Reasoning about ethics and moral judgments
Everyday we are confronted with moral dilemmas - my boss has taken credit for my work, do I go and tell my super boss, or do I confront my boss to reclaim credit? The traffic cop stops you and wants a bribe. Do you pay the bribe or demand to pay the applicable fine and take a receipt? Do you pull a loved one off life support after the doctor has told you that there is no hope medically? A moral dilemma occurs only when we are undecided about a course of action, which happens once in a while, but moral judgments happen all the time. At work and outside it, we continuously pass moral judgments on just about everything around us. Several of these judgments are followed up by action. A student cheated on an exam - he is given a 'F' grade. At work an employee lies about some critical work - and they are fired. We make moral judgments about peoples based on their lifestyles, sexual orientations, skin color, class or caste in society and education. Our treatment of people ar