1. Peter Singer and Joseph DesJardins have some important discussion about decision-making. Even though they have different approaches in making decisions, both of their ideas focus on ethical choices.
In Ivan Boesky’s Choice, Peter Singer mentioned ultimate choice and restricted choice. While restricted choices are made more often in daily life, ultimate choices are made when one is facing a decision that can benefit himself or can go against his ethical values. In my understanding, restricted choices are decisions that can be made without thinking critically or be done with some consideration. These choices are often made by a person’s interest. The decision, whether is good or bad, cannot affect the other’s interests. For example, a student chooses chemistry to study even though she doesn’t enjoy this subject. Although her decision might result in a lower grade in this course, it will not affect her classmates. On the other hand, ultimate choices are decisions that can affect not only a person’s interest, but also the others’. Unlike making restricted decisions, a person has to think critically and carefully before the ultimate decisions are made about the consequences. If a person respects his ethical values, it’s likely for him to make a good decision. If he decides to benefit himself, he might make a bad choice, and it might result in unpredicted consequences. For example, the same student who picked chemistry, and at this moment, she is having a really hard time. The first exam is coming, and she barely understands anything. She is in the middle of two choices, whether cheating or seeking for help. If she decides to cheat, she might pass the exam or got caught. Either way will bring her bad consequences. She could pass the exam and possibly kept cheating since she doesn’t understand anything. She will unintentionally lie to her friends, teachers and family about her academic result. If she got caught, she will face punishments from school and lose the trust and respect from the others. If she chooses to seek for help, even though she might not get the best grade, she respects herself and the others. In the end, a person has to be very careful with making decisions, especially ultimate decisions.
According to Singer’s idea, ultimate choices are made when one is facing a decision that can benefit himself or can go against his ethical values. Similar to Singer, Joseph DesJardins believes that in order to make a decision, a person needs to understand the situation and act ethically. In making decisions, they both agree that a person needs to think about his or her ethical values, whether the decision is right or wrong, good or bad and whether it affects the other people or not. There are also some differences between their ideas. Singer only takes one side as either benefit for oneself or respect of ethical values. Joseph DesJardins considers taking decisions by thinking step by step. He believes that to have the best decision, a person has to understand the situation, and then focus on all the effects, consequences and responsibilities that can happen.
Although there are some similarities and differences between Singer and DesJardins ideas, their main focus was on making ethical decisions. It’s important for a person to stop and think whether what he is doing is ethical or not.

2.
Although mere legal compliance is important, it might be a barrier for business’s success. Joseph DesJardins shares his thought about whether managers should follow the laws as the guidance to lead their businesses. He also shares some thought about an unexamined life.
It can’t be denied that complying with the laws is necessary, but in some situations, the laws can lead businesses to inefficiency. For example, gender equality is a problem for managers to decide the individual salary. Even though women have to be treated equally like men, it is right that most women are not as comparative as men. Therefore, they are likely to work their best to fulfill the job’s requirements. At the same time, most men are comparative, and they will try to prove their abilities to be the best. If managers comply with the laws, where men and women get the same rewards, many men will lose their motivation and effort to work. This decision will result in lower productivity when men might not interest in competing and women only fulfill their job. If managers do not comply with the laws, where they give men a little bit more rewards than women, they will face many consequences from any women rights movement. After all, it’s up to the managers to make the decisions. The laws will be the guidance, and managers have to follow it thoughtfully.
Socrates’ idea about unexamined life is about overcoming challenges and about thinking critically. To me, an unexamined life is a life that no important decisions can be made easily. It is the life that is full of challenges, and a person needs to find the best way to live it. In this life, everyone can fulfill his or her dream with ethics and dedication. It is worth living because living an easy life will never help to build an experienced, responsible and knowledgeable person. Without challenges, a person will never find out who he or she actually is. Therefore, everybody should find out what they want to do in their life and try to achieve it. To overcome all the challenges, people should think critically about whether their decisions are ethical or unethical, whether those decisions will affect themselves or the others and whether they will benefit from those decisions. Life is all of challenges, and only overcoming those challenges will make it a worth living life.
Following the laws strictly will not always be a good choice for managers to lead a business. Therefore, under the laws, ethical decision can sometimes be good and sometimes be bad, but it is very important to find the most ethical solutions to solve any business situation. It is also essential for a manager to take risks and to examine their choices in order to bring success to his or her business.