to CHEAT or not to CHEAT

  

“I would prefer even to fail with honour than to win by cheating”

“Do not be too moral. You may cheat yourself out of much life so. Aim above morality. Be not simply good; be good for something.”

Those are two quotes of cheating, but with a different perspective. The first quote shows a strong disagreement against cheating. However, the second quote shows that cheating is allowed whenever it is seems to be moral and ethical. When is it cheating can be considered as ethical? Is cheating in exam can be considered as ethical? Of course not. To cheat can be in allowed in some situation. However, in most situation, not to cheat is the most ethical manner.

A Consequentialist Ethical Theory is a general normative theory that bases the moral evaluation of acts, rules, institutions, and etc., solely on the goodness of their consequences. Where the standard of goodness employed is a standard of non-moral goodness. Cheating is a non-moral conduct. However, if it can produce a good outcome, it should be allowed. Thus, cheating can be seems as ethical when the consequence or the outcome is positive. Let’s imagine a situation. You are being forced by a murderer to tell where your friend current location is. In this situation, cheating should be allowed because if you tell the truth, the consequence is your friend’s life would be in a great danger.

In a nutshell, to cheat or not to cheat would depend on the situation and the consequences. But you are strongly advice not to cheat and avoid it. You can only cheat when you are desperately have to do it in order to obtain a good consequence. But remember, cheating in exam is still considered as unethical although the consequence good, where you get a great result. Like the first quotes, “I would prefer even to fail with honour than to win by cheating”. J