Philosophy
A sound moral foundation is indeed an important aspect of ethics, principles and rules that govern how we relate with others. The author in the book states that ethical facts and moral principles are the backbone of all forms of reasoning. He therefore explains that critical reasoning and arguments are significant in the choices we make. Our values and fundamental beliefs are responsible for defining what we regard as right or wrong. We are therefore expected to evaluate between these morals, values and ethical beliefs in an attempt to mold our decisions and actions. Ethics however, cannot be applied to moral reasoning in every decision we make, there are instances when critical reasoning goes against our ethical standards.
My eldercousin Kevin and I are usually close and we share a lot of our experiences whenever we meet. I amalways looking forward to summer breaks when he comes back from college and I get to listen to all his horrid and interesting experiences from school. There is one eventful experience he told me about I remember that significantly shaped and affected his views and opinions on morality and ethics. Just near his college he told me, there is always a huge hydro power generation dam built on a river course that supplies electricity to a large part of the town. Although the students have an exceptionally big swimming pool within the walls of the college, the boys in school particularly are usually adventurous and curious as well as stubbornly rebellious and often go for swims in the dam. This they do when it is already nightfall and the security guards have just finished their routine checks before heading back to the main entrance. A common ritual among them is to have all the new freshmen assimilated into the elite group of pro- swimmers dive from an exceptionally high vantage point. Kevin always loved swimming and when he was introduced to the group by one of the seniors, he saw no harm in trying out new tricks in deeper waters and of course higher heights of diving. Together with three other freshmen, the group of ten with seven seniors left school for the 20 minutes’ drive to the dam. It was a chilly Friday and Kevin had just finished his classes for the week like the others.When they arrived, Troy the evident leader of the pack winced at Kevin and told him he was going to dive first then his friends would follow.
After scanning and ensuring security men were out of site, they stealthily forced themselves through the fencing. Kevin being the confident soul he was, quickly removed his shirt and began the climb up the staircase to the highest point of the scaffolding that was by the dam. One of the freshmen, Andrew asked fearfully how deep the dam really was and questioned the safety of the jumps they were about to make. Troy and the others laughed of boisterously calling him a sissy and reluctantly pointing to him to exit if he was not man enough to face up to the challenge. One, two three.., and Kevin was in the next instant plummeting down through the air head first in a rather skillful dive and within no time he plunged into the cold waters and emerged with a wide grin as the seniors acknowledged his expertise with evident surprise. Andrew was however not to come out of his dive as he went in, after some few minutes of his dive, he did not resurface. One of the seniors alerted the others to run after a security guard appeared and blood started collecting in the dam. Kevin quickly dived in and rescued Andrew by quickly giving him a resuscitation and making sure he was in a more stable condition before fleeing away as well.
Moral reasoning for all the students expects them stay and ensure their friend is taken to hospital instead of escaping. Kevin could have remained but he knew better than to stick around and face extreme consequences of trespassing private property and neglect to the injury and probable loss of a friend. Andrew was lucky to be alive and regardless of everything always thanks Kevin for rescuing him, the students were also lucky to escape since no charges were pressed. Kevin and Andrew are now good friends.
References
Frank, N. DEFINING MORALS, VALUES AND ETHICS. Navran Associates, 12 no. 6.
(2010): 24.Retrieved from, http://www.navran.com/index.html
Stout, M., & Love, J. ETHICAL CHOICE MAKING. Public Administration Quarterly,
37 no. 2, (2013): 278-294. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/1355492932?accountid=45049
Swinyard, W. R., DeLong, T. J., & Cheng, P. S. THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN
MORAL DECISIONS AND THEIR CONSEQUE. Journal of Business Ethics,8no. 4, (1989): 289. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/198065434?accountid=45049
