In class today, we talked a lot about the importance and
value of loyalty, and we tried to determine what situations where the
obligations of loyalty are outweighed by the obligations to the greater good.
Loyalty is an interesting test of ethical conduct because it seems to fall in
the grey area between the categorical imperative and utilitarianism. For
example, most of our concerns about loyalty stemmed from utilitarian
calculations of the greatest good combined with the categorical idea that
loyalty is something that ought take precedence to many other concerns. In
class, we demonstrated that loyalty is a force that encourages us to keep
contained and minimize the potential harm we do our fellows, such as when many
of us said that we would prefer to report someone within an internal chain of
command rather than cause more trouble by bringing in outside influences.
Though, we must all admit that there is a point where loyalty breaks down,
mainly in two cases: where the result is somewhat insignificant and when the result is
extremely destructive. For the first, it would be akin to having to testify
against a close friend for some small thievery or other small crime. Most would
not deliberately perjure themselves, and I doubt that many would plead the
fifth. We would thus inform on our friend, and yet we would not feel that we
had violated any claims of loyalty in this case. On the other extreme, if the result
would be destructive with no positive gain, such as the example with the
football team, most of us would still remain silent. What do you all think? Have I correctly represented our in class discussions?
Concerning the two cases you specified, I do not really see them as points where "loyalty breaks down." Take the example you gave about the petty crime, although we may tell the truth and refuse to commit perjury, our sense of loyalty would not disappear, guilt would still be felt, and I believe for the cases that it is not, is because of loyalty that guilt is not felt. One could say that there exist a sense of loyalty to the self and they stops us from taking certain typer of risks, but there is also the argument of loyalty to society. Also one could say that by telling the truth you are fullfiling the binds of loyalty to him, by helping him correct his mistakes ( basically character building).
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