Week 2 discussion responses

A. HODGE INITIAL POST

The theories that fit into the category would be utilitarianism and the egoism theory. Utilitarian theory affects this scenario because only a select few would succumb to the undesirable side effects. However, for the vast majority, the drug will help more people than it would affect. The greater good is the ultimate goal, resulting from making more people happier than not ( Lumen, Chap 3, n.d.). Egoism serves as the pharmaceutical company's self-interest; according to Lumen, egoism is what makes you as the induvial happy, and what happens to anyone else is irrelevant (Chap 3, n.d.). For the company to consider sending out the drug when it can cause undesirable side effects is morally wrong. Since the drug is ready to distribute, the pharmaceutical company was thinking about making their pockets bigger rather than thinking about who will be ultimately affected.

I believe ethical relativism plays a crucial role in this scenario because of Malaysia's custom; it is customary for people to work for low wages in bad conditions, and bribery is even prevalent in the government. According to Lumen, there are cases where other countries' practices seem out of the ordinary, but it works for them; in the reading, they mentioned the Inuit Eskimos, and if they didn't plan the way they did, their whole tribe would face starvation (Chap 4, n.d.). In Malaysia, people are forced to work for low wages and a lousy work environment because of the need to provide for their families.

References

Lumen. Theories of Consequence Ethics Traditional Tools for Making Decisions in Business. Chapter Three. https://learn.umgc.edu/d2l/le/content/547083/viewContent/20377287/View.

Lumen. Theories Responding to the Challenge of Cultural Relativism. Chapter Four. https://learn.umgc.edu/d2l/le/content/547083/viewContent/20377282/View