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Week 3: The Responsibility Project

Ethics

Mr. Jeffrey Wisdom

Week 3/The Responsibility Project

Frederick R. Paige III






















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The Responsibility Project

The short film I chose in the Responsibility Project is The Home Run. This short film is
about a womens college team and the triumph they have by hitting a homerun in the last inning
by the last batter, but one obstacle stands in their way of winning. The Wolves are trailing in the
ninth inning, 0-2 with two runners on base. The last batter is up and the situation is very uneasy
for both teams. It looks as if the opposing team has the upper hand in this game. The score is 0-
2 with two outs in favor of the winning team. The last batter is up to bat with two strikes, two
runners on base and the weight of losing or winning the game on a single pitch. The pitch is
thrown and the Wolves batter hits a homerun. The crowd cheers, the coach is full of joy and her
teammates celebrate in victory as they round the bases and wait for her to come to home plate.
As the batter rounds first base, she trips and hurts herself. Not seeming to be able to make it by
herself, her teammates try and carry her around the bases. At that moment, the umpire opens the
rulebook and says that it is against the rules for her to have assistance touching all of the bases
by her teammates or coach. The opposing team is looking on as this is conversations is being
held by the umpire and the coach. All of a sudden, two opposing players from the other team
pick up the Wolves batter and carry her around the bases, making sure she touches all of the
bases and scores. The Wolves the game and the Central players congratulate her and the team on
the victory.
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Some of the ethical issues that were addressed in this short film were morality, fairness
and honesty. The morality issue that is addressed in this short film is the role of the Central team
who is in the midst of losing the game; but the Wolves runner cannot finish rounding the bases.
The central team helps the Wolves player finish touching the bases, even though it was not their
responsibility to help her. The rules of the game clearly stated that she was not to be helped by
any of her own teammates or players but in spite of the rules the Central players do what is
considered the right thing, even though they could have won the game by not helping.
According to Boylan (2009) utilitarianism is a theory that suggests that an action is morally
right when that action produces more total utility for the group than any other alternative. This
context can be easily associated with sports and doing what is good for the team. In this instance
however the Central softball team did what was morally right just because it was morally right.
The sacrifice that was made by the Central team was that they would have won the game. The
right thing that they did do was carrying the Wolves player. I believe that the deontology theory
is a better example of this action. Boylan (2009) states Deontology is a moral theory that
emphasizes ones duty to do a particular action just because the action, itself, is inherently right
and not through any other sorts of calculations.
External pressures have a substantial effect on decision making, especially when it comes
to moral issues. In business, coworkers, financial gain or loss and even rank structure between
boss and subordinate can influence decisions making or lack thereof. Money is a strong force
when it comes to business decisions and is a driving factor that influences moral and ethical
decisions. In business, we also relate the aspect of teamwork that is associated with sports realm.
Whether the business is large or small in number of employees there are often times where
teamwork comes into play. Other team members and even bosses can influence the decisions
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that need to be made by an individual. In the short film it referenced the losing team helping the
winning team, even though the losing team had an opportunity to win the game. The game was
not officially over, but because of a technicality in the rulebook Wolves almost lost the game. It
showed in the film the two Central players having a brief conversation then going to the injured
Wolves player and helping her. The rest of the Central players did not try to stop this action or
interfere with the deontology that was happening. The rest of the Central players even cheered
when the Wolves won the game and applauded because it was just the right thing to do. Your
personal decisions that are made relating to business organizations are similar. Peer pressure can
influence your decision whether that decisions be a positive or a negative one. Having virtue,
morality, and a standard can influence personal decisions. Whether the decision you make be
made using deontology, virtue ethics, complete good, or utilitarianism method, one has to be
made.






















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References
Boylan, M. (2009). Basic Ethics (2
nd
ed.)

http://responsibility-project.libertymutual.com/films/the-home-run#fbid=u9bKjro86K9