WEEK 2 ASSIGNMENT: Ethical Theories: Trolley Problem
Prior to beginning work on this assignment, read Chapter 3: Philosophical Ethics and Business in your textbook (Hartman et al., 2021), Chapters 1 and 3 in A Companion to Business EthicsLinks to an external site. (Frederick, 1999), and In Defense of a Utilitarian Business EthicLinks to an external site. (Gustafson, 2013). Watch Would You Sacrifice One Person to Save Five? – Eleanor NelsonLinks to an external site. (TED-Ed, 2017). In addition, you may wish to review Chapter 2 in A Companion to Business Ethics (Frederick, 1999); Rethinking the Purity of Moral Motives in Business: Kant Against Moral PurismLinks to an external site. (Dubbink, 2020); and Aristotelian Practical Wisdom in Business Ethics: Two Neglected ComponentsLinks to an external site. (Steyl, 2020).
In this assignment, you will analyze ethical choices involving the saving of lives by applying two ethical theories to the scenario detailed in the video. You should first apply one ethical theory to the scenario, either deontology, utilitarianism, or virtue ethics. Try to make the best case you can with the ethical theory, clearly articulating solutions that the ethical theory suggests. Then, you should apply another ethical theory to the same scenario, where you are now analyzing the best outcome when this other ethical theory is applied. Be sure to apply a different pair of ethical theories than in your Ethical Theories: The Man With the Axe (Case Study) discussion forum.
The aim of this assignment is for you to practice applying ethical theories and enhance your critical thinking skills so that these skills are developed when confronting ethical issues in business, as you will be doing in the rest of the course. While the scenario in this assignment was designed for developing such skills, you should not assume there is a correct answer. The ethical theories of deontology, utilitarianism, and virtue ethics are applicable but also challenged in this scenario. Rather than looking for the correct answer, you should focus on explaining how you think the ethical theories apply to the scenario, the difficulties that the scenario presents to those theoretical applications, and the implications and solutions that the ethical theories offer. In other words, your assignment should explain how you reached your conclusions as well as your conclusion itself. It may take some time to think through the possibilities to find the best application of an ethical theory or determine the most ethical course of action, so please allow yourself time to reflect.
In the video Would You Sacrifice One Person to Save Five? – Elanor NelsonLinks to an external site. below, you will be given an ethical scenario to analyze. You may wish to review it with closed captioning turned on.https://youtu.be/yg16u_
After watching the video, respond to the ethical scenario by providing an ethical analysis with a particular ethical theory, and then take the same steps with another ethical theory. In both parts of your assignment, you should explain your choice to save more lives or your choice not to act.
In an argumentative paper of at least 800 words (excluding title, abstract, and reference pages) and citing at least two scholarly, peer-reviewed sources in addition to required readings, address the following:
- Identify the ethical theories you will apply to the scenario. Please briefly explain the two theories.
- Using the first ethical theory, critique the ethical actions required by the theory in the scenario described in the video.
- Analyze the scenario and how the ethical theory justifies a certain action or set of actions.
- Identify the complications or challenges in the scenario that your chosen ethical theory cannot fully address or resolve. Explain the limitations of applying the ethical theory, if you believe there are any.
- Recommend the best course of action in this scenario, according to the chosen ethical theory. Be specific.
- Then, using a different ethical theory, critique the ethical actions required by the theory in the scenario described in the video.
- Analyze the scenario and how the ethical theory justifies a certain action or set of actions.
- Identify the complications or challenges in the scenario that your chosen ethical theory cannot fully address or resolve. Explain the limitations of applying the ethical theory, if you believe there are any.
- Recommend the best course of action in this scenario, according to the chosen ethical theory. Be specific.
- In a summary of the paper, defend your choice of one of the two ethical theories as the better approach for this scenario, citing sources to support your decision.
Tutorial for Ethical Theories: Trolley Problem
