Obedience can be defined as compliance with an order, request, or law or submission to

another's authority. Obedience is not a moral virtue as I believe it is not crucial for one to have a
good human life. Whether obedience is beneficial or harmful depends significantly on the context at
hand; whereas for other moral virtues, they almost always bring about morally positive outcomes.
Being overly obedient can bring about negative impacts. If we all accepted the status quo as our way
of life till death, mankind would not have made numerous breakthroughs that have shaped our lives
to be as comfortable and efficient as we know them to be today.

It would be morally permissible to obey the laws set by ones government. Most laws exist
to protect basic human rights, such as being respectful, preventing discrimination and thus are in
line with moral virtues of compassion, tolerance, civility and justice. By obeying laws, one practices
benevolence as he puts aside his own self-interest for the greater good a harmonious society.
Thus, obedience of laws is morally permissible as it promotes living life according to other moral
virtues.

It is morally permissible for me to report the company to external regulatory agencies. I

should make the report as reporting promotes the moral virtues of justice and compassion holding
the company accountable for its unethical practices and protecting the lives of innocents. I have also
exhausted all possibilities of internal resolution - convincing the company of taking the drug off the
shelves but ultimately the company had chosen to continue sales of the drug. Lastly being the
researcher who discovered the side effects, I have sufficient evidence and thus reporting the
company would be prudent as reporting is likely to reveal the truth and bring the company to
justice.