Ethics

Ethics Study Guide James Rachels (1941-2003), defended racial preferences as a way to counterbalance unearned advantages by whites. Given the pervasiveness of racial discrimination, it is likely, he argued, that the superior credentials offered by white applicants do not reflect their greater effort , desert (reward or punishment that is deserved), or even ability. Instead, the credentials reflect their mere luck at being born white. He claimed that some white applicants have better qualifications only because they have not had to contend with the obstacles faced by their African American competitors. Rachels thought reverse discrimination might do injustice to some whites. Yet its absence would result in injustices to African Americans who have been unfairly handicapped by their lesser advantages. 11.4 Whistleblowing A whistleblower is someone who exposes unethical business practices. This is often reporting a violation of the law, something that is a potential threat to the public, corporate fraud, unethical business practices, or corruption. Often times the employee has a difficult time determining whether or not to be a whistleblower. On one hand, they are aware something unethical is happening in the workplace. However, many employees are loyal to their job and don’t want innocent people to be hurt as well. On the other hand, the main reason behind whistleblowing is an acknowledgement that the public deserves to know something, so usually the choice to expose a company is a moral dilemma within the individual. Whistleblowers are protected under the law, but that doesn’t mean an individual who chooses to expose unethical practices walks away unharmed. A whistleblower will most likely end up without a job and can also be prosecuted for any crimes they aided in committing. Sometimes a whistle blower will report an issue internally, meaning he or she goes to someone within the company, usually a supervisor, to address concerns. Other times a whistleblower will go to the media, public, or law enforcement to address the issue. An American philosopher who specialized in ethics,

©2018 Achieve Page 86 of 116