Was this the ethical thing to do? Claude, a college freshman, learns that his ro
ID: 421348 • Letter: W
Question
Was this the ethical thing to do? Claude, a college freshman, learns that his roommate and friend is pushing hard drugs on campus. Claude is not opposed to drug use. He smokes marijuana himself, though he has never used any hard drugs. Neither does he believe that drug pushing is wrong. But he does fear for his own safety, because if his friend is discovered and their room searched, his own marijuana might be found. After removing his marijuana from his room, he slips an anonymous note under the dean’s door, informing on his roommate.
Explanation / Answer
In the above case, the parties involved in the issues are Claude and his roommate. The moral issue before him is whether he should alarm the Dean about his roommate’s activity regarding pushing hard drugs on campus or he should stay quiet since he is himself involved in doing drugs though not hard drugs.
Legally, it is to be noted that drugs of these classes, in any form, is mostly banned across, though marijuana can still be used for medicinal purpose. Ethically, as a friend, who is also involved in such an act, though separately, sail in the same boat and hence cannot escape , merely by exposing just the other party. He holds a moral responsibility of confessing about his act and possibly pleading guilty but with an assurance of compliance with the Hostel etiquettes thenceforth. It is only this way that his act could be justifiable ethically otherwise, it is not an ethical thing to do. It is said that when your own house is made of glasses, you do not throw stones on the other’s. Therefore, if Claude’s own character is not clear, he should not shove it off by simply staking others, more so, when he is himself does not oppose the idea of drug usage.
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