Comment Moral vs. Ethical vs. Legal (Score 1) 79
From your example, its a little difficult to give a good answer. It all depends upon your situation and the details are crucial.
There is no moral obligation to warn a person of minimal danger or where such a warning might endanger yourself. I believe both situations apply to your own.
While there is no moral obligation, it does question the application of ethics within business. Is it ok to do X to get $? In business, the answer appears to almost always be YES as long as it is legal. In some it is YES as long as you don't get caught. And even in others it is YES as long as the punishment is so small and the benefit so great, or the cost of someone to press charges so great and their recovery so small, etc.
What you are facing is the situation where X owes you $. Y is offering X $. You ask if you are obligated to tell Y. Y's actions will likely get X to pay you, therefore, from a business ethics standpoint, you are in the clear. Also, since the simple moral question is rather light risk and also likely to punish yourself, there is no moral duty.
Legally, who cares. 99% of illegal business activity that occurs is never challenged. Also, most of the minutia are STATE laws and therefore change upon your location and the location of the two other companies in question. In general, if you act in a manner that is moral and ethical then you're likely legal *enough* that nobody will come after you.
Personally, if this is about vengeance and not about getting paid, then you had best stay quiet. If this is about getting paid, and you feel you have a reasonable method that will make it so, then you are likely clear for "business-level ethics". Of course, some people aren't comfortable with that lowered standard.
There is no moral obligation to warn a person of minimal danger or where such a warning might endanger yourself. I believe both situations apply to your own.
While there is no moral obligation, it does question the application of ethics within business. Is it ok to do X to get $? In business, the answer appears to almost always be YES as long as it is legal. In some it is YES as long as you don't get caught. And even in others it is YES as long as the punishment is so small and the benefit so great, or the cost of someone to press charges so great and their recovery so small, etc.
What you are facing is the situation where X owes you $. Y is offering X $. You ask if you are obligated to tell Y. Y's actions will likely get X to pay you, therefore, from a business ethics standpoint, you are in the clear. Also, since the simple moral question is rather light risk and also likely to punish yourself, there is no moral duty.
Legally, who cares. 99% of illegal business activity that occurs is never challenged. Also, most of the minutia are STATE laws and therefore change upon your location and the location of the two other companies in question. In general, if you act in a manner that is moral and ethical then you're likely legal *enough* that nobody will come after you.
Personally, if this is about vengeance and not about getting paid, then you had best stay quiet. If this is about getting paid, and you feel you have a reasonable method that will make it so, then you are likely clear for "business-level ethics". Of course, some people aren't comfortable with that lowered standard.
