Question

Is this the ethical thing to do?

When Sally’s father was gravely ill, he called her to his bedside and said I’d always hoped I’d see you graduate from college and go on to become a physicist, but I know death is near. Promise me one thing that you’ll keep on studying hard and become a physicist. Sally was deeply moved. I will she responded: I swear to you I will. Her father died shortly thereafter. Now it is two years later and Sally is ready to graduate from college. But she will not become a physicist. She has decided to go to law school.

Answer 1

There are many ethical theories which can give different results. But in rational it will be ethical to go to law college as the promise was made in the heat of the moment. It is important that the person is comfortable in what he/she is doing and is able to excel in the career. The act on the basis of rational is ethical in nature.

According to Kant theory in particular this action will be termed as unethical as it focuses on ability to fulfill promise and do not focuses on the action rightness or wrongness.