An Ethical Issue

Image result for image of syrian boy on beach

The ethics mantra in a professional setting is “doing your job and not causing unjust harm.” Meeting your professional obligations and ensuring that whatever harm may ensue from you doing your job is justifiable are required for you to remain ethical. This image would be considered an ethical issue as it displays a dead boy on a Turkish beach shortly after he drowned in the Mediterranean Sea while he and his family tried to reach England to escape Syria.  This is an ethical issue because while the photographer was doing his job in taking the picture, the image of a dead child is upsetting and may be harmful to people viewing it. They may question why the photographer took the image and say it is disrespectful to the boy who died and his family. However, while the image is upsetting, some may say the harm caused would be considered justifiable as it brings to light the extremity of the Syrian Refugee Crisis and causes people to understand better what the refugees go through. This would then be in line with the Utilitarian approach when looking at the image from an ethical perspective as the benefits of taking the image outweigh the harm it might cause.