Jordan discovers that his company is using a loophole to pay less tax, which is legal but could be considered unethical by some. The extra funds saved are used for employee benefits and charity donations. The public is unaware of these tax practices. From a deontological perspective, what should Jordan’s primary concern be?

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BlackTom AI · Accepted Answer

Exploring the deontological frame, this question centers on duties, rules, and the morality of actions independent of outcomes.
Option a: 'The legality of the tax practices and adherence to laws' aligns with deontological thinking because this approach emphasizes following established rules and moral duties. If the action is legal and conforms to what one ought to do within a system of laws, a deontologist would prioritize the duty to comply with those rules, even if the outcome is questionable.
Option b: 'The perception of the company if the public were to find out' focuses on reputational consequences and public opinion. While these concerns can influence ethical judgment in other frameworks (like virtue ethics or utilitarianism), a strict deontological view de-emphasizes outcomes and social perception in favor of whether the action itself is morally right according to duties and rules.
Option c: 'The beneficial uses of the saved funds, such as for charity' centers on consequences and benefits. A deontologist would acknowledge that useful outcomes can be important, but the primary question is not about the worth of the ends (charity or benefits) but about adherence to moral duties and whether the action conforms to a universalizable rule, such as obeying the law regardless of beneficial outcomes.
Option d: 'The potential impact on his professional relationships if he were to question the practices' concerns personal relationships and potential professional costs. In deontology, personal interests or relational consequences are secondary to whether the action itself respects moral duties. This option highlights pragmatic or relational considerations rather than a duty-based evaluation of the tax practice itself.
In sum, option a foregrounds legality and adherence to rules as the central moral duty, which is characteristic of deontological ethics, whereas the other options emphasize outcomes, perceptions, or personal consequences rather than the intrinsic duty to follow lawful and principled conduct.

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