Ethics in the Emperors Club

¶ … Emperor's Club: Kantian, utilitarian, and Aristotelian views

According to Kantian ethical principles, Mr. Hundert should have allowed the grades of his four students to remain as they were, and not altered them. A Kantian ethical schema suggests that a person should behave as if he is setting a law for all time, not merely reacting to the specifics of a situation. A Kantian philosopher would say teachers cannot subjectively change grades simply because they believe that a particular student emotionally 'needs' to win more than another student. Hundert allowed his personal feelings for Bell and Bell's improvement as a student to influence his decision-making, and hurt another student in the process. However, from a utilitarian standpoint, by showing Bell the importance of hard work and moral activity, a great service is done to society because Bell is the child of a powerful man, and will likely grow up to be a powerful adult. Also, from the point-of-view of the school, it is important to keep Bell's father happy to ensure his son remains at the school, rather than transfers.

From Aristotle's perspective, rewards such as being a member of The Emperor's Club should not be the purpose of virtue, rather virtue and striving to have a good character should be an end to itself. As a result, Hundert should not be influenced by his sense that Bell 'needs' to win more than Blythe. However, an Aristotelian might also suggest that an obsession with only having three contestants is arbitrary to some degree, and Hundert could simply have declared that the scores between the third and fourth candidate were so close, both Bell and Blythe should be allowed to compete. This would be the most ethical option, since all four boys' labor would be honored. From a utilitarian perspective, it would ensure that Blythe would not be hurt, but Bell's new change of character would be reinforced. Only a Kantian might object that changing the rules about competing one year would mean that the rules were meaningless, and an infinite amount of new students could be added to the competition every year, rendering the honor meaningless.

When Bell cheats, the most obvious person who is betrayed is Hundert, who intended Bell to be allowed to compete in The Emperor's Club because he perceived a different mindset in the boy. Blythe is also harmed because he would have competed honestly, honoring the spirit of the competition. And, of course, Bell betrays himself, because he is too cowardly to attempt to strive to win the competition to win on his own merit. No higher moral position is satisfied by this first competition, although a utilitarian might counter that the Bell's cheating is not so bad when he restages the competition as an adult, given he does so as an effort to fundraise for his senate campaign, which Bell says will result in increased funding for education for all students in the nation. Like Machiavelli, Bell believes that morality is only useful when it advances material, political ends. Winning is all, and it does not matter what one does to achieve the ends -- in contrast, Blythe believes that having a good character is what is important, and the 'journey' of one's ethical life is more important than the final destination.