II. How would Augustine and Aquinas have responded to your problems? Problem 1 (
ID: 3005696 • Letter: I
Question
II. How would Augustine and Aquinas have responded to your problems?
Problem 1 (Augustine & Aquinas) (approx. 100 - 200 words)
Problem 2 (Augustine & Aquinas) (approx. 100 – 200 words)
Choose either group A or group B but do not mix them.
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.
Explanation / Answer
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?
Ans. Making more money is not unethical. It is not immoral either. Making money is not related to morality. Joining and leaving a company at any time is also not related to morality. Everyone has the right to earn money and lead a better life. But, yes, after signing the contract with the first newspaper chain, columnist should stick to it so long as there is no unnecessary pressure or the environment is proper. However in the given scenario the columnist is trying to leave for better money aspect. When the columnist has better opportunity, she should inform the newspaper chain that more money is required according to her calibre. In case the newspaper chain does not accept her claim and if she finds that the new opportunity will provide sufficient money to breach the contract then, she has the right to leave it. Here there is no issue of morality. Without informing about her intentions directly notifying is not ethical. Ethically, it is proper to inform the situation to the employer and then take the action, so that goodwill remains in tact. Later on in life the columnist may return to the same news chain if she had goodwill.
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.
Ans. The doctor knows that the pilot’s condition. If the heart murmur is audible to the pilot, what is the degree of the heart murmur all these are important. If it is very mild that is first degree which only can be heard through special effort, then withholding the information for a short period is ok. However, if the doctor knows that the condition is not good and so the pilot should not drive the airplane. Then, it is the duty of the doctor to inform the pilot that it is not proper for him to take flight. Even though only one month is remaining to be eligible for retirement, it will be better for him and other passengers whose lives are at risk, to retire one month before.
It is not at all acceptable that she(doctor) withholds the information about the pilot’s health from himself.