This research paper would present the paradox of whist blowing that is investigated by Michael Davis and according to the author himself; the paradox is used to suggest an inconsistency- between theory and the facts. The theory about the standard whilst blowing and the paradox I just not about whist blowing but about justified whistleblowing as a matter of fact. The question that concerns us all is that is whilst blowing ever justified-the following three instances will outline when it’s actually permissible.
In the first instance, it can be something that morality persists. Certain weak actions like eating fruits are morally justified and in the second instance, when stronger moral questions come into place there alternative would mean doing something morally wrong. These actions are morally required. In this paper; only moral justification is considered- we do not have to as a general rule have to justify anything unless there is a reason for it is thought of as wrong.
Whistleblowing is an activity that requires revealing information that would not otherwise be getting revealed. It usually has an intention to prevent something wrong from happening that might occur otherwise. However, what is the problem with such a situation is that an individual alone doesn’t have the right to blow a whistle on someone but in fact, only a member of a certain organization can do so.
For people working in occupations like that of spies, secret service, etc the justification that they need differs from that of whistleblower Whistleblowers generally does not gain information under false pretenses. While the secret service has to disrupt a criminal organization; the motive of a whistleblower is quite different. The moral issue with a whistleblower is the fact that the whistleblower cannot blow the whistle merely due to his/her membership of an organization. In order to be a whistleblower, one has to reveal such information which one has been trusted with. The whistleblower, therefore, has no excuse to reveal what his organization does not want him/her to reveal in the first place. The moral” issue” with whistle-blowing arises when the person misuses his/her position in an otherwise law-abiding organization.
According to the standard theory of whistleblowing; such an act is only permissible when the organization to which the whist blower does some serious harm to the public, the person who engages in this act has reported some serious harm, and other internal actions have been tried without any resolution to the problem. In these above-noted cases, the whistleblower is hence required to carry out the whistle-blowing act if the person has strong evidence and a good enough reason to believe that the act would result in a betterment of some sort.
The paradox with whistle-blowing involves such people who are generally at risk in terms of their career and their personal relationships as well. And in cases when the whistle-blowing activity is of a great cost to the person then there is no justification for such an activity to take place. This paradox is defined as the paradox of “burden”.
Works Cited
- Davis, Michael. “Questions for STS from Engineering Ethics”. Society for the Social Study of Science. 1999
- Davis, Michael” Some Paradoxes of Whistle blowing”. Business and Professional Ethics Journal Volume 15, No 1