Knowing right from wrong (TT Feb03 p47)

Ethical problems catch us by surprise – they are best resolved by prepared instincts, they never go away and they almost always leave us uncertain as to whether we did the right thing. Surprise creates uncertainty for most people, sometimes pleasurable, often not, and issues of ethics very rarely announce themselves far in advance. Of course, that is not always the case – if you accept employment as group treasurer of Mafia plc, or, more realistically, start dealing in countries with high levels of corruption, you can guarantee that you will face ethical questions.