The discussion for this unit will place you in a situation like that in which Socrates found himself, as described in the Historical Roots presentation. Socrates was sentenced to death but had the chance to flee Athens and survive in exile. You can discover his choice and reasoning for so choosing in the presentation, and now you will be asked to place yourself in a similar situation, make your own choice, and present your reasoning.
Please read the following scenario and make your initial post responding to the discussion prompts.
Scenario: You were arrested and charged with a serious crime you did not commit. You did NOT commit this crime. After standing trial, however, a jury of your peers found you guilty and sentenced you to 15 years of incarceration in a federal penitentiary.
Let’s assume the following is true:
- Your trial was fair since an attorney represented you, and the jury was not coerced in their decision.
- The jury’s guilty verdict was unanimous.
- Your representation was fair since you were represented by a competent attorney with adequate time and resources to develop your case.
- You believe that your attorney truly had your best interests in mind.
- You do not need to be concerned that you may appear guilty if you flee, since that is a psychological concern, not a moral one.
- The prison you will be incarcerated in is a federal penitentiary and not a federal prison with “white-collar criminals.”
Respond to one of the following:
- Would you be morally justified if you could escape and flee to another country? In your profession, would it be morally justifiable to avoid an unjust punishment your employer is issuing? Contrast what a virtue ethicist would say according to its core principles of telos, virtue, eudaimonia, and practical wisdom with what a utilitarian would say using its core principles of welfare, impartiality, sum-ranking, and consequences. Explain how one of these theories supports your answer. Use appropriate textual evidence to back up your claim. Which of the ethical theories you discussed do you believe provides the best account of what the morally correct action to take is and why? (USLOs 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4)
- In your profession, would it be morally justifiable to help a colleague avoid an unjust punishment your employer is issuing? Which ethical system (virtue ethics, Kantian, utilitarian, etc.), based on its core principles, best supports your answers? What would the Code of EthicsOpen this document with ReadSpeaker docReader say you should do? Explain how that theory supports your answer. Which of the ethical theories you discussed do you believe provides the best account of what the morally correct action to take is and why? (USLOs 5.1, 5.3, 5.4)
