Ethical Issues in Professional Life

Book excerpt: When (if ever) may a professional deceive a client for the client's own good? Under what conditions (if any) is whistle-blowing morally required? These are just some of the questions that scholars as diverse as Michael D. Bayles, Thomas Nagel, Sissela Bok, Jessica Mitford, and Peter A. French confront in this stimulating anthology. Organized around philosophical issues such as the moral foundations of professional ethics, models of the professional-client relationship, deception, informed consent, privacy and confidentiality, professional dissent, and professional virtue, the volume illuminates the complex ethical issues that arise in journalism, law, health care, counseling, education, engineering, business, politics, and social science research. A variety of pedagogic aids including clear introductions to and study questions for each set of readings, concrete cases designed to focus discussion, and an appendix on preparing cases and position papers, make the text invaluable for both students and teachers of professional ethics.