Name __________________________________________
Date _________
Period ______
EXPLORING ETHICS
Directions: Read through the following hypothetical situations and explain what your ethical
responsibility is in the given situation. Remember, doing what is ethically right may not “feel”
right, follow the law, or be what society expects…or it might be. Many of these are a little
tricky, so think carefully before you respond and thoroughly explain your opinion. Some of you
may have done this last year in CCG. Please do it again as some of the scenarios are different
and some of your answers may have changed.
1. Your friend, who recently lost her job, comes to you and explains that she is considering
stealing to feed her children, but she wants to know if you think it is wrong for her to do so.
What do you tell her?
2. You visit the ATM to withdraw $40 from your bank account. For some reason the machine
gives you $60 instead. The receipt only indicates a withdrawal of $40 so nobody will know.
What do you do?
3. A stranger is yelling at her son in the grocery store. You notice he has a bruise on his arm and
scraped knees. As she becomes increasingly angry you think she might hit him. What do you
do?
4. You know a friend is planning to cheat on a test. You have tried to talk him out of it, but he
will not listen. What do you do?
5. You find a wallet full of cash. The driver’s license in the wallet belongs to someone who is
well known in the community as a generally “bad human”. What do you do?
6. You recognize an infamous terrorist walking down the street and turn him over to the
authorities. They discover that he has planted a bomb, and soon millions of people will die. It
seems they are considering torture to make him talk. What is your advice?
7. As before, the terrorist in custody won’t talk. Now it’s being suggested that they torture his
innocent family members to force him to talk and save millions of lives. What is your advice?
8. The only available spot in the parking lot is reserved for the handicapped. You are in a hurry
and won’t be very long. Do you park there?
Directions: Now, think back to your answers above and circle the statement which you believe
most applies to your personal ethical beliefs.
Moral Realist: “There is no universal right and wrong which can be applied to every situation.
The immediate circumstances define what is ethically right and what is wrong.”
Hedonist: “The most important thing in life is to be happy. Every person’s highest ethical
responsibility is to their own happiness.”
Utilitarian: “Ethically speaking, the ends justify the means, but only if those ends are in the best
interest of the largest number of people. The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few.”
Moral Absolutist: “Right and wrong are not flexible. Things which are ethically right or wrong
are always ethically right or wrong, no matter what the circumstances.”
Directions: In the remaining space explain what makes this your life outlook.