When someone mentions the brand Volkswagen, everyone thinks of the iconic and dependable Beetle or the more stylish Audi. Founded in 1937, Volkswagen has been producing dependable vehicles for almost a century. As of May 2014, this manufacturer’s name would be forever tarnished with one of the largest vehicle scandals in known history, Dieselgate (1). When designing its new diesel engine model, the EA 189, a team of engineers consisting of James Liang and several others decided to circumvent current legal emission standards rather than design to meet legal specification(1). When the vehicle was being tested, it would decrease admissions by running its exhaust through a specialized catalytic converter to expunge dangerous levels of nitrix…show more content… This theory proposed by Immanuel Kant, requires the understanding of four terms: will, duty, maxim, and categorical imperative. A person’s will is what animates their bodily actions and is only known when one finds themselves in a crucible. When found in a particular situation that has only two choices, a person’s will becomes evident by the actions that they choose. This action is only considered moral if it aligns with one’s duty. Duty, as described by Kant, is a concept that motivates one more than their own inclination, so much so that it can contrast it. If duty contrasts what we would naturally want to do, then what creates a since of…show more content… During his time as an engineer, we can assume that James Liang signed a legally binding nondisclosure act about the construction of this diesel engine. Furthermore, it is paramount for a professional engineer to act as a faithful agent for their employer, as designated by NSPE code of engineering (3). Following these “rules”, Mr. Liang produced a vehicle that supplied transportation for 11 million individuals and helped to increase the profit of his employers. In contrast to this, Mr. Liang helped to misrepresent VW emission standards and hid the defeat device from U.S. regulators(1). Most will argue that the long-term benefits of designing a car to pass the Clean Air Act would produce the largest benefit to society. If this is the case then his actions would be considered immoral. If we consider James Liang actions of producing a method to circumvent regulations as immoral, what can we say about the morality of his decision to make this
