"A Method of Social Ethical Analysis"
by Theodore Walker, Jr.
Social ethical analysis includes these basic elements:
interpretive themes,
circles of concern (usually selected human populations),
descriptions (of past and present circumstances),
predictions (future circumstances projected from present & past circumstances),
visions (of more favorable, more righteous, ideal or utopian futures),
prescriptions (doing differently contributing to a favorably different future), and
values.
Interpretive themes are those themes by which human social existence is interpreted or
understood.
Descriptions are historical and sociological accounts of past and presently continuing
circumstances.
Predictions are projections of future circumstances derived from considering the
influences of past and present trends.
Visions include predictions plus visions of an alternative more favorable, more
righteous, even ideal or utopian future.
Prescriptions are social ethical imperatives and public policy recommendations for
doing-being differently so as to contribute to a favorably different future.
Each of these distinct yet overlapping elements are thoroughly permeated by
values and value judgments about what is significant, important, worthy of attention, and
good or bad.
Hence,
one systematic method of doing social analytic and social ethical reflection is
to do the following: