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Solutions for CMS-207 Professional Ethics Exam
Q1: Ethical considerations in the train dilemma
1. Factors to consider when deciding whether to pull the lever:

- Number of lives affected: This scenario poses a classic ethical conflict of whether saving
five lives justifies sacrificing one. The utilitarian perspective prioritizes minimizing harm.
- Responsibility and moral agency: By pulling the lever, one takes direct responsibility for
causing harm to one person, shifting the moral dilemma from passive to active involvement.
- Personal relationship to individuals: If the person on the alternate track is someone
significant, such as a family member or someone with critical societal contributions, this
could complicate the choice.
- Consent and autonomy: None of the individuals involved have a choice in the matter,
raising questions about fairness and the ethical violation of their rights.
Example: In the healthcare system, doctors must often make life-and-death decisions about
resource allocation, prioritizing those most likely to survive.
2. Weighing emotional impact and saving multiple lives:

- Emotional toll: The individual making the decision bears the lifelong emotional burden of
their choice, which can lead to guilt, regret, or relief depending on the outcome.
- Societal value: Saving multiple lives could be seen as benefiting families and communities
more than the loss of one life. However, this assumes all lives are equally situated, which
may not always hold true.
Example: Emergency services face similar decisions during disasters, such as rescuing a
group at the cost of leaving a single victim behind.
3. Right or wrong choice:

- Utilitarian view: Pulling the lever to save more lives may be seen as morally "right."
- Deontological view: Any action that directly harms someone, even to save others, may be
considered "wrong."
- Context-dependence: The rightness or wrongness of the action depends on the ethical lens
applied and the circumstances.
Real-life analogy: Autonomous vehicle programming faces similar dilemmas in deciding

whose lives to prioritize in unavoidable accidents.
Q2: Bribery in professional services
How bribery has damaged professional services:

1. Judicial system:
- Bribes undermine justice by allowing wealthy or powerful individuals to escape
punishment, while the less privileged suffer disproportionately.
Example: In Pakistan, bribery in legal processes has led to delayed justice and mistrust in
law enforcement.
2. Healthcare sector:
- Patients with financial means can bypass waiting lists or obtain special treatment through
bribes, while others endure long delays or neglect.
Example: A study in South Asia highlighted how corruption in public hospitals led to poorer
outcomes for low-income patients.
3. Corporate and construction sectors:

- Companies often secure contracts through bribes rather than merit, leading to
substandard work. This compromises safety and wastes public funds.
Example: Bribery in awarding construction projects has led to building collapses and
infrastructure failures, endangering lives.
4. Socioeconomic impact:
- Bribery discourages foreign investment as it increases uncertainty and operational costs.
- It also fosters inequality, where wealth becomes the deciding factor in accessing
opportunities.
Example: Corruption in obtaining educational certificates has created a workforce lacking

genuine skills.
Specific examples of bribery’s damage in Pakistan:

- Law enforcement: Police taking bribes to ignore traffic violations or criminal activities
erodes public trust.
- Municipal governance: Bribes for illegal building permits result in structures that violate
safety codes, leading to disasters.
Analysis of why bribery persists:

- Weak enforcement of anti-corruption laws.
- Cultural normalization of bribery as a "necessary evil."
- Lack of transparency and accountability in public offices.
Steps to combat bribery:

1. Legislative reforms:
- Enact strict anti-bribery laws with severe penalties for violators.
- Strengthen whistleblower protection to encourage reporting.
2. Institutional transparency:
- Digitize government processes to reduce human interaction and opportunities for bribery.
- Conduct regular audits of high-risk sectors.
3. Public awareness campaigns:
- Educate citizens on the long-term harm of bribery and their rights to fair treatment.
- Promote ethical behavior through school curricula and media campaigns.
Case study: Singapore’s transformation into a corruption-free nation involved zero-

tolerance policies, high salaries for public officials, and transparency measures.
Q3: Ethical evaluation of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse
1. Utilitarian/consequentialist perspective:
- The decision to use cost-saving measures and overlook critical safety tests violated the
principle of maximizing public well-being.
- The collapse demonstrated how ethical lapses in decision-making can result in
catastrophic harm.
Example: Similar cost-cutting practices led to the "Hyatt Regency walkway collapse," killing
114 people. This case reinforced the need for prioritizing safety.
2. Short-term and long-term consequences:

Short-term:
- Loss of property, public trust, and immediate financial repercussions.
Long-term:
- Stricter engineering codes and heightened awareness about ethical responsibilities in
construction.
Lessons learned:
- Ethical engineering requires balancing cost efficiency with rigorous safety standards.
- Consequentialist ethics emphasize the importance of foresight and accountability.
Q4: Cheating and plagiarism
Why it is unjustified:
1. Benefits and harms:
- Short-term benefits include better grades or job prospects, but they come at the cost of
integrity.
- Long-term harms involve damaged reputations, legal consequences, and societal distrust.
Example: A high-profile plagiarism scandal at a university led to expulsions, highlighting the

personal and institutional costs of dishonesty.
Ethical perspectives:
- Deontological ethics: Categorically oppose cheating as it violates moral rules of honesty.
- Consequentialism: Focuses on the ripple effect of cheating on academic credibility and
societal harm.
- Virtue ethics: Encourages developing a character rooted in honesty and responsibility.
Comparison to other dilemmas:

- Unlike dilemmas like the train problem, where harm is unavoidable, cheating is a
deliberate choice that disregards ethical principles.
How institutions can prevent cheating:

- Enforce strict honor codes and penalties.
- Use plagiarism detection tools.
- Encourage ethical reasoning through education.
Conclusion
Ethical decision-making demands careful application of principles such as utilitarianism,
deontology, and virtue ethics. Addressing challenges like bribery, engineering failures, and
academic dishonesty requires a combination of individual integrity, institutional reforms,
and societal awareness.

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Solutions for CMS-207 Professional Ethics Exam

Q1: Ethical considerations in the train dilemma

1. Factors to consider when deciding whether to pull the lever:

2. Weighing emotional impact and saving multiple lives:

3. Right or wrong choice:

Real-life analogy: Autonomous vehicle programming faces similar dilemmas in deciding

Q2: Bribery in professional services

How bribery has damaged professional services:

3. Corporate and construction sectors:

Example: Corruption in obtaining educational certificates has created a workforce lacking

Specific examples of bribery’s damage in Pakistan:

Analysis of why bribery persists:

Steps to combat bribery:

Case study: Singapore’s transformation into a corruption-free nation involved zero-

Q3: Ethical evaluation of the Tacoma Narrows Bridge collapse

2. Short-term and long-term consequences:

Q4: Cheating and plagiarism

Example: A high-profile plagiarism scandal at a university led to expulsions, highlighting the

Comparison to other dilemmas:

How institutions can prevent cheating:

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