Ethics: The Foundation of the Principles of Normalization
Produced by David Goode
The Minnesota Governor's Council on Developmental Disabilities
Produced in 1993
Bengt Nirje: During the war and afterward there was much concern with human rights. Concerned with the establishment of the United Nations and this concept. We had young students who took very eager part in the development and in the discussion of those things. I tried later to develop the point of view I have on ethics in this [Inaudible] organization through the principle of normalization because it says you act right. You are apt to act more right than wrong if you, etc., when it comes down to principle…
Now, ethics can also be harder than you think… why to think, and ways to think, and if thinking comes true and if it makes sense and if it's logical. Ethics has more to do with how to act. And why to act. Is this good. Is the action good and [Inaudible]. Is it good in itself, or is it good in its consequence? And that is the question. Do I act? It has nothing to do with morals. I don't like morals. Morals are something we use to say somebody else is wrong and because from our point of view we don't like it and so. And the other person can say exactly the same thing back. So those opin… Those are opinions and they're valued less because they really base on the personal opinions of [Inaudible] and are not interesting. With ethics, we get into questions that is the, do I act right? Do we act right? With regard to other approaches in the same circumstances. And that's what ethics is about and how I look at it. [Inaudible] and that is a concern for me.