Question: Choose one ethical dilemma from each group
Group A: A newspaper columnist signs a contract with a newspaper chain. Several months later she is offered a position with another newspaper chain at a higher salary. Because she would prefer making more money, she notifies the first chain that she is breaking her contract. The courts will decide the legality of her action. But what of the morality? Did the columnist behave ethically?
An airline pilot goes for his regular medical checkup. The doctor discovers that he has developed a heart murmur. The pilot only has a month to go before he is eligible for retirement. The doctor know this and wonders whether, under these unusual circumstances, she is justified in withholding the information about the pilot's condition.
Group B: An office worker had a record of frequent absence. He used all his vacation and sick leave days and frequently requested additional leave without pay. His supervisor and co-workers expressed great frustration because his absenteeism caused bottlenecks in paperwork, created low morale in the office, and required others to do his work in addition to their own. On the other hand, he felt he was entitled to take his earned time and additional time off without pay. Was he right?
Rhonda enjoys socializing with fellow employees at work, but their discussion usually consists of gossiping about other people, including several of her friends. At first Rhonda feels uncomfortable talking in this way about people she is close to, but then she decided it does no real harm and she feels no remorse for joining in.
Parameters for writing this paper:
- Answer the questions raised in the problems above. You will have two separate sections to your paper, one on each separate question in your chosen group. You do not have to write an "English class" style paper this week. Answer each problem separately.
- While writing your answers, incorporate the ideas of "good vs. evil," "wrong vs. right," and "ought/should be vs. what is."
- Explain in your answer to each problem how Augustine and Aquinas would have solved the problem based on what we learned about each here in the materials and course, and if they differ, why?
- Your two sets of answers should be about two pages, double spaced.