Mental health is different than mental illness. Yet, public and professional's views of mental health often confuses the two terms. This commentary explores what mental health is, what components consist of a mentally healthy person, and how one can improve and enhance mental health among youth.

There has been much discussion regarding the apparent lack of ethics in leaders of public and private organizations, and elected officials. This commentary proposes a foundation that can be used to establish a standard for ethical leadership. The commentary is grounded in classical ethical theories that can be applied to today's leaders. The…

For a socially just community to occur, decision-making must employ respectful procedures that value input from representatives of all economic contexts. By considering philosophical roots of Western societal development, it is possible to gain insight into the systemic processes underlying these circumstances. By understanding these bases,…

From the standpoint of a former journal editor and long-time professional, this commentary challenges the direction of the profession as demonstrated in this special section. The ongoing creation of more and more ethical constraints not only harms the profession but also loses sight of fundamental ethical principles.

This paper presents J. P. Shaver's model of rational decision making based on moral values and makes specific suggestions for implementing the model in health education instruction. (MM)

Examines the premise that increased research provides important contributions to decision making. The study counterplan assumes that information can be developed in a way manageable to the policymaker, that study can assist in choosing from a variety of competing values, and that thoroughly researched decisions will be procedurally superior. (JMF)

A conceptual framework for making ethical decisions involves evaluating every alternative in terms of core ethical values while considering the impact on all stakeholders. (SK)

Given that many in neuroscience believe all human experience will eventually be accounted for in terms of the activity of the brain, does the concept of moral or values education make sense? And, are we not headed for a singly deterministic notion of the self, devoid of even the possibility of making choices? One obvious objection is that this…

Presents a process for solving ethical dilemmas: define the problem; identify facts; determine values; "slice" the problem different ways--duties, virtues, rights, and common good; rank ethical considerations; consult colleagues; and take action. (SK)

An approach to leadership that is a combination of elements from prominent models states that decisions reflect personal knowledge and values, as well as perceptions of the situational variables of people, role, task, and organization. (Author/MLF)

Presents a series of questions through which adult educators can explore controversial questions of environmental values and moral behavior in their programs. The subjects include geography, local history, natural history, economics, politics, business, labor education, world affairs, literature, women's studies, psychology, and courses for the…

From the standpoint of a journal editor and researcher, this commentary critically reflects on some of the primary notions addressed in the 4 featured articles of the special section, discussing areas of agreement and divergence. As a way of further exploring these ethical and professional concerns, the contentious issue of using school children…

Because of today's increasingly complex business environment, decision makers in business need to use a process that takes into account and balances various forces--economic goals, personal values, and explicit values of the corporation. A process model provides a systematic method for ethical decision making. (Author/JOW)

Dewey felt that people conducted themselves most ethically when reason and desire were in harmony. This article seeks to clarify some of the ambiguities noted by various interpreters of Dewey's philosophy, considers criticisms of these interpretations, and establishes a basis for fresh theorizing in the field of ethics. (IAH)

The paper discusses the meaning of value and valuing, their roles in evaluation, and the potency of value systems in problem solving logic. Evaluation is defined as a process for facilitating decision making. A decision making situation occurs when there are options which are impossible to treat equivalently, and there is an impact in the…