# Ethical Dilemma



## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

I'm going to take an actual situation that happened to me today, and put it to you all as a case study question instead. 

You're sitting by an indoor cafe and lounge using a laptop when some workers come by you with a shelf of food-stuffs to move it to a locked closet. A candy bar falls off, which you see, but ignore.

About half an hour later, upon leaving where you were sitting, you see that bar is still on the ground, and wasn't found by the workers. It's 5 feet from you. There are no workers around, and the cafe is closed, so you don't have the option of taking the candy bar and putting it back on its shelf.

What do you do?

1) Take it and leave
2) Throw it away in the trash
3) Put it on a table or chair and leave
4) Leave it on the ground
5) Other

I won't tell you what I did. Yet. 

Oh, and could someone please move this to community forum? I missed that I was posting this here.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

Get in ma belly!


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## skalpel (Nov 20, 2011)

Probably just 4. I wouldn't really give it much of a second thought really, and if this place is all indoors (a mall or something I guess right?) then it isn't littering the streets so no need for me to go pick it up and put it anywhere else. I'm just not that into chocolate!


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## Ukko (Jun 4, 2010)

Huilunsoittaja said:


> I'm going to take an actual situation that happened to me today, and put it to you all as a case study question instead.
> 
> You're sitting by an indoor cafe and lounge using a laptop when some workers come by you with a shelf of food-stuffs to move it to a locked closet. A candy bar falls off, which you see, but ignore.
> 
> ...


First the _shoulda_ - point it out to the workers. Not an ethical problem yet though.

After that hour, there are two equally ethical choices:

1) Take it with you.

2) Leave it on the table.

Either act would work for _my_ set of ethics, which may not be be yours. You've been around plenty long enough to have a set.


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## Chris (Jun 1, 2010)

Definitely 4. The fact that it is within the premises exposes you to the possibility of being charged with theft if you take it. You can't be sure you won't be picked up by a security camera. Looking at it purely ethically I'd still say 4 as you can't be absolutely sure the proprietors would throw it away on discovering it. The owner of the cafe might choose to eat it himself.


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## Manxfeeder (Oct 19, 2010)

I'd pick 4. Though it's sealed and probably untainted, it's still more the manager's call than mine.


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## regressivetransphobe (May 16, 2011)

I wouldn't touch it, that's not to say I consider myself ethical.


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## Dodecaplex (Oct 14, 2011)

Man, this makes the whole Milgram experiment seem like an amusing children's game. Ethical dilemma be damned!


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## Sid James (Feb 7, 2009)

3 or 4.................


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## NightHawk (Nov 3, 2011)

I suffer from duality, these are our choices:

1. My evil twin would pretend drop our overdue library book 'I'm OK, You're OK' right beside the candy bar and then scoop them both up in one motion and the evil twin would eat the candy on the way home while being shunned by the virtuous twin. Indigestion would develop.

2. I would direct the nearest 'bag-person' to the location, but _he_ would give the wrong directions.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

You people are too nice.


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## Huilunsoittaja (Apr 6, 2010)

Well just to say, I put it on a chair because I really didn't know what to do. :lol: I didn't really want it, but I didn't want to throw it away, considering I can't do that with something that's not my property either. My rationale was not to let it be stepped on if I could help it, so I moved it.

But as some acquaintances told me later, they said that I was just "kicking the can" (or should I say bar?) and gave the "ethical" issue to someone else, that is, whoever finds the bar next.  I guess they were right.

I wonder where it is right now actually...


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## Vaneyes (May 11, 2010)

It's making its way to a sewage treatment plant.


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## Chrythes (Oct 13, 2011)

Chris said:


> Definitely 4. The fact that it is within the premises exposes you to the possibility of being charged with theft if you take it. You can't be sure you won't be picked up by a security camera. Looking at it purely ethically I'd still say 4 as you can't be absolutely sure the proprietors would throw it away on discovering it. The owner of the cafe might choose to eat it himself.


Well you could always say that you just found it laying on the floor, not knowing that it belonged on the shelf in the first place. Ura, no charges!

I guess i'd take the chocolate and give to a homeless guy. Would it be more moral than to leave it in the Cafe with a note saying something like "It fell off while the workers were moving the shelf into the locked room, I hope you'll do the right thing with it", or i could come back the next day and tell the workers the candy's story. Maybe they'll reward me with a candy. 
But frankly, It would depend on my mood I guess, and I wouldn't care much about either of choices too much, as it's not a moral decision that matters much to me.


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## LordBlackudder (Nov 13, 2010)

While the thought of dining off the floor is an irresistible one I would say 5 (other) and post it through their letter box.


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## CameraEye (Nov 18, 2011)

Would your answers be the same had it been a considerable amount of money with no cameras watching you?


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## Ravellian (Aug 17, 2009)

who cares, it's just a candy bar. I'd take it.


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## Guest (Dec 15, 2011)

I think it's okay to eat it. You are the only one who knows the candy bar is okay. Anyone else would probably have to throw it away. So by not eating it, you're probably letting it go to waste (unless you leave a pretty convincing note).

What does the golden rule tell you? Put yourself in the position of the cafe owner. If I were the owner, I would prefer that you had told the workers initially. Failing that, just eat the darn thing.


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

Huilunsoittaja said:


> . . . Oh, and could someone please move this to community forum? I missed that I was posting this here.


So moved ... unlike the candy bar I suppose ... :lol:

But ... I would have picked it up and put it on another table and left.


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## Art Rock (Nov 28, 2009)

3, because leaving it on the floor is a safety hazard. Most accidents occur due to slips and trips.


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## science (Oct 14, 2010)

3) Put it on a table or chair and leave

I can't see stealing a candy bar. My integrity at this point in my life is probably worth $20,000. I won't sell for less than that.


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## Couchie (Dec 9, 2010)

I suppose it depends on how clean the floor is.


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## karenpat (Jan 16, 2009)

Hmm. Just reading the story I think I'd go for 1 but if it actually happened to me I don't know what I'd do...If my blood sugar was low I would most definitely take it though:lol: 
It would be easier if it was about finding money in the street; you just have to take it. I found 40 GBP on the street in London once...didn't hesitate.


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## Polednice (Sep 13, 2009)

CameraEye said:


> Would your answers be the same had it been a considerable amount of money with no cameras watching you?


My answer wouldn't be the same, no. For me, it's not a matter of a fundamental principle that I can use for any 'object which is not mine', but rather a fluid approach to different situations depending on the value of the object to me and its rightful owner.

In this instance, I can be almost completely certain that the chocolate bar will not be missed. It will also have negligible financial impact. It is practically a non-event if I take it or leave it, so I may as well improve my own lot and take it.

If it were a considerable amount of money, I would do my best to return it safely.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

I found a really nice gold chain necklace in the street once & handed it in to the Police Station. Six weeks later I had a call saying nobody had claimed it so I could have it if I wanted it. I did go & get it & after thoroughly cleaning & disinfecting it, still wear it which I wouldn't have been happy doing if I'd just taken it home.

I'd do this for the candy bar

3) Put it on a table or chair and leave


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