The core of ethics is doing the right thing, especially under challenging conditions while learning from several sources and not harming people and treating them well in the decision making process.
Teleology Ethical Philosophy
Also known as consequentialism, teleology extends the rightness or wrongness of actions and is based solely on the goodness or badness of their consequences (Regis-University Ruekert-Hartman). The main consequentialism theories are egoism and utilitarianism. Adam Smith defines egoism as self-interested behaviour which is right only if it leads to acceptable ends. Utilitarianism holds that the main choice produces the greatest good for the greatest number. While act utilitarianism talks about the right action bringing …show more content…
B. Fuller did not conduct itself in a morally appropriate manner. It focused on its profits at the costs of the street children’s lives and did not accept the use of mustard seed oil. The company should have conducted investigations about the possible misuse of the product, and taken sufficient actions to prevent any detrimental effect of its use. H. B. Fuller misled everyone to believe about the short shelf life of mustard seed oil and its carcinogenic effect, without conducting any research. However, correct information was thereafter provided by a journalist about its safe and consumable use. Although H. B. Fuller claimed, on 16 July 1992, to “stop selling Resistol adhesives” in Central America, in September1993, glue was still on sale for industrial use.
One of the Kantian categorical imperatives is ‘Act so that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in that of another, always as an end and never as a means only’. Kant maintained that each individual has a worth or a dignity that must be respected. This dignity makes it wrong for others to abuse somebody or use somebody against his will. To treat a person as a mere means is to use a person to advance one’s own interest. But to treat a person as an end is to respect that person’s dignity by allowing each the freedom to choose for himself or …show more content…
B. Fuller clearly violated at least two of the above rights which are life and safety and truthfulness. It failed to take concrete measures to stop addiction to its products even though for years it knew that these products were threat to life and safety of street children. It was the responsibility of H. B Fuller to act in favour of all stakeholders. As a parent company, it had a duty of care towards the activities of its subsidiaries and had more expertise and in-depth knowledge about the latter. If a parent company is fully aware of the harmful effects of its products in the society and is still continuing with its distribution, then it is liable for the acts and omissions of the subsidiaries. The street children’s rights to good health had been neglected with the continued use of harmful ingredients. The suggestion of using mustard seed oil was lobbied against, thus overshadowing the duty of care towards street children by the profit
Teleology Ethical Philosophy
Also known as consequentialism, teleology extends the rightness or wrongness of actions and is based solely on the goodness or badness of their consequences (Regis-University Ruekert-Hartman). The main consequentialism theories are egoism and utilitarianism. Adam Smith defines egoism as self-interested behaviour which is right only if it leads to acceptable ends. Utilitarianism holds that the main choice produces the greatest good for the greatest number. While act utilitarianism talks about the right action bringing …show more content…
B. Fuller did not conduct itself in a morally appropriate manner. It focused on its profits at the costs of the street children’s lives and did not accept the use of mustard seed oil. The company should have conducted investigations about the possible misuse of the product, and taken sufficient actions to prevent any detrimental effect of its use. H. B. Fuller misled everyone to believe about the short shelf life of mustard seed oil and its carcinogenic effect, without conducting any research. However, correct information was thereafter provided by a journalist about its safe and consumable use. Although H. B. Fuller claimed, on 16 July 1992, to “stop selling Resistol adhesives” in Central America, in September1993, glue was still on sale for industrial use.
One of the Kantian categorical imperatives is ‘Act so that you treat humanity, whether in your own person or in that of another, always as an end and never as a means only’. Kant maintained that each individual has a worth or a dignity that must be respected. This dignity makes it wrong for others to abuse somebody or use somebody against his will. To treat a person as a mere means is to use a person to advance one’s own interest. But to treat a person as an end is to respect that person’s dignity by allowing each the freedom to choose for himself or …show more content…
B. Fuller clearly violated at least two of the above rights which are life and safety and truthfulness. It failed to take concrete measures to stop addiction to its products even though for years it knew that these products were threat to life and safety of street children. It was the responsibility of H. B Fuller to act in favour of all stakeholders. As a parent company, it had a duty of care towards the activities of its subsidiaries and had more expertise and in-depth knowledge about the latter. If a parent company is fully aware of the harmful effects of its products in the society and is still continuing with its distribution, then it is liable for the acts and omissions of the subsidiaries. The street children’s rights to good health had been neglected with the continued use of harmful ingredients. The suggestion of using mustard seed oil was lobbied against, thus overshadowing the duty of care towards street children by the profit