Demonstrate an understanding of traditional and contemporary theories of moral reasoning, including utilitarianism, deontology, virtue theory, and care ethics.

Goal: To improve your ability (1) to identify and explain the basic features of two different ethical theories, (2) use appropriate sources to acquire this information, and (3) apply this information by evaluating a case study in which engineers have engaged in deceptive acts.

Kants ethics of duty vs. Mills utilitarianism
Kants Groundwork on the Metaphysics of Morals (selection), Mills Utilitarianism (selections), and Martin and Schinzingers Engineering Ethics (4th edition)
Volkswagen emissions scandal (2015)
Course Outcomes:

Demonstrate an understanding of traditional and contemporary theories of moral reasoning, including utilitarianism, deontology, virtue theory, and care ethics.
Understand how moral and political theories apply to various fields of human activity.
Demonstrate an awareness of our moral and social responsibilities to other human beings by directly addressing contemporary problems in ethics, especially as they emerge in the engineering profession.
Prompt: Kant and Mill have differing views on whether it is morally permissible to engage in acts of deception such as making false promises, withholding information, and lying. Kant claims it is never morally permissible to lie, because rational agents have a perfect duty to others to be truthful. Thus, lying violates the moral law because it cannot be made into a universal law that everyone could rationally accept (See Kants case study #2). By contrast, Mill could entertain the possibility that telling a lie may have the best consequences in cases where utility is maximized for the most individuals affected by it. Although a rule-utilitarian might say that the rule against lying is, in general, the best kind of moral rule that promotes utility, still one might think of cases where lying has morally good outcomes according to act-utilitarianism.

In this assignment, reconstruct and explain the basic features of Kants ethics of duty and his argument that lying is never morally permissible, then reconstruct and explain the basic features of Mills utilitarianism and arguments from rule-utilitarian and act-utilitarian viewpoints that lying may be permissible in some situations. Next, apply these arguments from Kant and Mill respectively to the case study of the Volkswagen emission scandal (2015). Provide a brief synopsis of the facts (3-4 sentences) of the facts before evaluating it from the viewpoint of duty ethics and utilitarianism.

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