Why does one choose to obey the speed limit, wait on line for their
             turn, or confess to murder' Is it the consequences of ones actions that
             keep one from going too far astray, or is it a higher set of principles
             that guide one's choices' The American Heritage Dictionary defines ethics
             as, "a principle of right or good conduct, or a body of such principles. A
             system of values, rules or standards concerning the conduct of the members
             of a group or profession" (A.H.) The consequences of the simplest decisions
             can take on a life of their own, snowballing into a nightmare of cause and
             effect. Some choices have greater consequences than others do. The effect
             of those consequences may keep one from making an error in judgment. One
             may aspire to a higher standard of good to decide one's course. The laws
             of a society embody the ethical standards of a culture. Some are based on
             a religious foundation, and all have consequences.
             "And while one vital purpose of law is to curb wrongdoing
             through fear of punishment (1180 a 4-5), this cannot be its primary
             purpose, which is to hold out standards for those who already aim at
             what is 'noble', encouraged in that aim by parents and legislators
             In the movie, A Simple Plan, the characters stumble upon an
             opportunity to make a decision that influences the rest of their lives.
             They make their primary decision based upon greed. They ignore the ethical
             choice, even though they know what it is, because they decide the prize is
             worth the risk. The do not foresee the impact that their decision would
             make upon every future action they take.
             The basic plot involves three men who find a crashed plan with a gym
             bag containing 4.4 million dollars. The first decision they must make is
             what to do about their discovery. The initial choice of Hank, Jacob's
             younger brother, is the ethical choice. He believes the...