Ethics test 1 (chapters 1-3)
Ethical egoism says that human beings are, as a matter of fact, so constructed that they must behave selfishly.
False
If your conduct is legal, it will also be moral.
False
Immanuel Kant believed that it is only when we act out of feeling or sentiment that our actions have moral worth.
False
In a broad sense morality is the moral code of an individual or of a society (insofar as the moral codes of the individuals making up that society overlap).
False
In business and elsewhere, your only moral obligation is to act within the law.
False
Richard Brandt defends a form of act utilitarianism.
False
Robert Nozick uses the Wilt Chamberlain story to show the importance of economic re-distribution.
False
Rules of etiquette are always moral rules.
False
The distribution of income in Germany and Japan is far more unequal than that in the United States.
False
Which of the following statements is true regarding human rights?
Human rights are equal rights; if X is a human right, then everyone has this right.
Founders of Utalitarianism
Jeremy Benthem and John Stuart Mill (the modern version is him)
Moral attitudes are best depicted by which of the following?
Moral standards typically concern behavior that can be of serious consequence to human welfare.
Which statement is true concerning moral principles and self interests?
Morality serves to restrain our purely self-interested desires so that we can all live together.
Difference between morality and etiquette:
Observing the rules of etiquette does not make one moral.
Adam Smith's view of capitalism
The paradox of self-interest: the more you get, the less value something has
Organizational norms:
The shared conscious or unconscious acceptance of a company's rules by its members; includes the individual commitment to those rules in order to further the organization's goals, often at the expense of some personal freedom.
A prima facie obligation is an obligation that can be overridden by a more important obligation.
True
An argument is a group of statements, one of which is claimed to follow from the others.
True
Business ethics is the study of what constitutes right and wrong, or good and bad, human conduct in a business context.
True
By "maxim," Immanuel Kant meant the subjective principle of an action, the principle that people in effect formulate in determining their conduct.
True
For philosophers, the important question is not how we come to have the particular moral principles we have, but whether we can justify them.
True
In ethics, normative theories propose some principle or principles for distinguishing right actions from wrong actions.
True
Jeremy Bentham thought that a community is no more than the individuals who compose it and that the interests of the community are simply the sum of the interests of its members.
True
One of the major characteristics of an organization is the shared acceptance of organizational rules by its members.
True
Rule utilitarianism applies the utilitarian standard, not to individual actions, but to moral codes as a whole.
True
The connection between rights and duties is that, generally speaking, if you have a right to do something, then someone else has a correlative duty to act in a certain way.
True
There are four basic kinds of law: statutes, regulations, common law, and constitutional law.
True
Utilitarians are likely to be sympathetic to the argument that steps should be taken to reduce the great disparities of income that characterize our society.
True
When a utilitarian like Jeremy Bentham advocates "the greatest happiness for the greatest number," we must consider unhappiness or pain as well as happiness.
True
Utilitarianism is appealing as a standard for moral decision making in business. Which of the following provides a reason for this?
Utilitarianism provides an objective way of resolving conflicts of self-interest.
Morality and self-interest
can sometimes conflict.
What utilitarian identifies as rights are really
certain moral rules.
moral standards
concern behavior that is of serious consequence to human welfare, that can profoundly injure or benefit people
nonconsequentialist theory
contend that right and wrong are determined by more than the likely consequences of an action
Which of the following is NOT one of the four broad categories of law?
contractual law
Contract Law
the body of law that governs contract enforcement
universalism
the ethical system stating that all people should uphold certain values that society needs to function
Groupthink
the mode of thinking that occurs when the desire for harmony in a decision-making group overrides a realistic appraisal of alternatives
consequentialist theory
the moral rightness of an action is determined solely by its results
Paradox of Self-Interest
the more you have, the less value something has
Ethics
the principles of right and wrong that guide an individual in making decisions
Philosophical discussion of moral issues typically involves
the revision and modification of arguments.
Business Ethics
the study of what constitues right and wrong or good and bad
For philosophers, the most important issue is not where our moral principles came from, but:
whether those moral principles can be justified
If you adopt egoism as your moral code, then
you believe that it is morally right to do whatever promotes your best interest.
Psychological egoism:
you can't help but be selfish, humans are constructed so that they must behave selfishly (all actions are selfishly motivated)
psychological egoist
you can't help but be selfish, humans are constructed so that they must behave selfishly (all actions are selfishly motivated)
According to Adam Smith, if business is left to pursue its self-interest, the good of society will be compromised and harmed.
False
According to the text, if an act is deemed fair, it will also be just.
False
Egoists only do what they feel like doing.
False
The authors use the murder of Kitty Genovese to illustrate
bystander apathy.
Personal Egoism
my way (benefits me)
Personal egoist:
my way (benefits me)
Impersonal egoists
my way should be your way (better for you and me)
impersonal egoism
my way should be your way (better for you and me)
Problems with egoism:
- Not a sound theory (psychological egoism) - Not a moral principle at all - It condones blatant wrongdoing
Requirements for moral judgement
- logical - based on facts - based on acceptable moral principles
critisisms of egoism
- not a sound theory -condones blatant wrongdoing -not really a moral principle
consequentialism theories:
- utilitarian - egoism
Utlitarianism
-jeremy bentham and john stuart mill
6 Points of Utilitarianism
1. Both happiness and pain 2. actions affect people to different agrees 3. could be morally right in a particular situation 4. Maximize happiness in the short and long run 5. We do not know for certain about the future results of our actions 6. We dont have to disregard our own pleasure (one of many)
Two types of normative theories
1. Consequentialist theories 2. Nonconsequentialist theories
ethical relativism unsatisfactory implications
1. undermines moral critisims of the practices of other societies 2. no such thing as ethical progress 3. makes no sense for people to critisize principlese accepted by their own society
professional code of ethics
A set of guidelines describing how members of a particular profession will pursue their common ideal so that each does his or her best to serve clients or patients, contribute to the good reputation of the field, and avoid pressures to engage in unethical behavior.
Conformity
Adjusting one's behavior or thinking to coincide with a group standard.
Boeings cheif competitor
Airbus
Divine Command Theory
An act is morally required just because it is commanded by God, and immoral just because God forbids it.
Choose the statement that is a true reflection of moral beliefs.
Bystander apathy appears to result in part from diffusion of responsibility.
Act Utilitariansim
Ask yourself what the consequences of a particular act in a particular situation will be for all of those affected (just one of many)
Albert Carr
Business ethics are different from personal ethics. If is is legal, and it makes a profit, its ethically fine. Ethical relativism
In the essay, "Is Business Bluffing Ethical?" Albert Carr would agree with all of the following except for:
Business should be evaluated by society's moral standards.
How did Airbus successfully challenge Boeing in the commercial air transport market?
Larger engine which made the plane more fuel efficient
Statutory Law
Law passed by the U.S. Congress or state legislatures
Statues
Laws enacted by the legislative branch of a government
Constitutional Law
Laws relating to the interpretation of the Constitution
In Anarchy, State and Utopia, Robert Nozick advocates
Libertarianism.
How did boeing work around the side effect?
MCAST system
Bernie Madoff
Operated largest ponzi scheme in American history., famous for the Ponzi Scheme in which he took billions from his investors ; responsible for largest criminal conspiracy in history; Sentenced to a life sentence.
Being a member of an organization affects individual morality
Our environment can shape and even damage our personal morality.
John Rawls' Theory of Justice lays within which type of tradition?
Social contract.
Unexpected side effect from the update to the 737 Max?
The nose of the plane would go up at too high of an angle
Difference between morality and law
actions can be legal but morally wrong
Supererogatory actions are
actions that it would be good to do but not immoral not to do.
Categorical Imperative
an act is morally right if and only if we can will it as a universal law of conduct - one set of rules for everyone (Jerry Falwell - former president of Liberty University)
Diffustion of responsibility
an explanation of the failure of bystander intervention stating that when several bystanders are present, no one person assumes responsibility for helping
Prima Facie Obligations
an obligation that can be overridden by a more important obligation (W.D. Ross)
Albert Caar
argued that business has its own moral standards and business actions should only be evaluated by the business
Rule Utilitarianism
asks what moral code a society should adopt to maximize happiness (for all of those affected)
Immanuel Kant
believed moral rules can be known by reason alone, moral rules are discovered not made (universalism)
constituonal law
court rulings on requirements of the constitution
immoral
does/is
A practical basis for discussing moral issues involves taking account of
effects, ideals, and obligations.
adam smith-- capitalism as a blend of
egoism and utlitarianism ( Self interest and utility play an important role in organizational decision.)
egoism
equates morality with self-interest
According to Kant
good will is the only thing that is good in itself.
Utilitarianism Weakness
guessing the outcome / predicting the results
If an argument is valid, then
its conclusion must be true, if its premises are.
Common Law
judge made law
Act Utilitarianism
must ask ourselves what the consequences of the situation will be for all those affected (rule comes later)
good will
nothing is good except good intention, good acts mean nothing without proper motives (does not have moral values)
In association with labor and capital, Mill had contrasting views of
profit sharing.
normative theories
propose some principle or principles for distinguishing right actions from wrong actions
etiquette
refers to the norms of correct conduct in a polite society
administrative regulations
rules made by government agencies to implement specific public policies in areas such as public health, environmental protection, and workplace safety
According to John Rawls, people in "the original position" choose the principles of justice solely on the basis of
self-interest.
Morality
seriously affects the well being of humans (lying/stealing/killing)
moral
should
Aristotle's formal principle of justice states,
similar cases must be treated alike except where there is some relevant difference.
Consequentialism
states that the moral rightness of an action is determined solely by its results.
Adam Smiths view on capitalism
twist on the golden rule: do unto others so that they will do unto you
The case of the "death-bed promise" shows that
utilitarianism may lead to conclusions that conflict with our ordinary ideas of right and wrong.
Utilitarianism
we should always act to produce the greatest possible balance of good over bad for everyone
Ethical Relativism
what is right in one place may be wrong in another
Ethical relativism supports the theory that:
what is right is determined by what a culture or society says is right.