Week 2 discussion responses

Initial Post ( K. Rowland)

As an executive, the ethical dilemma is whether the product should still be put on the market even though people have experienced negative side effects. "Since consequentialists are more worried about the outcome than the action, the central ethical concern is what kind of outcome should I want?" (UMGC). The executive has to determine whether it will cost the company more money in the long term if they decide to squash the product or if they have to pay for legal and other fees due to negative side effects. 

To determine whether or not to market the product, the utilitarian theory would suggest determining which outcome makes more people happier (UMGC). While this can not be a completely accurate determination, the executive can order an experiment in which a large pool of people is given this drug. Of course, some participants will also be given a placebo, but performing this testing on a very large group will provide more accurate data. The results of this experiment can help determine whether or not selling this drug will be for the greater good. "There are altruists who use normal, profit-driven business operations to do well" (UMGC). Altruism is a similar theory in which the idea behind the business is overall happiness. In this case, the company needs to decide if putting a product on the market will make more consumers feel better than the number of consumers who may feel worse. 

I do not think this is a case of ethical relativism. The ideology is described as "the position that there are no moral absolutes, no moral right and wrong" (Slick, 2021). The fact that there is a debate on whether the product should be put on the market or not makes it seem that there is an ethical "right" or "wrong" to choose. 

References:

Chapter 3: Theories of Consequence Ethics: Traditional Tools for Making Decisions in Business when the Ends Justify the Means. learn.umgc.edu. https://learn.umgc.edu/d2l/le/content/547083/viewContent/20377287/View.

Slick, M. (2021, January 12). Ethical Relativism: Position of no moral absolutes. Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry. https://carm.org/relativism/ethical-relativism/.