Question 1

Sissela Bok | Whistleblowing and Professional Responsibility 
Bok looks at what whistleblowers have in common with each other and what they must consider in making the difficult moral choice to speak out. Whistle-blowing involves dissent, breach of loyalty, and accusation-all of which require accuracy, fairness, and good judgment. A whistleblower must also be careful to compensate for potential bias involving personal gain or revenge.
-Whistle-blowers call attention to wrongdoing from within the organization in which they work to highlight abuse that threatens the
A) employer.
B) employees.
C) public.
D) government.

Accepted Answer

Whistleblowers highlight abuse that threatens the public, as they aim to expose wrongdoing that could harm society at large.

Question 2

Sissela Bok | Whistleblowing and Professional Responsibility 
Bok looks at what whistleblowers have in common with each other and what they must consider in making the difficult moral choice to speak out. Whistle-blowing involves dissent, breach of loyalty, and accusation-all of which require accuracy, fairness, and good judgment. A whistleblower must also be careful to compensate for potential bias involving personal gain or revenge.
-Like all ___________, whistleblowers confront the conflict between conforming to authority and taking the personal risk of speaking out.
A) dogmatists
B) dissenters
C) managers
D) retaliators

Accepted Answer

Whistleblowers, like dissenters, face the challenge of opposing authority and risking personal consequences by speaking out.

Question 3

Sissela Bok | Whistleblowing and Professional Responsibility 
Bok looks at what whistleblowers have in common with each other and what they must consider in making the difficult moral choice to speak out. Whistle-blowing involves dissent, breach of loyalty, and accusation-all of which require accuracy, fairness, and good judgment. A whistleblower must also be careful to compensate for potential bias involving personal gain or revenge.
-Whistle-blowing is seen by superiors as a violation of loyalty and as a(n)
A) exoneration.
B) commendation.
C) accusation.
D) acquittal.

Accepted Answer

Whistle-blowing is seen as an accusation because it involves reporting wrongdoing or unethical behavior, which implies accusing someone or an organization of misconduct.

Question 4

Sissela Bok | Whistleblowing and Professional Responsibility 
Bok looks at what whistleblowers have in common with each other and what they must consider in making the difficult moral choice to speak out. Whistle-blowing involves dissent, breach of loyalty, and accusation-all of which require accuracy, fairness, and good judgment. A whistleblower must also be careful to compensate for potential bias involving personal gain or revenge.
-Which of the following is NOT a cause for whistleblowing?
A) a vague foreboding
B) a concrete risk
C) an immediate threat
D) a specific danger

Accepted Answer

A vague foreboding is not a concrete or specific reason for whistleblowing, as it lacks the clarity and evidence required to justify such an action.

Question 5

Sissela Bok | Whistleblowing and Professional Responsibility 
Bok looks at what whistleblowers have in common with each other and what they must consider in making the difficult moral choice to speak out. Whistle-blowing involves dissent, breach of loyalty, and accusation-all of which require accuracy, fairness, and good judgment. A whistleblower must also be careful to compensate for potential bias involving personal gain or revenge.
-A whistleblower should first explore solutions within the organization to minimize the
A) accusation.
B) breach of loyalty.
C) accuracy of the claim.
D) threat to the public.

Accepted Answer

A whistleblower should first explore solutions within the organization to minimize the breach of loyalty.

Question 6

Sissela Bok | Whistleblowing and Professional Responsibility 
Bok looks at what whistleblowers have in common with each other and what they must consider in making the difficult moral choice to speak out. Whistle-blowing involves dissent, breach of loyalty, and accusation-all of which require accuracy, fairness, and good judgment. A whistleblower must also be careful to compensate for potential bias involving personal gain or revenge.
-According to Bok, whistleblowing should only be considered as a
A) hypothetical case.
B) first response.
C) last resort.
D) publicity stunt.

Accepted Answer

Whistleblowing should be considered as a last resort after all other internal avenues for addressing the issue have been exhausted.

Question 7

Sissela Bok | Whistleblowing and Professional Responsibility 
Bok looks at what whistleblowers have in common with each other and what they must consider in making the difficult moral choice to speak out. Whistle-blowing involves dissent, breach of loyalty, and accusation-all of which require accuracy, fairness, and good judgment. A whistleblower must also be careful to compensate for potential bias involving personal gain or revenge.
-Before speaking out. a whistleblower must make sure that the revelations are based on
A) accuracy in dissent.
B) bias in judgment.
C) fairness in accusation.
D) both a and c

Accepted Answer

A whistleblower must make sure that the revelations are based on accuracy in dissent and fairness in accusation.

Question 8

Sissela Bok | Whistleblowing and Professional Responsibility 
Bok looks at what whistleblowers have in common with each other and what they must consider in making the difficult moral choice to speak out. Whistle-blowing involves dissent, breach of loyalty, and accusation-all of which require accuracy, fairness, and good judgment. A whistleblower must also be careful to compensate for potential bias involving personal gain or revenge.
-When censorship or fear of retribution silences a public response to whistleblowing, the message can rebound to injure the
A) organization.
B) whistleblower.
C) authorities.
D) shareholders.

Accepted Answer

The answer of Sissela Bok | Whistleblowing and Professional Responsibility...

Question 9

Sissela Bok | Whistleblowing and Professional Responsibility 
Bok looks at what whistleblowers have in common with each other and what they must consider in making the difficult moral choice to speak out. Whistle-blowing involves dissent, breach of loyalty, and accusation-all of which require accuracy, fairness, and good judgment. A whistleblower must also be careful to compensate for potential bias involving personal gain or revenge.
-In complex cases, a whistleblower must weigh the benefit to ___________ with the risk of personal harm.
A) one's family
B) one's employer
C) the public
D) oneself.

Accepted Answer

Whistleblowers must consider the benefit to the public when deciding to speak out, as their actions are often aimed at exposing wrongdoing for the greater good.

Question 10

Sissela Bok | Whistleblowing and Professional Responsibility 
Bok looks at what whistleblowers have in common with each other and what they must consider in making the difficult moral choice to speak out. Whistle-blowing involves dissent, breach of loyalty, and accusation-all of which require accuracy, fairness, and good judgment. A whistleblower must also be careful to compensate for potential bias involving personal gain or revenge.
-A whistleblower must compensate for bias by being aware of the potential for
A) personal gain.
B) the urge to seek revenge.
C) self-defense.
D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

Whistleblowers must be aware of potential biases such as personal gain, the urge to seek revenge, and self-defense to ensure their actions are motivated by the right reasons.

Question 11

Bok brings up the difficult situation of a whistleblower operating in an environment of authoritarian censorship, in which the message would not reach the public. What happens to the whistleblower in such cases, according to Bok? Do you agree? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Bok brings up the difficult situation of...

Question 12

Bok discusses the moral inventory a whistleblower must make before speaking out to prevent a motive of personal bias. What are these considerations, and do you think they are both necessary and sufficient to establish that a whistleblower is bias-free? Why or why not?

Accepted Answer

The answer of Bok discusses the moral inventory a whistleblower...

Question 13

Michael Davis | Some Paradoxes of Whistleblowing
Davis presents the standard theory of whistleblowing and what constitutes circumstances in which whistleblowing is morally required of an employee. Three paradoxes follow from the standard theory (of burden, of missing harm, of failure), to which Davis responds with a complicity theory that avoids all of them. He uses the example of the Challenger in demonstrating a test of the latter.
-According to the standard theory, whistleblowing is morally required when
A) considerable harm will occur to the public.
B) internal procedures have not been effective.
C) the whistleblower has reasonable and convincing evidence.
D) all of the above

Accepted Answer

The standard theory of whistleblowing suggests that it is morally required when there is considerable harm to the public, internal procedures have failed, and the whistleblower has reasonable evidence.

Question 14

Michael Davis | Some Paradoxes of Whistleblowing
Davis presents the standard theory of whistleblowing and what constitutes circumstances in which whistleblowing is morally required of an employee. Three paradoxes follow from the standard theory (of burden, of missing harm, of failure), to which Davis responds with a complicity theory that avoids all of them. He uses the example of the Challenger in demonstrating a test of the latter.
-When all conditions of the standard theory of whistleblowing are met, it is considered "___________ Samaritanism."
A) decent
B) minimally decent
C) Samaritanism
D) good

Accepted Answer

The correct term is "minimally decent Samaritanism," which refers to the idea that whistleblowing, when all conditions of the standard theory are met, is the least one can do morally, akin to being a minimally decent Samaritan.

Question 15

Michael Davis | Some Paradoxes of Whistleblowing
Davis presents the standard theory of whistleblowing and what constitutes circumstances in which whistleblowing is morally required of an employee. Three paradoxes follow from the standard theory (of burden, of missing harm, of failure), to which Davis responds with a complicity theory that avoids all of them. He uses the example of the Challenger in demonstrating a test of the latter.
-According to Davis, the paradox of ___________ for whistleblowers is that it is professionally, financially, and personally costly.
A) burden
B) missing harm
C) moral wrong
D) failure

Accepted Answer

The paradox of burden refers to the significant personal, professional, and financial costs that whistleblowers often face, despite acting in a morally commendable manner.

Question 16

Michael Davis | Some Paradoxes of Whistleblowing
Davis presents the standard theory of whistleblowing and what constitutes circumstances in which whistleblowing is morally required of an employee. Three paradoxes follow from the standard theory (of burden, of missing harm, of failure), to which Davis responds with a complicity theory that avoids all of them. He uses the example of the Challenger in demonstrating a test of the latter.
-The paradox of ___________ for whistleblowers, for Davis, is that what is morally right to report may involve life-or-death consequences.
A) burden
B) missing harm
C) moral wrong
D) failure

Accepted Answer

The answer of Michael Davis | Some Paradoxes of Whistleblowing
Davis...

Question 17

Michael Davis | Some Paradoxes of Whistleblowing
Davis presents the standard theory of whistleblowing and what constitutes circumstances in which whistleblowing is morally required of an employee. Three paradoxes follow from the standard theory (of burden, of missing harm, of failure), to which Davis responds with a complicity theory that avoids all of them. He uses the example of the Challenger in demonstrating a test of the latter.
-The paradox of ___________, for Davis, shows that the history of whistleblowing virtually rules out the moral justification of whistleblowing.
A) burden
B) missing harm
C) moral wrong
D) failure

Accepted Answer

The answer of Michael Davis | Some Paradoxes of Whistleblowing
Davis...

Question 18

Michael Davis | Some Paradoxes of Whistleblowing
Davis presents the standard theory of whistleblowing and what constitutes circumstances in which whistleblowing is morally required of an employee. Three paradoxes follow from the standard theory (of burden, of missing harm, of failure), to which Davis responds with a complicity theory that avoids all of them. He uses the example of the Challenger in demonstrating a test of the latter.
-Advantages of a complicity theory over the standard theory of whistleblowing include
A) moral complicity itself presupposes moral wrongdoing.
B) complicity demands more than the ability to prevent harm.
C) emphasizing the prevention of harm over being complicit in the harm.
D) both a and b

Accepted Answer

The complicity theory focuses on the moral wrongdoing and the role of the whistleblower in preventing harm, addressing the paradoxes by emphasizing moral complicity and the responsibilities it entails.

Question 19

Michael Davis | Some Paradoxes of Whistleblowing
Davis presents the standard theory of whistleblowing and what constitutes circumstances in which whistleblowing is morally required of an employee. Three paradoxes follow from the standard theory (of burden, of missing harm, of failure), to which Davis responds with a complicity theory that avoids all of them. He uses the example of the Challenger in demonstrating a test of the latter.
-Whereas the standard theory focuses on the ___________, the complicity theory focuses on the whistleblower's own involvement in moral wrongdoing.
A) employer's justification for wrongdoing
B) employee's justification for complicity in wrongdoing
C) prevention of harm
D) obligation of those who are complicit in wrongdoing

Accepted Answer

The standard theory of whistleblowing focuses on the prevention of harm, while the complicity theory emphasizes the whistleblower's involvement in moral wrongdoing.

Question 20

Michael Davis | Some Paradoxes of Whistleblowing
Davis presents the standard theory of whistleblowing and what constitutes circumstances in which whistleblowing is morally required of an employee. Three paradoxes follow from the standard theory (of burden, of missing harm, of failure), to which Davis responds with a complicity theory that avoids all of them. He uses the example of the Challenger in demonstrating a test of the latter.
-The complicity theory distinguishes the whistleblower from the spy by requiring that what is revealed results from
A) any employee's work for the organization.
B) a whistleblower's own work for the organization.
C) public record.
D) criminal proceedings.

Accepted Answer

The complicity theory requires that the information revealed by the whistleblower is related to their own work for the organization, distinguishing them from a spy.

Quiz 6: Integrity, Secrecy, and Trust

Bok brings up the difficult situation of a whistleblower operating in an environment of authoritarian censorship, in which the message would not reach the public. What happens to the whistleblower in such cases, according to Bok? Do you agree? Why or why not?

Bok discusses the moral inventory a whistleblower must make before speaking out to prevent a motive of personal bias. What are these considerations, and do you think they are both necessary and sufficient to establish that a whistleblower is bias-free? Why or why not?