Computer Science Assignment - COMMENTS ON ETHICAL PRACTICE

Paper 1:

The experience I wish to use to illustrate an ethical decision has to do with a doctor friend of mine, who

told me about the event several years ago.

My friend was a young medical doctor, actually just graduated from medical school. His grandfather at that

time was a very old man and had a number of ailments he was battling with. My friend was one of the

doctors who was taking care of the old man, and he was well acquainted with his situation.

One night, in fact in the middle of the night, around 2 am, my friend’s grandfather became very ill, and

emergency medical facilities like ambulances were not readily available at that time of the night. The family

was at a loss as to what to do. Then somebody remembered that one of the neighbours was working in a

hospital, either as a pharmacy technician or assistant, or some similar job description-he was not a medical

doctor, in any case. Due to the desperate situation at hand, it was suggested that this hospital staff should

be contacted and pleaded with to come and examine the old man and see whether he could help in any

way.

The hospital staff was contacted and begged to come and see the old man, and he reluctantly agreed to do

so, despite the interruption to his sleep. Upon examining the patient, the hospital staff concluded that the

man was a having a severe attack of asthma. He then went ahead and administered a drug for asthma

patients to the old man by intravenous injection. A few hours later, the old man died.

My friend the young doctor was informed the following morning on what happened to his grandfather, and

he was utterly shocked. His grandfather had never had any history of asthma-he had never in his life been

treated for asthma. No medical doctor would have prescribed that drug for that patient.

It is at this point that the ethical question arose, and there was need to make an ethical decision on what to

about this person who was not a medical doctor but went ahead to not only prescribe, but administer a

drug to this patient.

In the argument that followed this event, there were two groups with views that varied with each other.

One group argued straight away that the person in question should be prosecuted, because what he did

amounted more or less to pre-meditated murder. He should not have administered any drug to the patient,

since he was not qualified to do so. He should have concentrated on finding ways to get the patient to a

hospital.

The other group argued that this person was just acting as good Samaritan, trying to help out the ailing old

man. They saw it as an act of ingratitude to even consider prosecuting this man.

In the end, the ethical decision made was based on the Duty-based Ethical theory, since it is a universal rule

that only qualified medical personnel are to diagnose and prescribe drugs to patients, as well as administer

those drugs. The medical staff was neither of these-he was merely a technical staff in a hospital.

The final decision, therefore, was to prosecute the person in question.

Paper 2:

INTRODUCTION

Making ethical decision is very difficult, because I personally think it is a fight on choosing between two

things which may have impact on personal or business level.

Understanding the meaning ethical decision may help to come up with a good decision to an individual.

According to Wolfe (1991) “ethical decisions involve clashes in belief systems… clash of belief systems exists

within one person”. Wolfe derived this meaning of ethical decision from the ancient story between

Antigone and Creon who clashed to defend their belief on whether it is right to bury or not to bury a person

who dies in war? Wolfe states that the ethical aspect will present when there are two cause of actions, one

action is dictated by set of our personal belief and the other action is “dictated by a set of belief that define

us as a group-minded or professional”

ETHICAL DECISIONS

The clash to make ethical decision happened to me some few months ago. In our organization we normally

purchase group license for software to be used. It happened one of the senior staff knew about that and

wanted a license for private use, I knew it was not right, also giving out the license would affect when there

is additional new devices, so I had to make decision either to say yes or no, I was the one to make that

decision, and I said no, because the license was organization property and I was my duty to protect

organization property from misuse.

ETHICAL THEORY FOUNDATION TO MY DECISION.

I must admit that I was not aware of these ethical theories when I was making the decisions, but I think

moral values lead me to making that decision, I had to decide what is right and what is wrong. However

when I was doing research for the question, I found that my decision was base on Deontology theory,

which states that “…people should adhere to their obligations and duties when analyzing an ethical

dilemma” Catherine Rainbow (n.d). Therefore it was my duty to protect organization property from being

use for private benefit.

CONCLUSION

Making ethical decision in various situations is very important. During dissertation project it may be

required to make ethical consideration in some issues for projects to be suitable and accepted. Data

protection is very important especially when gathering information for our projects, using information

without user concert is regarded unethical. On the other hand ethical clearance needs to be obtained when

the project involves vulnerable groups such as children, mental illness individuals and others (Dawson,

2009)