Deontological Perspective

The principle of deontology demands that morality of action should be determined by duty as well as adherence to certain rules. The individual faces a dilemma on whether to keep promise to the company and fail to disclose the issue or disclose and bear the consequences. The deontological perspective assumes that humans should be treated as objects of intrinsic moral value. However, the consequentialist perspective assumes that morality of an action is determined by the specific results of an action, in which case the salesman’s actions would eventually help the company avoid litigation.
Levels of Cognitive Moral Development
Kohlberg defined three levels of moral development, which are, the pre-conventional, conventional, and post-conventional. The scenario shows that the salesman is at the post-conventional level of cognitive moral development since his personal sense of morality seem to be defined in terms of more abstract values and principles. The company can be seen as a separate entity from society and can thus disobey rules inconsistent with its own agenda of profit-making. However, the salesman lives by the ethical principle of justice, which he feels should be done to all clients. The salesman’s moral reasoning is based on ideas, such as respect, dignity, and equality, which mean that if he does not disclose the issue he would feel guilty.
The ethical lens used by one individual differs from what the other person uses. The Ethical Lens Inventory, ELI is a personal evaluation tool designed to help one to understand the values that influence their choices. It categorizes how one prioritizes values when making ethical decisions to minimize unnecessary conflict, make better ethical decisions, and live their values with confidence and