College of
Business
Administration
College of
Business
Administration
1) Does prosperity precede respect for nature's rights, or do nature's rights precede prosperity? Try to identify an ethical framework in your personal opinion.
2) What deontological arguments can you identify in this case? Do you agree with them?
3) What utilitarian arguments can you identify in this case? Do you agree with them?
4) Which is the more important role for Congress:
a) Making sure that the environment is protected for future generations. Would you feel the same way if doing so meant Americans losing their jobs?
b) Making sure that the oil and auto industries, industries that employ a large number of the American population, remain thriving and profitable for the well-being of the economy. What if doing so meant that the environment would suffer?5) In a room of 100 workers at an SUV factory, you are in charge of explaining why the plant is shutting down to ramp up production of more fuel-efficient vehicles. The 100 workers will be laid off with negligible severance packages. These primary breadwinners will be left without a job. One of the workers raises his hand in the meeting and asks you, "Do you think the environment is more important than my family, my daughter's college education, my son’s ongoing medical treatment that would break us without insurance, etc...?" What do you say?
6) Would you agree that high fuel-consumption vehicles are causing an increase in America's dependence on foreign oil? Do you think that some of the money we spend on Middle Eastern oil may be helping to fund terrorists?
7) Can you justify putting a “United We Stand” bumper sticker on your fuel-efficient passenger car knowing that a factory that produced SUVs had to be shut down putting hundreds out of work? Can you justify putting a pro-environment sticker on your SUV even though it is less fuel efficient than the alternatives?
8) How can consumer choice be reconciled with environmental consciousness in the auto industry? Do you want the government telling you what kind of car to drive? If not, would you be willing to give up some current choices for more fuel-efficient cars?
9) What are automobile manufacturers' social responsibilities? Should they invest additional money into R&D to make more fuel-efficient engines? Are they only obligated to invest in new technologies when mandated by the government?
10) Do you consider global warming to be a real threat? If yes, what do you see as some of the future consequences of global warming? Do you believe that more fuel-efficient cars could have a stabilizing effect?
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