Ethics in Government Public Relations ◾ 167
public relations in the interest of the greatest good for the greatest number of people
is a morally worthy one, and there is little doubt that viewing the consequences of
our decisions upon publics is a responsible part of government communications. As
with any moral theory, the approach is bound to a certain set of assumptions about
predicting outcomes, and it comes with strengths and weaknesses that the user of
the paradigm must always bear in mind. ere are a few challenges to be faced by
anyone using a utilitarian analysis:
◾ You must accurately predict potential future consequences of your
decisions.
◾ You must know all of the options or decision alternatives that are possible.
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