Pay or Die
A 93 year old man froze to death in his home after the municipal power company restricted his electricity because of an unpaid bill. He died of hypothermia — the medical examiner called it a slow, painful death.
Was the electric company's action to disconnect the power "right"? Why or why not?
Value of Life
Is it OK for businesses to put value on human life when making business decisions? If so, how should they calculate it? If not, why not?
Lost Cannibals
Was it "right" to kill and eat Richard Parker in order to survive?
Jobless Homebuyer
Assume the following scenario:
You hear from your boss that she is going to fire David, your coworker. "I don't have to tell you, but don't mention anything to David. He's working on a very important project and I want him to put his best into it", she says.
You later see David in the hallway (probably by the water cooler) and he says he is so excited about a new house that he and his wife really liked and are going to buy. "We have actually put an offer on the house. They're going to call us any minute.", says David, "We can hardly afford it, but I think, we'll be OK".
You have two options:
- Tell David that he's going to be fired, so that he doesn't buy the house and face a huge financial burden. In this case, you will betray your boss's confidence, and may create some problem for the company as David may sabotage the project.
- You can say nothing. David will buy the house and put his family in danger, financially. Your company will be OK.
Which option do you choose and why?