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Dr. William J. Frey

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Mountain Terrorist

Problem Solving

Ethics Tests Contracts and Consent

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Row 1, Col 1

Shoot one in order to save nineteen falls under this ethical

approach.

What is Consequentialism or Utilitarianism?

1,2

One way of beginning this stageis to classify the problem as a

disagreement, conflict, or harm.

What is Problem Specification?

1,3

This ethics test telescopes non-consequentialism. It asks us to view the action under consider-ation from the standpoint of those

affected by it.

What is Reversibility?

1,4

Students exercise this right whenthey understand the terms of a course and exercise an un-

coerced choice as to whether tocontinue or drop it.

What is the right of Free and Informed Consent?

2,1

The choice not to shoot a villager and to leave the village

best fits this ethical approach.

What is Non-consequentialism or Deontology?

2,2

In this stage to problem-solvingwe examine our solution in termsof resource, interest, and technical

constraints the situation couldimpose.

What is Solution Implementation?

2,3

This test has us assess an actionin terms of its likely harms. We

then choose that alternativethat minimizes harm.

What is the harm test?

2,4

This element of a social contractrefers to its mutually beneficial

exchange, the something for something clause.

What is the Quid Pro Quo?

3,1

You choose under this approachnot to shoot the villager because

murder (killing an innocent person) is not, given who you are,the kind of thing you would do.

What is Virtue Theory or Virtue Ethics?

3,2

In this stage of problem-solvingwe use reversibility, harm, and publicity to assess the ethics of

our solution alternatives.

What is Solution Testing?

3,3

In this test we associate the agent with the moral quality of the actunder consideration. Then we

ask if we would want to be publicly associated with this

action.

What is the publicity test?

3,4

Quid pro quo, informed consent, free consent, and a safe exit.

What are the elements of a Social Contract?

4,1

A forced choice between two equally bad alternatives.

What is a Dilemma?

4,2

In this stage of problem solving, we set aside criticism until we

reach our quota. (This is a partof brainstorming.)

What is solution generation?

4,3

This test balances two kindsof projection, an empathic pro-jection where we lose ourselvesin the perspective of the otherand an advisory test where weoccupy the other’s standpointbut maintain awareness of our

own values and principles.

What is the Reversibility Test?

4,4

These enable and constrain the activities of a business organization

or firm

What are Environments of the Organization?

5,1

Those of you who rejected the dilemma frame given with theMountain Terrorist Exercise

fit into this category.

What is “Funny Business”?

5,2

In this class or type of problemkey values clash with one another

and it appears difficult or im-possible to realize both at the

same time.

What is a conflict or value conflict?

5,3

This test encapsulates or summarizes the consequentialist or

utilitarian ethical perspective.

What is the Harm Test?

5,4

When blocked by a value orstructured embodied in physical

surroundings, we develop a strategy that allows us to

continue acting

What is a “Work Around”?

More on Consequentialism

• In consequentialism, the moral worth of an action is determined by its results.

• In Utilitarianism (a form of consequentialism) we try to design actions that maximize good results and minimize bad results.

• This is called a “utility-maximizing” action.

Problem Specification• You can begin specification by classifying

your problem as a disagreement (factual or conceptual), a conflict (between two or more values), or an impending harm.

• You can also specify your problem by identifying the values at risk in a given situation. For example, David Jackson must act to preserve his integrity as a professional engineer.

Reversibility• In an advisory projection, we enter into the

standpoint of another but we retain our values and view the other’s perspective from a detached standpoint.

• In an empathic projection, we completely immerse and lose ourselves in the perspective of the other.

• Consider “reversing with Hitler”– In empathically reversing with Hitler, I take on all his

immoral beliefs and attitudes. – In an advisory projection with Hitler, I retain my

understanding that these are immoral. I maintain a critical distance.

Informed Consent• We will study this right in four contexts this

semester:– Students can exit from a course if they fail to find the

exchange goods and burdens of mutual benefit– Subjects of experiments should be informed of,

comprehend, and consent to the benefits and risks attending participation

– Patients should be informed of, comprehend, and consent to the risks attendant upon medical procedures. This includes risk assessment information communicated effectively and coupled with the manner in which patient perceive risks

– The right to opt in to—and not merely opt out of—the transfer to third parties of their personal identifying information.

Deontology• In Non-consequentialism, the moral worth

of an action lies in its formal characteristics, not in its consequences.– Deontology, a form of non-consequentialism,

evaluates an action by seeing whether it conforms to a rule of right or duty.

– Rights and duties hold regardless of consequences

– These protect individuals and minorities because rights and duties can overrule or trump welfare.

Feasibility Test• A feasibility test provides a list of situation constraints that

could possibly oppose the realization of a solution• The goal here is to anticipate these possible obstacles and

work quickly to deflate them• Constraint checklist:

– Resources—Is there enough time, resource, and money to realize the solution? If not, can these constraints be pushed back through negotiation?

– Interests—Are their vested interests (supervisor, organization, government) that could oppose your solution. Can these be pushed back through negotiation?

– Technical—Are there affordable technologies or manufacturing techniques to facilitate the realization of your solution or are these lacking?

Harm Test• The harm test “incapsulates”

consequentialism because it focuses solution design and solution evaluation on the results, this time results that are risky or harmful.

• This test works best when you are comparing solutions– The question, “Which is the least harmful

solution, A, B, or C?” is more useful than the question, “Is A a harm-minimizing solution?”

Virtue Ethics • A virtue is an “active exercise of the

faculties of the soul, in conformity with excellence or virtue, during a complete lifetime.” (Barbara Jancar, The Philosophy of Aristotle, Monarch Notes, 143)

– The Greek word for virtue, arete, is better translated as excellence.– The excellence targeted by a virtue is best found by aiming for the

mean between two extremes, one of excess, the other of defect– Courage is the mean between the extremes of cowardice and

recklessness– Responsibility is the mean between too much responsibility

(taking responsibility for more than one can handle) and too little repsonsibility (irresponsibility)

– Virtue ethics focuses on the character of the agent rather than the characteristics of the action performed by the agent

Alternatives for Publicity Test

• Values Test: What values are realized or preserved by the solution under consideration?

• Moral Exemplar or Mentor Test: What would my mentor or someone I admire as an exemplar do in this situation

• Virtue Test: What virtues does this solution realize or what would a person with X virtue do in this situation?

Dilemma

• Dilemma comes from two Greek words.• Di means two• Lemma means solution or alternatives• A dilemma is literally a forced choice

between two equally bad alternatives• When confronted with a dilemma, the best

strategy is to dissolve rather than solve.