Driverless Trucks: A Virtue-Based Ethical Dilemma

The provided content discusses the ethics of implementing driverless trucks in Australia, which has implications for job losses among truck drivers and their families. The case study draws on four ethical theories: virtue theory, contract theory, utilitarianism, and deontology. Virtue theory emphasizes individual character and Eudaimonism, while contract theory focuses on moral and political obligations. Utilitarianism prioritizes the greatest good for the most people, and deontology is based on duties and principles.

Running head: ETHICAL THEORIES
The jobs killer is coming: How driverless trucks could change Australia
Name of Student-
Name of University-
Author Note-

ETHICAL THEORIES
1. Introduction
The case study that is described in the scenario is that running of trucks without human
drivers in Australia. The vehicles that runs in Australia are proposed to run with robots drivers
on road ("The jobs killer is coming", 2017). This technology is considered as one of the most
exited and best technology that has ever been seen by the citizens of Australia, but it is also to be
considered as to ruin Australia. The Australian economy that depends on the logistics and
transport industry is near about 200$ billion, not using human drivers would greatly affect the
economy. The introduction of smart trucks in Australia is equally profitable as well as not
profitable. Running trucks with drivers that does not needs food, sleep or any other facilities that
human drivers needs is a great advantage for the economy of Australia, but at the same time
there increases a great sector of unemployment for the citizens of Australia. The truck drivers
whose living is from driving the trucks are no more needed by the truck owners. As a result they
are left unemployed.
2. Utilitarianism Theory
The case study that is taken mentions the ethical theory of utilitarianism as because there
is a pleasure of having vehicles running on road without the human drivers (Goetghebeur et al.,
2015). The cars and trucks that run on road will be run automatically by the robot drivers. The
utilitarianism theory of ethics deals not only with the amount of pleasure, it deals with the
happiness quality. The calculus of utilitarianism is considered as unreasonable. The quality of
happiness is not possible to quantify. The principle of utilitarianism is the “Greatest Happiness
Principle”. Utilitarianism is the way to gain the capability of getting happiness for all the people.

ETHICAL THEORIES
There are mainly two types of utilitarianism that are mainly faced in the ethical theory of this
case study.
Act utilitarianism- The utility principle is applied only to all the alternatives that come in
the situation where choices arise (Feiwel, 2016). The act which brings the best result of all the
results that comes is the act utilitarianism. In this case study the best choice is to start the use of
robotic drivers that are introduced in Australia. The advantages of the having robot drivers are
much more than their disadvantages.
Rule utilitarianism- The validity of rules that conduct moral principles are the rule
utilitarianism. The rule of keeping the promise is done by looking the consequences of the
present world in which promises are broken very easily (Treviqo & Tilly, 2015). After breaking
the rules, the impact is taken as good or bad. The rule utilitarianism in this case study is
implementing robot drivers. The impact that will come through will be seen afterwards.
3. Deontology Theory
The case study of having driverless trucks on roads of Australia gives the ethics of
deontology as because it provides the wrongness to the task it is showing towards the truck
drivers (Baynes, 2103). Deontology is the approach where the ethics focus on the wrongness and
the rightness of the actions that is being done. According to deontology, a situation is considered
to be right or as wrong depends on what action it has actually occurred. Deontology is also
known as the Moral Absolutism. The obligation based and the duty based ethics are sometimes
known as deontology. The duty is bonded with the ethical rules by a deontologist. Immanuel
Kant introduced some modern ethics of deontology in 18th century (Al-Aidaros, Shamsudin &
Idris, 2103). Three works of moral philosophy was proposed by Kant. They are "Critique of

ETHICAL THEORIES
Practical Reason" proposed in the year 1788, "Metaphysics of Morals" in the year 1797 and
"Groundwork of the Metaphysic of Morals" in 1785. He formulated deontology in different
ways:
The actions that are done by one self should be considered to become a law which is
accepted by the universe and are also in such a way so that the action can be applicable to all
(Lazar, 2017). But in this case study, the action is not beneficial to all the citizens of Australia.
Humanity should always be treated by the actions that are being done. Implementing
driverless trucks does not serve the humanity. It arises a situation where there drivers faces
problem of losing the job.
4. Virtue Theory
The virtue theory is the ethics approach that faces more on the character of an individual
and it is considered as an ethical thinking (Bai, 2017). The proper goal of human life is
considered in the ethics of virtue theory and the goals that are achieved can be possessed for
lifetime. This is known as Eudaimonism, one of the standards of virtue ethics. This virtue ethics
are used to resolve the problems, dilemmas and conflicts of the action. In this case study, no
such individual characters are emphasized upon (Neubert & Dyck, 2016). The main emphasis is
on a community of people who are truck drivers and their families. The second standard of virtue
of ethics is care that is related to the ethics. The terms that a man thinks are autonomy and justice
whereas woman thinks them as caring. It is a change on how the morality is viewed and also
virtues that are shifted towards the exemplification by woman. This includes taking care, self
practice and nature ability (Cowton, 2015). The third standard of virtue is the theory of ethics

ETHICAL THEORIES
that is based on agent based. The admirable traits such as compassion, kindness and benevolence
come under this theory of agent based.
5. Contract Theory
The moral and the political obligations depend on the contract theory of ethics. The
argument or contracts that are done for implementing a rule or a system is known as the contract
theory (Mansell, 2015). The case study that is elaborated in this paper has the contract of the
government of the implementation of driverless truck on roads of Australia. Prime Minister of
Australia Mr. Malcolm Turnbull said the implementation of the robot drivers in the vehicles will
be an interesting phase in development of the technology of Australia (Shafer-Landau, 2014).
The government supports the idea behind this. This contract is nothing related with the
individual or personal or the intent of the parties. The contract that are involved in the system are
that the people of the country should not be harmed by the act that is to be enforced and also all
the citizens must rely on each other to support the agreement and follow the system. The
government enforces agreements and laws for the system that are signed (Chell et al., 2016). The
social contracts are considered as those who come under the government. All the citizens are to
follow the rules and regulations of the government that comes in process.
6. Conclusion
In this case study, it is discussed about implementing robots drivers in the vehicles of
Australia which gives a benefit to the economy of Australia. This idea gives advantage to the
Uber, Apple and Google that helps to do the transportation fast and work with less cost. But the
truck drivers and their family members suffer as they are left jobless due to implementation of
driverless trucks. The vehicles that runs in Australia are proposed to run with robots drivers on

ETHICAL THEORIES
road. This technology is considered as one of the most exited and best technology that has ever
been seen by the citizens of Australia, but it is also to be considered as to ruin Australia. The
Australian economy that depends on the logistics and transport industry is near about 200$
billion, not using human drivers would greatly affect the economy. For the case study, four
ethical theories are stated that includes utilitarianism, deontology, virtue and contract. The
theories on how they are related to the case study are discussed elaborately.

ETHICAL THEORIES
7. References
Al-Aidaros, A. H., Shamsudin, F. M., & Idris, K. M. (2013). Ethics and ethical theories from an
Islamic perspective. International Journal of Islamic Thought, 4, 1.
Bai, F. (2017). Beyond Dominance and Competence: A Moral Virtue Theory of Status
Attainment. Personality and Social Psychology Review, 21(3), 203-227.
Baynes, K. (2013). Critical theory. Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
Chell, E., Spence, L. J., Perrini, F., & Harris, J. D. (2016). Social entrepreneurship and business
ethics: does social equal ethical?. Journal of Business Ethics, 133(4), 619-625.
Cowton, C. J. (2017). Virtue theory and accounting. Springer.
Feiwel, G. R. (Ed.). (2016). Arrow and the Foundations of the Theory of Economic Policy.
Springer.
Goetghebeur, M. M., Wagner, M., Bond, K., & Hofmann, B. (2015). Analysis Of Ethical
Theories And Principles Embedded In Holistic Mcda: A Primer To Ethics-Based Appraisal Of
Value In Healthcare. Value in Health, 18(3), A101.
Lazar, S., 2017. Deontological Decision Theory and Agent-Centered Options. Ethics, 127(3),
pp.579-609.
Mansell, S. (2015). Book Review: Rejoinder to Veldman’s review of Capitalism, Corporations
and the Social Contract: A Critique of Stakeholder Theory (Vol. 22, No. 2, pp. 271-275). Sage
UK: London, England: Sage Publications.

ETHICAL THEORIES
Neubert, M. J., & Dyck, B. (2016). Developing sustainable management theory: goal-setting
theory based in virtue. Management Decision, 54(2), 304-320.
Shafer-Landau, R. (2014). The fundamentals of ethics.
The jobs killer is coming. (2017). NewsComAu. Retrieved 9 September 2017, from
http://www.news.com.au/finance/business/travel/the-jobs-killer-is-coming-how-driverless-
trucks-could-change-australia/news-story/4f5b8a42b0452703d62e00f3e7644d7b
Treviqo, A. J., & Tilly, C. (2015). George C. Homans: History, theory, and method. Routledge.