Is it ever OK to take a harmful job in order to do more good? An in-depth analysis

Abstract

The article discusses the ethical implications of taking jobs that have a negative impact, even if those jobs are undertaken with the intention of doing good. The article argues that in the vast majority of cases, it is a mistake to pursue a career that directly causes significant harm, even if the overall benefits of that work seem greater than the harms. The authors acknowledge that all careers involve some degree of negative impact, but suggest that the degree of negative impact and its nature should be carefully considered. The authors present a step-by-step process for deciding whether a job with a negative impact is morally permissible, including an analysis of emergency situations, whether the harms are a means or a side effect, whether the affected people consent, and whether anyone is being exploited. The authors apply this process to a case study of earning to give in finance, concluding that while some jobs in finance are morally impermissible, others might be justified under certain conditions. – AI-generated abstract.