The Energy Cooperative
In case study number one, a board member of The Energy Cooperative would like to call his own personal potential clients and be able to state, “I am calling as a director of The Energy Cooperative.” The following paper will analyze the ethical issues surrounding the use of such a statement from five different ethical theories. These particular theories come from Immanuel Kant, John Stuart Mill, John Locke, John Rawls, and Lawrence Kohlberg. Finally, there will be a solution that the board should take with the issue, ethical, or otherwise. Immanuel Kant (1724-1804) had an ethical theory dubbed the Categorical Imperative. Within this theory he discusses the morally right and morally wrong ways to go about an action based on experience, which one must gain throughout the course of his life. Because the different moral ways are something that cannot be taught, but actually acquired through experience, something that is morally right at one point in life can later become morally wrong (Janaro, 2009). The example for this particular scenario suggests that if everyone at the Energy Cooperative decides the statement is ethically and morally right to use, then by Kant’s theory, it is ethical. However, this is just the tip of the categorical imperative that “if everyone else could adopt the same decision and it would remain the right choice. . . the decision is ethical” (Kaplan eGuide Chapter1, 2014). The real question, which is easier to understand, and is the underlying basis for accurately interpreting Kant’s theory is “would it be okay for everyone else to do this?” (Janaro, 2009). In this scenario one would hope that at least one board member would say “of course it is not okay for everyone else to do this. It is a misrepresentation of the reason you are actually calling the potential client.” Would it be universally acceptable for a telemarketer calling you, trying to get you to switch cable companies to start the conversation with “I am a survivor of cancer
References: Cullen, Francis T., Wilcox, Pamela. (2010). Encyclopedia of Criminological Theory Kohlberg, Lawrence: Moral Development Theory. SAGE Publications, Inc. Volume 1. Pg 508-513. Iowa State University. (n.d). A Theory of Justice. Retrieved from http://www2.econ.iastate.edu/ classes/econ362/hallam/Readings/Rawl_Justice.pdf Janaro, R. P., & Altshuler, T. C. (2009). The art of being human: The humanities as a technique for living (Kaplan University 2nd custom ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc. Kaplan eGuide Chapter1. 2014. Kemerling, Garth. (November 24, 2011). John Stuart Mill. [Article]. Philosophy Pages. Retrieved from http://www.philosophypages.com/ph/mill.htm Powell, Jim. (August 1, 1996). John Locke: Natural Rights to Life, Liberty and Property. Retrieved from http://www.fee.org/the_freeman/detail/john-locke-natural-rights-to-life- liberty-and-property/ USHistory.org. (March 17, 2014). The Declaration of Independence. Declaration of Independence. Retrieved from http://www.ushistory.org/Declaration/document/