Chapter 2, Problem 1ICA

For each of the following situations, indicate whether you think the action is ethical or unethical or you are unsure. Do not read ahead; do not go back and change your answers.

Situation	Ethical	Unethical	Unsure
1. Not leaving a tip after a meal because your steak was not cooked to your liking
2. Speeding 5 miles per hour over the limit
3. Killing a roach
4. Speeding 15 miles per hour over the limit
5. Having plastic surgery after an accident
6. Killing a mouse
7. Driving 90 miles per hour
8. Using Botox
9. Not leaving a tip after a meal because the waiter was inattentive.
10. Killing a healthy cat
11. Driving 90 miles per hour taking an injured child to the hospital
12. Killing a healthy horse
13. Dyeing your hair
14. Killing a person
15. Having liposuction

To determine

Indicate the actions to be ethical, unethical or unsure.

Answer to Problem 1ICA

S. No.	Situation	Ethical	Unethical	Unsure
1	Not leaving a tip after meal because your steak was not cooked to your liking			Unsure
2	Speeding 5 miles per hour over the limit		Unethical
3	Killing a roach		Unethical
4	Speeding 15 miles per hour over the limit		Unethical
5	Having plastic surgery after an accident	Ethical
6	Killing a mouse		Unethical
7	Driving 90 miles per hour		Unethical
8	Using Botox			Unsure
9	Not leaving a tip after a meal because the waiter was inattentive			Unsure
10	Killing a healthy cat		Unethical
11	Driving 90 miles per hour taking an injured child to the hospital	Ethical
12	Killing a healthy horse		Unethical
13	Dyeing your hair	Ethical
14	Killing a person		Unethical
15	Having liposuction			Unsure

Explanation of Solution

Discussion:

1.

The question deals with the leaving of tip after a meal because the steak was not cooked to the liking of the customer.

We cannot make a sure statement whether the customer will give the tip to the waiter or not for the food being not cooked properly as it is not the waiter’s fault. He was only responsible for carrying and serving the food. Hence this can be termed under the title unsure.

2.

The question deals with the idea of speeding 5 miles per hour over the limit. Driving a vehicle beyond the speed limit can be grouped under the unethical column because in this case there are chances that the safety will be hampered unless there are emergency cases like accidents.

Therefore speeding beyond the limit will be unethical.

3.

The question deals with killing a roach. Killing of any healthy insect or animal is not ethically correct. Therefore the above statement can be put under the column of unethical.

4.

The question deals with the idea of speeding 15 miles per hour over the limit. Driving a vehicle beyond the speed limit can be grouped under the unethical column because in this case there are chances that the safety will be hampered unless there are emergency cases like accidents.

Therefore speeding beyond the limit will be unethical.

5.

The question deals with the idea of having a plastic surgery after an accident. If an individual has met with an accident there are chances that the face or any part of the body is disfigured. In this case the person can take a plastic surgery as it is essential to come back to his or her normal life and it is solely their own decision.

Therefore the given case can be ethical.

6.

The question deals with the scenario of killing a mouse. The act of killing of any animal or rodent should not be considered to be ethical in any case unless the mouse is suffering from rabies. Therefore this case should be grouped under unethical.

7.

The question deals with the idea of driving 90 miles per hour. Driving of any vehicle beyond the speed limit cannot be considered to be ethical unless there is an emergency. Therefore the given case is grouped under unethical.

8.

The question deals with Botox treatment. Botox treatment is used for the relaxation of the facial muscles that lie under and causes wrinkles. This idea depends solely on the wish and priorities of the person. Therefore the given case should be grouped under the column of unsure.

9.

The given case deals with the idea of not leaving a tip after a meal because the waiter was inattentive. The entire idea of giving the tip to the waiter depends on the customer. If the customer is satisfied with the food irrespective of the inattentiveness of the waiter he may give the tip. He may not give the tip if waiter’s inattentiveness matters to him. Hence the given case can be grouped under the unsure column.

10.

The given statement deals with the idea of killing a healthy cat. Killing of a healthy cat in no case can be considered to be an ethical act as cat is a pet animal and killing of any animal is not acceptable. Therefore the given case should be grouped under the column of unethical.

11.

The question deals with the idea of driving 90 miles per hour for taking a wounded child to the hospital. This case is a case of emergency and a matter of life and death therefore driving at a high speed for saving a bruised child should be taken to be an ethical act. Therefore the given case should be grouped under the heading of ethical.

12.

The question deals the idea of killing of a healthy horse. Killing of a healthy horse in no case can be considered to be an ethical act as killing of any animal is not acceptable. Therefore the given case should be grouped under the column of unethical.

13.

The given question is about dyeing of one’s hair. Coloring of hair totally depends on the person’s wish and perspective and can be considered to be a part of personality improvement. Therefore the given idea is ethical.

14.

The given question deals with the idea of killing a person. Killing of a person in no case can be considered to be an acceptable act and is punishable by law. Therefore the given case is unethical.

15.

The given question deals with the idea of having a liposuction. Liposuction is a process of removing unwanted fat from the body which cannot be removed from diet or exercise. The entire process aims at making a person fit and removing of the unwanted weight of the body. However there are certain risks and side effects involved for the same. Therefore the case can be considered to be unsure case.

The tabular representation for the same is as follows.

Table 1

S. No.	Situation	Ethical	Unethical	Unsure
1	Not leaving a tip after meal because your steak was not cooked to your liking			Unsure
2	Speeding 5 miles per hour over the limit		Unethical
3	Killing a roach		Unethical
4	Speeding 15 miles per hour over the limit		Unethical
5	Having plastic surgery after an accident	Ethical
6	Killing a mouse		Unethical
7	Driving 90 miles per hour		Unethical
8	Using Botox			Unsure
9	Not leaving a tip after a meal because the waiter was inattentive			Unsure
10	Killing a healthy cat		Unethical
11	Driving 90 miles per hour taking an injured child to the hospital	Ethical
12	Killing a healthy horse		Unethical
13	Dyeing your hair	Ethical
14	Killing a person		Unethical
15	Having liposuction			Unsure

Conclusion:

Hence, the explanation for each of the cases is given above.