Sam Dickerson Writing Ethically ENC 3241

When considering practices for any profession, one must first and foremost consider the system of ethics that they are held to. The ethical commitments of any field are subject to various rules and policies often laid out in an ethics statement. Some procedures, like the many experiments and tests performed by the government that are covered in the ACHRE report, are more morally ambiguous and as such the entire report is in effort to define the ethical implications of the experiments. These standards are subject to immense controversy as they often conflict, and can be situationally ignored. The implications of these tests is far reaching as it shows how context and society can contribute to the morality and ethicality of any situation. Variations in standards and conflicting practices allowed for the completion of heinous and dangerous experiments on the american population. With a total lack of knowledge on behalf of the unsuspecting victims, proper ethical research could not have been performed. Without an active participation on behalf of the subject, the government becomes becomes completely liable for any and all damage that occurs as a result of the experiments in question. As such, the admission of guilt and eventual compensation given by the United States government was completely avoidable, also saving tax payers and the nation the immense cost of caring for those affected. A simple opt in program for those aware of the risk removes the blame from the government and presents a much more ethical experiment. In such a complex array of tests and experiments, over so many years, it is incredibly difficult to ascertain whether or not the ends justify the means. Many similar tests with radiation have since been performed in an ethical and effective manner, especially when it comes to testing of organisms other than human subjects. As former President Clinton mentions in his apology the ethicality of these experiments is entirely subjective, varying in relevance based on the time in which they are analyzed. With the strains on national security and race agains the Soviet Union to comprehend the effects of radiation on the human body, the need for national security trumps individual liberties. While science may not be objective, ethics certainly are. With a national need outweighing personal rights, once can certainly view the experiments as morally right. In my field of work, Information Technology, there are many ethical dilemmas that I encounter often. Many of these stem from the position of being in charge of managing other peoples and employees information and files. Observing and upholding the personal privacy of each individual I service requires me to take great lengths to avoid any situation that would require their personal information to be shared in any way. Other ethical dilemmas include taking responsibility for failing systems or programs, instead of simply passing the requests for service on to others. These are easily managed by adhering to the idea that preservation of personal security and property is of the utmost importance.