The History of Utilitarianism

Fudging records and misstating corporate revenue to management, shareholder, and the IRS is unlawful activity. Therefore, Alex in this case scenario must abide by the law and take the right action that is in accordance to the law. The ethical implications of this case the consequences of doing what it right to those who are involved in the scenario. This paper is going to analyze the theories of virtue ethicist, act utilitarianism, and Kant’s duty ethicists based on the given scenario for this case, and assume what a person representing these theories would recommend Alex as the right thing to do. Also inspect their justification process including some of the strength and weakness of each philosophical view. In addition, clarify my stance on what is the right thing to do for this case and the justification for it, and present proof to elucidate the unlawful practice presented in this case.

To begin with, based on the extensive examination of virtue ethicist on the second case study and using some of the words used by professor V, a person representing this theory may focus on achieving the gold of the human by knowing, internalizing, and applying objective principle to act morally correct. As said on case two, a virtue ethics is likely to recommend Alex to act as virtues person would act in his place. For this scenario based on this philosophical view, the morally correct virtues act is to be honest and abide by the law because of the emphasis of this theory on the rule of character and virtue. Therefore, they may recommend Alex to notify the internal audits of his findings regarding the misstatement of the corporate revenue, etc. The strength of this theory is it promotes goodness in many ways because its suggestio...

... middle of paper ...

...he Sarbanes-Oxley Act of 2002. After, analyzing the three theories, virtue ethics and act utilitarianism, and Kant’s duty ethics, the two philosophical views favored Alex to be honest and abide by the law. In the theory of virtue ethics, it is because the virtuous action to be taken in this scenario is to be honest, and for the theory of Kant’s duty ethics, the only action to pass the CI formulation this scenario is for Alex to abide by the law. Even, for the theory of act utilitarianism, the recommendation can be subjective therefore it may favor Alex to be honest and abide by the law because of the overall effect honesty has on society which can be considered the greatest good for the greatest number.

Works Cited

Johnson, R. (2004, 02). The History of Utilitarianism. Stanford Encylopedia or Philosophy. Retrieved 11, 2013, from http://www.plato.standord.edu