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#1
10-15-2006, 01:25 AM
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Ethics Question
You are a public figure with alot of influence. There is a war going on. There is also a draft. People will pay you to use your influence to keep them out of war. If you accept the payment the outcome of the war probably won't change, If you don't the person will die 1/2 the time, and lose 4 years of there life all the time. What is your action?
If it matters, if you get caught you will lose your public figure status and be forced to move out of country. edit: Assume that if he could, he would keep everyone out of war. 
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#3
10-15-2006, 01:53 AM
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Re: Ethics Question
Hey txag. Assume that if he could he would keep everyone out of war. He is not greedy, just compasionate and wants to save as many as he can from war. They money he takes is only to start a new life in case he gets caught.
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#5
10-15-2006, 05:17 AM
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Re: Ethics Question
[ QUOTE ]
Proverbs 15:27 A greedy man brings trouble to his family, but he who hates bribes will live. [/ QUOTE ] txag, In light of your recent posts I feel compelled to point out this offering: http://www.abarnett.demon.co.uk/athe...leharness.html
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#6
10-15-2006, 05:21 AM
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Re: Ethics Question
Offering favoritism for those willing to pay is corruption. It shifts the burden of war and the risk of death from the wealthy to the poor.
It's easy to not consider this as immoral, since it appears to help some people directly while not directly harming anyone. But for every rich person you unfairly protect, a poor person or person without connections is forced to take their place. In effect, your influence is sending that person to war, even if you don't who they are.
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#7
10-15-2006, 05:59 AM
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Re: Ethics Question
[ QUOTE ]
Offering favoritism for those willing to pay is corruption. It shifts the burden of war and the risk of death from the wealthy to the poor. It's easy to not consider this as immoral, since it appears to help some people directly while not directly harming anyone. But for every rich person you unfairly protect, a poor person or person without connections is forced to take their place. In effect, your influence is sending that person to war, even if you don't who they are. [/ QUOTE ] It can't be that simple. If you don't charge at all then your objection fails and theoretically you could charge in a way that means you make the same decisions as if you didn't charge. So lets suppose its ethically okay if you don't charge, you make the decisions on compassionate grounds and then charge an amount (possibly zero) that each is easily able to afford. Still a real toughie imo. chez
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#8
10-15-2006, 08:12 AM
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Re: Ethics Question
I say it would be unethical to accept payment. Unethical to pick and choose, or to shield those close to you? Maybe, maybe not. I'd probably use my influence to denounce the war and the draft. If enough people did the same, maybe the war could be ended. If not, well, then I'd probably lose my influence and do nobody any good.
Still, if being a politician means making morally shady decisions in order to maximize utility, count me out of politics. Maybe it's a cowardly position in some sense, but I'd rather keep my hands clean.
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#9
10-15-2006, 10:50 AM
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Re: Ethics Question
The outcome of a replacement is uncertain. The drafts are typically held by the thousands. There may or may not be another draft. No one would take his place in the current draft.
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#10
10-15-2006, 11:06 AM
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Re: Ethics Question
[ QUOTE ]
Offering favoritism for those willing to pay is corruption. [/ QUOTE ] You never turn down anyone, sometimes you use your influence without any payment. Would you say this is moral corruption?
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