Conflict Between Duty to Self and Loyalty to the Community
What is a time when you or someone you know of experienced a conflict between duty to self and loyalty to the community? What would logical reasoning say should be done in that case? Why that? What would an Ethical Egoist say to do? Why would they say to do that? Note what you feel is the best course of action.
A couple of years ago, my cousin, Dave, was in a situation where he experienced a conflict between duty to self and loyalty to the community, or rather, his coworkers. Dave had just gotten an internship in a milk processing factory, which would help him get the job of his dreams. However, a few months into the internship, Dave discovered that the lab section of the factory, which was responsible for testing whether the milk had any toxins like heavy metals or antibiotics, was not doing their job. This meant that the milk being processed was untested, making it a potential hazard to those who consumed it. Not only was this dangerous, as it could lead to health issues for the consumers, but it also left the company vulnerable to litigation.
From a utilitarian perspective, as described by Rachels & Rachels (2012), logical reasoning would advocate for Dave to report the wrongdoing because the long-term benefits of exposing the incompetence of his coworkers would outweigh the immediate negative consequence, which includes losing his trust with the others and the loss of jobs for those he reports. In this case, an ethical egoist would contend that Dave acts in his own best interests. One could argue that he should report his coworkers’ incompetence if doing so will ultimately benefit him—particularly because it will be in line with his ethical principles and protect their loyal customers from harm. Even if he ended up losing the friendship of his other coworkers, an ethical egoist would still encourage Dave to report the situation.
I feel the best course of action would be for Dave to report the incompetent and potentially dangerous behavior. However, I also acknowledge that this decision is difficult and comes with personal and community risks that will probably make his every day at work challenging. Nevertheless, it aligns with broader ethical principles and long-term welfare. Besides, taking this step leads to necessary regulatory actions, prompts change in organizational behavior and ultimately safeguards public health.
References
Rachels, J., & Rachels, S. (2012). The elements of moral philosophy 7e. McGraw Hill.
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Question 
What is a time when you or someone you know of experienced a conflict between duty to self and loyalty to the community? What would logical reasoning say should be done in that case? Why that? What would an Ethical Egoist say to do? Why would they say to do that? Note what you feel is the best course of action.
What is a time when you or someone you know experienced a clash between professional duties and familial duties? Reference a professional code such as that of the American Nurses Association or American Bar Association in explaining the clash. What moral values should have been used in that case? Why those values?
Conflict Between Duty to Self and Loyalty to the Community
What would social contract ethics have said to have done? Why would social contract ethics say that? Note what you feel is the best course of action.
Articulate and evaluate a time when you or someone you know saw personal obligations collide with national obligations. How did that tension involve differing positions on a moral debate? Did those positions rely on any key moral theories? If so, how so? If not, why not? Note what you feel is the best course of action.