Final Project

Evidencia 2

Subject:
Ethics and Psychology: From Self-Knowledge to Fulfillment

Student:
Carlos Osmar Medina García - A01198351

Teacher
Libby Jeremy Miransky
The scenario presented describes a complex ethical dilemma for Reid Jackson, the

Quality Assurance specialist at the ground beef-processing facility. Reid's decision will

depend on his values, ethical principles, and long-term goals. The scenario highlights

the complexity of ethical decision-making, particularly when there are competing

interests and potential consequences for a lot of people. In this case study we will

analyze this scenario from different ethical theories and principles to see what he can

do in this situation.

The primary moral agent in this scenario is Reid Jackson, the Quality Assurance

specialist. However, the moral agency extends to Art MacIntosh, the supervisor, and

potentially the company, Prairie Processing. It's a collective moral agency since they all

know about the immoral actions being done and they do it anyway.

The subjects of moral worth in this scenario include Reid, Art, other employees at the

plant, the residents of Lackawanna, consumers of the ground beef products, and the

company Prairie Processing. They all are vulnerable to this scenario.

The ethical problem revolves around the falsification of bacterial testing data by Reid

and Art, compromising the safety and quality of ground beef products. This action may

cause potential risks to consumers and conflicts with ethical standards in the food

processing industry if they find out.

There is a lot of important information to take into account when working in this

dilemma. Starting with the bad economic state in which Lackawanna is in this scenario.

Without Prairie Processing's economic contribution to Lackawanna a lot of people in the

town will be affected. This is because it could cause a lot of potential consequences for

the community if the plant faces closures and job losses. Another Fact is the falsification
of bacterial testing data to avoid regular supervision. Finally, Reid's wishes of

maintaining his job and the pressure to conform to the company's practices.

Possible alternative actions that the company, manager or individual could take:

❖ Reid and Art continue falsifying data to maintain job security and economic

stability.

❖ Reid reports the discrepancies and ethical violations to superiors or regulatory

authorities.

Now, let's identify the philosophical theories behind each alternative.

a. Utilitarianism:

Alternative 1: Falsifying data might be justified from a utilitarian perspective if it prevents

job losses and economic decline, contributing to overall happiness. However, it may

lead to harm for consumers and compromise the greater good.

Alternative 2: Reporting the unethical actions of his superiors aligns with utilitarianism

by prioritizing the well-being of consumers and the community in the long term.

b. Deontology:

Alternative 1: Falsifying data violates the categorical imperative as it goes against the

principle of honesty and treating others (consumers) as ends in themselves, not as a

means to an end.

Alternative 2: Reporting the unethical actions aligns with the duty of honesty and

respect for individuals' autonomy, adhering to Kantian principles.

c. Communitarianism:
Alternative 1: Falsifying data may be seen as maintaining the well-being of the local

community by preserving jobs and economic stability.

Alternative 2: Reporting aligns with communitarianism by prioritizing the common good

and the health of the community over short-term economic benefits.

d. Virtue Theory:

Alternative 1: Falsifying data conflicts with virtues like honesty and integrity, which are

crucial for building a virtuous character.

Alternative 2: Reporting his superiors aligns with virtues of honesty and responsibility,

contributing to the development of a virtuous character for Reid.

The subjects of moral worth, including employees at the plant, residents of

Lackawanna, consumers of ground beef products, and the company Prairie Processing,

would be affected by the alternative actions. Especially if Reid decides to Report

anything since the work of many employees would be at risk.

Analysis of Ethical Intervention:

The best solution would be to Report the unethical actions being held in the company.

Since even though many jobs would be at risk, that doesn’t ensure their closure. So, it

would be better to focus on a more honest and unharmful company for its clients. By

interfering, there could be many ways to cause the least harm and do the right thing.

Starting with the needs of the subjects of moral worth. The Employees at the company

need a job and a stable economic environment. This would be affected positively by an

intervention. By involving an institution or government there could be an alternative

revenue for the workers while checking the installations for harmful bacteria. Other

subjects of moral worth are the residents of Lackawanna which need unharmful

resources and economic stability. By getting involved with the local government and

some organizations there could be some alternative economic development strategies

for Lackawanna, ensuring that the community's well-being is not solely dependent on

the processing plant. Also, the consumers of Ground Beef Products need safe and

high-quality food products. If Reid decides to intervene there would be an oversight in

the food processing industry to ensure the safety of products reaching consumers.

Finally, the Company which needs a good economy and a positive public image would

get better with an intervention. By working collaboratively with the company they could

implement ethical business practices. Also, they could emphasize transparency and

product safety, to secure long-term success and maintain a positive public image.

Reid has 3 options of specific actions he could do. Internal Reporting, External

reporting, and Community petitions.

For all, he needs to gather those documents of evidence, preferably multiple of them,

images or the physical documents. Then he should make a report to his direct

supervisor, Art MacIntosh, emphasizing the ethical and legal implications of the

falsification of data. This is the least effective, but gives an opportunity for an internal

resolution. If that doesn’t work, then Reid should report the discrepancies to relevant

authorities, such as the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) or the Food Safety and

Inspection Service (FSIS), which is specifically responsible for ensuring the safety of

meat and poultry products. This action aims to involve external oversight to ensure that

industry standards and regulations are upheld, maintaining consumers safety.

Government intervention is crucial to enforce compliance with regulations, conduct

thorough investigations, and take necessary actions to ensure consumer safety. Finally,

to organize a petition campaign involving Lackawanna residents, consumers, and

concerned citizens, advocating for stricter regulations and ethical practices in the food

processing industry. Public pressure through petitions can influence regulatory bodies

and lawmakers to enact or strengthen regulations, addressing the broader systemic

issues.

This is a multistep process in order to get what is better for the customers. By reporting,

even the company may have better reviews and a better public image, increasing the

amount of employment and payment for its workers.

As mentioned above the primary moral agent in this scenario is Reid Jackson, the

Quality Assurance specialist. As the individual responsible for ensuring the safety and

quality of the processed meat, Reid has a moral duty to address any problem in testing

data about the meat produced in the company. The subjects of moral worth include the

employees at the plant, including Reid himself and his colleagues, the residents of

Lackawanna, consumers of Ground Beef Products and the company “Prairie

Processing” itself.

If Reid intervenes there are many possible outcomes. For the Employees of the

company, if everything ends well, there could be increased job security and economic

stability in the long term. By addressing the ethical concerns, the focus changes toward

sustainable business practices that benefit both employees and the company. For the

residents of Lackawanna, there could be an economically stable community. They could

also find other options of revenue to not rely entirely on the company. For the

consumers of Ground Beef Products, they have better quality products. Reporting

ensures that consumers are protected from potential health risks associated with

contaminated meat, contributing to their well-being. Finally, the company ensures

long-term success through ethical business practices. While there may be short-term

challenges, addressing harmful products and implementing transparent processes

contributes to the company's positive public image and sustained success.

This action ensures that potentially harmful products are not reaching the market. Also,

Reid contributes to the long-term welfare of the Lackawanna community. Expanding

economic sources and promoting sustainable industries reduce the community's

vulnerability. Apart from that, it builds trust within the community and among consumers.
Trust is crucial for the long-term success of both the individual moral agent and the

company. Finally, it aligns with Virtue ethics since he is being honest and responsible

when reporting this problem to the higher authorities.

Bibliography

● Usda.gov. 2013 Inspection Programs | Food Safety and Inspection Service

[Internet].[cited 2023 Nov 30]. Available from:

https://www.fsis.usda.gov/inspection/inspection-programs

● U.S. Food and Drug Administration. 2023 Office. U.S. Food and Drug

Administration [Internet] [cited 2023 Nov 30]. Available from: https://www.fda.gov/

● FoodSafety.gov; 2019 for S. Report a Problem with Food [Internet].[cited 2023

Nov 30]. Available from:

https://www.foodsafety.gov/food-poisoning/report-problem-with-food