Facts
Memo: Ethical Analysis and Recommendations for Luke’s Dilemma
In this case, the main character, Luke, has been offered the opportunity to work on a project that involves developing ABC Company’s land to build an adult entertainment store. The ethical problem is that the land is on the street where his brother’s house is. Once this information becomes public, his brother, who was thinking of selling the home at a reasonable price, may suffer a loss as this information will negatively affect the price in these areas.
An individual has been assigned a task about land development for a retail establishment specializing in adult entertainment. The acreage is close to the residence occupied by your sibling, Owen. In a month, ABC will reveal this to the public. The pronouncement is anticipated to result in a decline in property values within Owen’s vicinity. The individual in question has recently been presented with an offer to sell their property, which they see as equitable in terms of price. However, they are currently deliberating on whether to accept this offer since they anticipate the possibility of a more advantageous offer in the future.
Issue
This ethical situation is multifaceted and involves both professional and personal issues. On the one hand, there is an obligation of confidentiality to ABC, which requires its employees to disclose information about upcoming projects when they are officially announced. On the other hand, the man has a close relationship with his brother Owen, who is directly affected by the project. Upon notification of the project, property values in the neighborhood where Owen lives are likely to drop, forcing the latter to consider selling the house further. Ultimately, the issue is whether a breach of professional duty is justified in informing Owen, which could protect him from impending financial loss, or whether to follow a duty of loyalty to his employer.
Lens: Ethical Theories
Golden Rule
This fundamental principle of most ethical systems and religious traditions is summarized as “do unto others as you would have them do unto you,” called the Golden Rule. It is a relatively simple and universally applicable rule favoring empathy and fairness as guiding principles in human interactions. This ethical threshold is particularly digestible; one only requires years of training in moral philosophy to appreciate its gist. However, the mere simplicity of this rule can also be its weak point. The Golden Rule is subjective mainly because it depends on individual points of view concerning what is fair or just. For example, what you consider a reasonable course of action in a commercial context may not jive with your brother Owen’s homeowner’s point of view.
Virtue Ethics
On the other hand, Virtue Ethics portends a subtler lens through which to view ethical dilemmas. This theory focuses on the character and virtues of the individual making the ethical decision rather than merely on the act itself. Virtue Ethics encourages you to embody honesty, integrity, and loyalty (Tripathy 116). Virtue Ethics also has its cons; it helps make a more refined moral calculation that can consider the various aspects of your situation – like your professional responsibility to keep things confidential and your loyalty towards your brother. It can be nebulous, without specific action guidelines, and cannot provide universally applicable solutions. Moreover, it is open to subjective interpretation. It can be criticized for not giving straight answers but encouraging people to behave according to virtuous traits, which may differ from person to person.
Analysis
Golden Rule
When applying the Golden Rule to your specific situation, the emphasis is squarely on empathy and fairness. “The Golden Rule” is morally obligated to do for Owen what he would want someone else to do for him under similar circumstances, i.e., tell him about ABC’s project and save him from significant monetary loss. But this rule only works sometimes. It makes the ethical landscape easier not to have to struggle to deal with these conflicting obligations that you have. On the one hand, this character owes an expectation of privacy to ABC until the project is officially announced. Brother Owen needs to be informed; otherwise, your financial relationship may suffer. The Golden Rule requires one to provide clear terms of how one is supposed to balance these conflicting loyalties.
Virtue Ethics
The Virtue Ethicist point of view primarily concerns what a virtuous man would do in such scenarios. One of those more basic elements within this theory includes virtues like honesty, integrity, and loyalty. It can be said that this character is caught in a hard case for him, as he has to choose between loyalty to the company or his family. A virtuous person would seek to uphold their professional responsibilities while also being a supportive family member. It may involve seeking a compromise that considers both parties’ interests, such as discussing with a relevant authority if alternative solutions can address the issue without negatively impacting Owen’s property value.
Recommendation / Conclusion
After thoroughly analyzing the situation, it is advisable that the protagonist choose virtue ethics as their guiding ethical framework. The proposed perspective presents a more intricate methodology, acknowledging that ethical evaluations are contingent upon particular situations and additional contextual elements. Furthermore, applying the Golden Rule is pertinent in this case, as it underscores the need to acknowledge one’s dual loyalties.
Virtue ethics offers a platform for exploring various approaches to reconcile professional obligations with individual moral principles. Hence, engaging in a dialogue with a figure of authority inside the organization is recommended. This will facilitate the discovery of alternative methodologies and safeguard against the adverse effects on Owen’s property values. This situation runs against the principles of professional and personal ethics.
Work Cited
Tripathy, Mitashree. “Virtue Ethics: A Companion to Preserve Dignity in Teaching Profession.” International Journal of Ethics Education. 2020. Web.