The Moral Framework paper is based on Case 9, Highway Safety Improvements, on pp. 219-220 of your
textbook. Your decision on which site to improve will change as you employ several moral framework
tests to reach your decision. Not only are you to (1) give your decision, but you are to (2) give the
principle/test behind it.
You can locate the moral framework tests in Chapter 2, Section 2.10 Moral Theories: Approaches as
Models starting on page 29. There are eight (8) framework test decisions to be made: Harm Test,
Publicity Test, Defensibility Test, Reversibility Test, Virtue Test, Professional Test, Colleague Test, and
Organizational Test. See Box 2.8 Davis’ Eight Moral Tests for a review of each of the eight tests on page
29—You are to have a decision for each one of the eight moral tests; i.e., you will have eight (8) separate
decisions—each independent of the other seven.
The following extremely simplex example may help you generate your own responses to Case 9. It’s 4:45
a.m. and you’re off to work. You need to be there by 5 a.m. You get to the end of your street where
there’s a stop sign. Your decision to crash the stop sign will be based on the moral theoretical framework/tests you use—provide much more detail in your eight decisions as this is only an example to
get you started.
Decision: There is a stop sign rule (law) in place because this is a potentially dangerous intersection. If
everyone was to crash the stop sign, there would inevitably be an accident. You should honor the stop
sign.
Test: The Harm Test-Does this option do less harm than any available alternative?
Decision: If you crash the stop sign and others follow in your footsteps, would more benefit than harm
be achieved? Probably not, so you should not crash the stop sign.
Test: Reversibility Test-Would I still think my choice of this option is good if I were one of those
adversely affected by it?
***Obviously, the responses will contain much, much more detail than the above examples.
Your Case 9 paper should be analyzed and decided separately and individually in terms of each of the
eight (8–count them as it’s easy to leave out one) tests listed in Box 2.8 Davis’ Eight Moral Tests on page
29.
You may have eight different decisions. There is no overall decision for this paper; there are eight
separate decisions, some leading to the same conclusion and some not—if all your decisions are the
same, you may not be digging deep enough into the data. You must provide convincing evidence that
you know what the moral framework test is (its premise) and how it fits into the context of the decision
for this framework’s way of thinking. You must make a firm Site A or Site B decision for each
framework/test—no waffling or alternatives. You may want to go with your first instinct; however, its suggested that you analyze each situation independently utilizing an in-depth view of the given facts and
information. Consider finding a way to complete an “apples to apples” comparison.
Altogether, the Moral Theoretical Frameworks paper is to be no less than three double-spaced
typewritten pages.
Citations: APA format
Bibliography page: 2 sources minimum + textbook source {Textbook: Pritchard, M., Harris, C., Jr, Rabins, M. J., James, R., & Englehardt, E. (2017). Engineering Ethics: Concepts and Cases (6th ed.). CENGAGE Learning Custom Publishing.}
