm. We need to understand that ethical principles must be the ground rules for our moral decision-making—they should not simply be factors we take into consideration.
Below are fundamental principles/concepts that pertain to different ethical theories. A word of caution, however, when justifying (e.g., defending, arguing for, etc.) your moral judgment or moral rule: Do not simply select two or three normative principles that are part of a normative theory. You must USE the theory, of which the principles are a part, to justify your position, not simply list principles. You must clearly explain how these ethical principles defend or justify your judgment or rule. Review your lecture notes from the ethics/ philosophy course and the books used in the class. Also, review very closely the Moral Reasoning Guidelines for the appropriate evaluation, discovery, and justification procedures.

(Source: http://www.stedwards.edu/ursery/norm.htm)

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