McKechnie defines ethics within Cook and Hussy introduction as “the study of standards of conduct and moral judgement ... and the system or code of morals of a particular... profession” (1995, p. 35)
I am trying to eliminate the gorse and broom in a way that nobody notices. I have a small tunnel to a “growing whole in the gorse” at present. This is creating problems for me as I cannot easily remove the gorse from my work area. Given that I recognise the need to live and work within the bounds of occupational ethics, I see a moral, ethical dilemma, as I’m unwilling to jump over the fence and tell my neighbour that I’m clearing the gorse on the boundary.
I’m being sneaky because the land is believed to be the property of my neighbour. The fence-line would indicate this, and my neighbour certainly believes this, however land information, surveyors and we the owners see it differently.
To build we went through a lengthy notified resource consent (http://www.qualityplanning.org.nz/consents/limited-notified-con-app.php) process, and this neighbour was confrontational, oppositional and was successful in putting in the caveat that the dwelling had to be 5 metres from the boundary. In situating the house we were shocked to find the fence was 10 metres over our boundary at times
How or when this happened I don’t know, and I don’t care to speculate. The fence line is over 500 metres long and we haven’t approached the neighbour about this issue as we don’t really have time to use the land at present, and they are now retired and it would be expensive to change the fence.
Ethical dilemmas are never easy. Honesty, beneficence, autonomy, veracity and procedural justice are all issues here. While I do not want to deny the neighbour information I also don’t want to confront him with the issue as I feel a subtle approach will do the greatest good.
“Another way of understanding ethics is that it is about practicing in a way that is legal and /or where case law has established what is proper behaviour, that is ethical behaviour in a particular set of circumstances” (Barnitt, 1993, p. 208). Given that the surveyors have placed the boundary pegs, the land is mine to use in a socially acceptable way- to clear the land of gorse. I think I am behaving in a legal and beneficent way.
References
Barnitt, R. (1993). What gives you sleepless nights? Ethical practice in occupational therapy. British Journal of Occupational Therapy, 56(6), 207-212.
Cook, A. M., & Hussey, S. M. (1995). Assistive technologies, principles and practice. USA: Mosby Year Book Inc.
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