Analysis of Ethical Theories on Driverless Trucks in Australia

This report analyzes the ethical implications of driverless trucks in Australia, focusing on the application of utilitarianism, deontology, virtue theory, and contract theory. The introduction highlights the importance of ethical decision-making in the context of technological advancements and their impact on the workforce. The report then delves into each ethical theory, examining how they apply to the case of driverless trucks potentially displacing human drivers. Utilitarianism is considered in terms of overall efficiency and societal benefits, while deontology emphasizes adherence to moral duties and the rights of employees. Virtue theory evaluates the character and intentions of stakeholders, including transport industry owners and employees. Finally, contract theory addresses the rules and agreements governing the industry and the responsibilities of companies like Uber. The conclusion underscores the need for a multifaceted approach to ethical decision-making, considering all relevant factors and perspectives to balance the interests of various stakeholders. The report references several sources to support its arguments, providing a comprehensive analysis of the ethical challenges and considerations surrounding the adoption of driverless truck technology.

The jobs killer is coming: How driverless trucks could change Australia
The jobs killer is coming: How driverless trucks could change Australia
Assignment 3: Applying Ethical Theory
Student name
Word Count: -1250

The jobs killer is coming: How driverless trucks could change Australia
Table of Contents
Introduction.................................................................................................................................................2
Utilitarianism theory....................................................................................................................................2
Deontology Theory......................................................................................................................................2
Virtue Theory...............................................................................................................................................3
Contract theory...........................................................................................................................................4
Conclusion...................................................................................................................................................4
References...................................................................................................................................................5
Introduction
It is analyzed that as the time changes there are many theories that are considered so that
proper decisions can be made on the specific act committed by a specific person. This report
gives emphasis on the case study analysis which is related to the trucks running in Australia. So,
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The jobs killer is coming: How driverless trucks could change Australia
in this report, the theories that will be discussed are utilitarianism theory, virtue theory,
deontology theory and contract theory which will help to make proper decisions related to a
specific act committed by an individual (Greene, 2015).
Utilitarianism theory
This theory is related to the pleasure of conducting a specific act. The person is motivated
by some sort of pleasure to complete a particular act. This utilitarianism theory showcases the
judgment of the action of an individual and it is based on the motivation level of an individual
(Jonsson & Voorneveld, 2018).
This case focuses on the artificial robots. They are trying to replace the work completed
by an individual in the transport industry situated in Australia. It is seen that when the change in
technology take place the jobs of the people will be considered by the robots and also it is seen
that through this the overall efficiency enhances of the company in Australia and in other
countries. Utilitarianism theory has given focus to analyze the pleasure of motivation for the
specific actions of the company. In the case, it can be analyzed that to prepare the strategy the
employees have reached the Australian federal government so that they do not face any problem
related to the advanced technologies. This theory is taken into consideration to evaluate the
utility of the advancement of the technologies and analyzing the pleasure of motivation which
can be obtained from the results attained from the work function program (Bhasa, 2017).
Deontology Theory
It is important for the person to abide the ethics and moral program for proper
functioning and also to enhance the sustainability of the society. This theory focuses on the
overall practice of a specific case which is based on the ethics and morality of the situation
(Vaughn, 2015). The actions which are conducted are based on the overall actions taken by an
individual. It is seen that the action which is taken by a person should be analyzed by taking into
consideration various factors (Białek & De Neys, 2016). It can be stated that the connection
between the employer and the employee is evaluated on the basis of overall moral capacity
(Zhang, Li, Wu & Zhang, 2017). By focusing on the case it is seen that the top management of
the transport industry is considering the latest technologies and it will directly give effect on the
jobs of the employees. Negative impact will be seen on the employees.
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The jobs killer is coming: How driverless trucks could change Australia
The drivers have their responsibility an also the right to complete the job, so they should
not be left alone (Davidson, 2016). By giving emphasis on this theory it can be analyzed that to
enhance the betterment of the employees it is important that government should take corrective
measures and implement rules and policies (Hütter, Friesdorf, Armstrong, Conway &
Gawronski, 2016).
Virtue Theory
It can be analyzed that with the change in time the impact is also seen on the change in
the person and it is accompanied with various virtues and intents. This theory states the power of
an individual mind and also the habits which are seen at the time of performing the actions. It is
analyzed that at the time of implementing this theory, it is important that each and every person
should analyze their proper understanding and take actions by focusing on the mindset of others,
thinking and habits (Fryer, 2016).
In this case, it is analyzed that victims of the transport industry have to face the loss of
the job just because of the latest technologies. In this case, accuses are the billionaires who are
the owner of the transport industry. Virtue theory will be used in this case to make proper
judgment and also it helps in evaluating the overall power of a person mind and their habit to
perform the specific related with the transport industry owners and the employees.
By considering the owners of the transport industry it is seen that virtue theory reflects
on the overall advancement of the technologies which help to make positive changes in the
overall activities. This will assist the industry in taking the goods at the breakneck speed. Also
when the latest technology is used then it is seen that negative effect will be seen in the jobs of
the employees in the coming years. Therefore, government and industry heads should take
correct decisions on the basis of the virtue theory which states that the use of the technologies on
the positive and negative factors of the workers and transport industry.
Contract theory
This theory stated all the rules and regulations which should be followed by the person to
live in a society. It is important that these rules should be implemented equally on an individual
who is living in the society. The rules and standards are considered so that betterment of the
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The jobs killer is coming: How driverless trucks could change Australia
society takes place and also negative impact can be minimized in the society (Koszegi, 2014). It
is one of the agreements that help the people to maintain and protect the overall rights of an
individual. If the rules and policies are not followed then punishment and penalties should be
imposed on the people who are doing unethical actions. Uber is using the latest technologies
which are giving negative impact on the jobs of the employees as it is reducing the availability of
the jobs in the market.
The latest technologies are used in the cars by the company. Uber is involved in making
an independent contract with the drivers, in which they will offer various advantages to the
employees like annual leave, reasonable pay and also safeguard the employees at the time of
conducting the activities. If this type of practice is taken by the company then it can give
negative impact on the society. If contract theory is taken into consideration when it is seen that
the judgment made by the company is not accurate and at the same time it will negatively affect
the costing of the services. The company can keep the overall prices low so that customers can
be attracted more in the market. It is evaluated that Uber should take its decisions by focusing
on all the factors of the employees, people and also of the other companies who are conducting
activities in the competitive environment.
Conclusion
By analyzing the overall case it can be seen that the decision or the judgment of the
people should not be taken by considering one factor. It is important to focus on all the factors
by focusing on the theories discussed in this paper. These theories will give a positive impact on
taking correct decisions so that existing sources can be used in a proper manner. These theories
will also help to motive the decisions of the organization by considering various aspects related
to the victim and the accused. Facts and perception are considered and the drivers act
accordingly. These theories will help to evaluate the overall balance between the facts so that
effective use of the situation can be made between the employees and the owners of the transport
company. It is important to give focus on these theories as it helps to manage the actions
conducted by a person.
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The jobs killer is coming: How driverless trucks could change Australia
References
Bhasa, M. P. (2017). Normative Ethical Theories as Frameworks for Better
Corporate Governance: A Practitioner's Perspective. IUP Journal of Corporate
Governance, 16(2), 29.
Białek, M., & De Neys, W. (2016). Conflict detection during moral decision-
making: evidence for deontic reasoners’ utilitarian sensitivity. Journal of Cognitive
Psychology, 28(5), 631-639.
Davidson, M. D. (2016). The ethics of discounting: an introduction. In The Ethical
Underpinnings of Climate Economics (pp. 34-52). Routledge.
Fryer, M. (2016). A role for ethics theory in speculative business ethics
teaching. Journal of business ethics, 138(1), 79-90.
Greene, J. D. (2015). 12 The Cognitive Neuroscience of Moral Judgment and
Decision Making. The Moral Brain: A Multidisciplinary Perspective, 197.
Hütter, M., Friesdorf, R., Armstrong, J. B., Conway, P., & Gawronski, B. (2016).
Understanding responses to moral dilemmas: Deontological inclinations, utilitarian
inclinations, and general action tendencies. In The social psychology of morality (pp. 91-
110). Routledge.
Jonsson, A., & Voorneveld, M. (2018). The limit of discounted
utilitarianism. Theoretical Economics, 13(1), 19-37.
Koszegi, B. (2014). Behavioral contract theory. Journal of Economic
Literature, 52(4), 1075-1118.
Vaughn, L. (2015). Doing ethics: Moral reasoning and contemporary issues. WW
Norton & Company.
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The jobs killer is coming: How driverless trucks could change Australia
Zhang, L., Li, Z., Wu, X., & Zhang, Z. (2017). Why people with more emotion
regulation difficulties made a more deontological judgment: The role of deontological
inclinations. Frontiers in psychology, 8, 2095.
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