An ethical dilemma

[Jamie (K)]

What would you do in this situation:

You are a college teacher and a student finds $10 that someone has dropped on the floor in the hallway, and he takes it to you. Nobody knows whose money it is, but if you ask the class, "Did anyone drop $10?" you know that four or five students would lie and tell you the money was theirs. So, if you do that, there is an 80% chance that the money would go to a liar. If you take it to the campus police office, the owner won't go there and look for it, because in America it's not enough money to go searching for. (It's about 80 minutes' salary for a McDonald's clerk.)

What is your solution?

[NinaZara]

Finders keepers?

When I was small I found a 50 cent shilling and my grandmother told me to keep it. It bothered me but her explanation was that we didn't have enough information to return it back to whoever owned it. I was really perplexed, I have always have this strong sense of right and wrong. And even though I thought she made sense, I didn't want to take it. Plus, at the same time I felt pity for the coin loser.

And so I put it back, hoping that the owner would return to the place to look for it.

But in your case, you are just assuming that the owner wouldn't go to the campus police office. You don't know that, there is always a 50% chance he'd do that. Unless you are willing to invest your energy and time to investigate the case, I suppose giving the $10 to the campus police wouldn't be such a bad option.

[SkiIucK]

Hello,

This is an interesting case. I'd suggest that the college teacher give the money for charity, e.g. find a beggar and make him/her happy.

Regards

[Jamie (K)]

The first thing I did was give the money back to the student. However, he felt so guilty about keeping it that I told him to give it to charity. Christmas is coming, so the Salvation Army is outside every supermarket ringing their bells and taking donations. Since they're an effective, efficient charity, I told him that would be an easy way to make sure the money was put to good use.

If I had kept he money, I would have given it to a nun I know who drives terminally ill poor children to the doctor and passes out daily lunches to the street people. She never wastes a nickel, so everything goes directly to the poor. She does this all by herself. The ministry is so difficult that anyone who tries to join her can't stand it for more than a couple of months.

By the way, this nun began this ministry after raising seven children of her own.

[Prezbucky]

in vitro fertilization? hehe

I would have cut it in half, giving one half to the student and my half to the charity or church

"But it's half of a Ten -- it's five bucks!"
_________________
Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee.

[Jamie (K)]

[Prezbucky]

I was just playin'

But yeah, it's people like her who keep the world spinning.
_________________
Billie Jean is not my lover. Hee.

[Jan]

There is an old Jew story about a boy Itcek and Rabin.
Rabin to Itcek
Itcek when you would find 10 dollars on the street what you are going to do?
I will keep it for me - said Itcek.
Oj you stupid you shall go to police and give it to them and they will write down that Itcek son of Rabin is good and honest citizen.

Itcek when you would find 1000 dollars what you are going to do?
I will give it to police and they would write that Itcek son of ...
You idiot you shall keep it for yourself , if you would give it to them they will just think how stupid you Itcek was, they never will have any respect for you and people never will say anything good about you or like to do business with you, you and I will be in trouble for long time.

Jan