| Abstract: | A conflict of duties would be a relation of duties in which one of them would annul the other (wholly or in part). But a conflict of duties and obligations is inconceivable Immanuel Kant, 1785 In this paper the issue of academic morality is raised in the context of real challenges to academic integrity, such as the application of invalid standard subject evaluations. In particular, five spheres of academic loyalties are postulated. The paper touches on a number of traditional moral positions and assesses them in regard to satisfying the demands of an academic ethics; that is, for their effectiveness in providing an adequate framework for the resolution of conflicts of duty. These positions are found to be wanting in scope or particular applications. The paper concludes by suggesting that the ethical foundations of academic conduct are not obvious and, thus, universities are vulnerable to external social forces which may vitiate their traditional role–the pursuit and promulgation of truth. |
