Deontological Ethics In The Film Patterns By Rod Serling

The film "Patterns" written by Rod Serling explores the different ethical perspectives of three main characters. Ramsey is a ruthless businessman, Briggs, the fair and just leader, and Staples is the ambitious and initially ethical employee. The central tenets of virtue ethics, as argued by Aristotle, say that virtues are character traits that allow individuals to live a good and fulfilling life. However, as the film progresses, we see a shift in the ethics of Staples as he becomes more entrenched in the cutthroat corporate world, moving away from Aristotle's virtue ethics and focusing more on his own personal gain at the expense of others. On the other hand, Briggs is guided by the principles of deontological ethics, which emphasizes the importance

Briggs is shown to be someone who is guided by a strong sense of right and wrong, and is not swayed by the temptations or pressures of the company's ruthless leader, Walter Ramsey. He consistently refuses to compromise his principles, even when faced with the threat of losing his job or being replaced by the ambitious Fred Staples. In addition to these traits, deontological ethics also emphasizes the importance of moral autonomy, or the ability to make one's own moral choices. Briggs is shown to be a self-determined individual who is not swayed by the opinions or desires of others. He makes his own moral decisions, guided only by his own sense of what is right and wrong. At the conclusion of the movie, Staples undergoes a change in his moral compass. He starts to have second thoughts about Ramsey's cold-blooded and utilitarian approach, and he starts to see the value in adhering to a set of moral principles, which is similar to the deontological point of view. This change in his ethics is understandable given that it is a consequence of the natural progression of his character throughout the course of the movie. At the beginning of the film, we see that Staples is a relatively ethical person, who is hesitant to take advantage of others for his own gain. However, as he becomes more involved with Ramsey & Co., we see him begin to adopt the ruthless and manipulative tactics of his boss, Ramsey. This is demonstrated in several scenes, such as when he uses insider information to make a profit for himself, and when he actively works to sabotage the career of his colleague, William Briggs. As Staples becomes more entrenched in the cutthroat corporate world, we see a shift in his ethics away from Aristotle's virtue ethics. He becomes more focused on his own personal gain, at the expense of others. This is evident in the film's climax, when he ultimately betrays his long-time friend and mentor,