The Steam Train Case Study

Before getting to the topic of today discussion, first a brief look into Ethics will be an appropriate way to start. In this paper you will be presented with 2 cases that may challenge the way you think, and may help understand more about Ethics.

Case 1: The Steaming Train

What will you do?

There is a runaway train steaming down the track, the train cannot be stooped no matter what.

Ahead, on the track are 5 workers working on the train track unable to hear the train steaming down the track. The train is steaming straight for the five workers, however you just so happen to be next to a lever, that can redirect the fast train on to a different track. On this track there is only one worker working on the train track. (Thomson, 1985)

So

there is no one answer to this, and the way people view ethics is slightly different to each other(scu.edu)

however, People generally say it is doing to right thing, or it is a way/rules to rationalise choices that were made so they can sleep at night, One can say that ethics is a philosophy on how people rationalise their actions according to various rules.

Definition on ethics is that it is "the study of what it means to do the right thing"

(baase, p.333). (kallman & grillo) stated that ethics is more or less "making principle-based choices between completing alternatives"

Case 1 is very clear, there were two competing alternatives, to throw or not to throw the lever. So you stand there and make a principle-based choice. Some as mentioned above did not want to be involved, that is a principle choice, some people said, yes will choose the 5 due to the net positive of 5, a decision was made based on what was the most logical or rational reasoning to the person.

The question still remains, what really is ethics? well according to (scu.edu) ethics are two things. First, Ethics refer to standards of right and wrong that prescribes on what human ought to do, in terms of rights, being fair and

it is required to continuously monitor a persons standards to ensure that they are within reason.(scu.edu)

There are three main theories within ethics. Deontology, Teleological and Virtue ethics.

"The need on the many outweighs the need of the few or the one" -Spock(Lenard Nimoy)

Teleological - Consequentialism.

The theory in which many non-religious people believe they apply in their day to day live. Consequentialism, is bases on the outcome, the result on human actions, rather than the actions itself.

The teachings of Teleological - Consequentialism is to do whatever you need to do no matter the cost to benefit the most or the majority of people.

Back to Case One, If the teleological - consequentialism is to be applied, then trowing the lever to kill the one is considered the most ethical way as it saves the five lives which in turn is benefiting the most or majority of people.

Case 2 - Over Achiver

There is a student named Fred, and Fred is an A++ student. Always getting 100% on all of his assignments and exams. A day before the final exam, Fred had been though a dramatic tradegy. Unable to focus and study Fred decided to cheet on the final exam. however, David bare witness to Fred