As human beings, we all have our own values, beliefs, and attitudes, which form the foundation of our life. These values, beliefs, and attitudes guide the way we live our lives as well as the way we make decisions. In this paper, I will reflect on my own values, and how these values influence the way I make decisions or evaluate problems, More specifically, I will give my decision on a case and how my approach and rationale compare with applying the utilitarian and Kantian moral theory.
Honesty and integrity are some of the values I have developed in the course of my life. In the case provided, if I were Janice, I would have picked up the wallet and returned it to the owner. This is because I would hope for someone to do the same if I lost something. Also, doing good makes me feel better and happier. Therefore, regardless of her struggles, Janice should pick up the wallet and return it to the owner. I always strive to uphold honesty and integrity, and this has influenced my decision in this case.
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According to Kantian ethics, the rightness or wrongness of an individual’s actions ought not to depend on their outcomes or consequences but on to fulfilling one’s duties. According to this theory, Janice’s moral responsibility is to pick up the wallet and hand it over to the rightful owner, who is the rich woman. On the other hand, utilitarian ethics place the locus of right and wrong solely on utility or benefit. According to this theory, an action is considered ethical if it increases utility or benefit to many and reduces harm. According to this perspective, Janice can keep the purse because of her struggles to make ends meet. Instead of returning the wallet, she should keep it as it will help her and her family to pay for rent, medical bills, and other bills. Keeping the purse will do no harm to the rich woman. My approach and rationale are similar to that of Kantian moral theory. We both believe in upholding moral values.
