Work ethic

As a work ethic is defined as the setting of a working people to his profession. It can be distinguished since the modern era various forms of work ethic, the most famous of the so-called Protestant work ethic and the hacker ethic are. Work ethic (see ethos ) refers to the positive perspective and careful exercise and appreciation of labor. In contrast, the professional ethics dealing with concrete ethical norms, rules and criteria for the proper practice of the profession (eg in the medical field, fire, ambulance and police).

Antiquity and Middle Ages

Both the antiquity and the Middle Ages possessed a fundamentally different relationship toward the work. Among the ancient Greeks, physical work was frowned upon and highly valued philosophy presupposed leisure. The only ancient philosophy, in which the work was praised, was Stoicism.

In medieval times, work was perceived until the Reformation as a hardship, so as a punishment; Augustine emphasizes, for example, in paradise was " commendable job not weary " been ( Sermons on the Book of Genesis, 2.11), while the punishment would be in Hell in eternal work.

Protestant work ethic

The Protestant work ethic is characterized by the notion of work as a duty, which should not be questioned. The work is the center of life, around which leisure is designed. Diametrically opposed to the pre-Reformation view explained the Reformed clergyman Johann Kaspar Lavater in the 18th century, " [ even in heaven ], we can without a job not be blessed " ( prospects into eternity, 1773).

Pekka Himanen summarizes the main features of the Protestant work ethic together as follows: "Labour must be seen as God-given purpose in life, it has to be done as well as possible and work must be the duty that one done, because it needs to be done" ( Himanen 2001 S. 27).

Max Weber leads the emergence of this view on the emergent capitalism back in the 16th century:

More precisely characterizes the Puritan Richard Baxter moral theologian:

Hacker ethic

Completely opposite of the Protestant work ethic is the hacker ethic. It is characterized by passion of activity over, fun and joy of the purpose of the self-chosen employment, far-reaching freedom and liberty, and flexible scheduling. Steve Wozniak coined the formula H = F ³:

Destructive Ethics

When employees do not feel comfortable in a company, they often tend to be the minimum ethics " is good, what makes me keep my job, and the slightest effort costs ". The French political scientist Corinne Maier describes it in "The Discovery of laziness - From Art to do at work as little as possible " (see below ). → See also: Internal Termination

Professional groups

In particular, in the sociology of the importance of professional ethics group is examined. One of the first works in this area is Emile Durkheim physics of morals and justice. Durkheim concludes, in order to realize an ethical and integrated democratic society, one based on liberating standards integration of individuals in the world of work is necessary. For the French society of the 19th century Durkheim stated that the lack of normative regulation contexts is problematic for the whole of society in many occupational groups.

Police

In the training of policemen and women is the focus of a democratic ethics of great importance; in particular to prevent socially problematic phenomena such as corruption and abuse of office. Has agreements relating to issuing of professional ethics teaching by representatives of the police chaplaincy in the Federal Republic of Germany long tradition (Decree of the Minister of the Interior of NRW 1962). In Europe there are for training purposes democracy USEFULLY police officers since 2001 the " European Code Against Police Ethics ". This is a recommendation of the Council of Europe, the core values ​​of policing formulates and recommends training and work to align this Code. In Germany, the orientation towards the Basic Law for the professional ethics is also constitutive.