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A hotel in Ithaca, N.Y. -- part of a moderate-priced, no-frills national chain -- usually charges $125 for a basic room. On the weekend of the graduation ceremonies at Cornell, when the relatives of thousands of graduates descend on the small college town, the hotel charges $400 a night, and demands a minimum 3-night stay. No additional amenities are offered. Other hotels in the area similarly jack up their prices. The hotels are always filled on this weekend.

Is this practice ethical?

Sure.

It's within their rights, but so opportunistic that it is unseemly.

It's price-gouging. It is unethical.

A newspaper discovers that it can attract advertisers by "zoning" many of its ads: This means that a company would pay to have its products advertised in only upper-income delivery areas. The ads cost the advertiser less because the printing costs are less, and he feels he has bullet-targeted his most likely customers. The editorial content of the paper remains the same, but the newspaper delivered to the upper-income customers is a lot thicker, with more ads.

Is the newspaper doing anything unethical in selling ads this way?

No. There is nothing unethical about this.

It's within their rights, but it seems unseemly.

It's unethical because it is a form of intellectual redlining: Poorer readers are getting a lesser product.

It's unethical only if, in addition to the extra ads, there are also extra coupons, meaning the poorer customers don’t have access to the same money-saving opportunity.

Studies have shown that laundries typically charge more for women's shirts than for men's, even when the women's shirts do not require special handling. This is also true for women's and men's hairstyling, even when there is no substantial difference in the nature of the styling. The only consistent explanation for these things is that women are willing to pay more for laundering and haircutting than men are.

Are these price differences ethical?

Yes.

It is within the companies' rights, but it seems so opportunistic that it is unseemly.

It is unethical.

Airlines typically charge significantly lower rates if your trip extends over a weekend. This is because they believe they can get higher prices from corporations (employee business travel) than from individuals who are traveling for leisure.

Is this price discrimination ethical?

Sure.

It is within their rights, but it seems unseemly.

It is unethical.

Because males under 25 tend to have more accidents than females under 25, and this disparity is great, insurance companies charge young male drivers substantially more than young female drivers.

Is this fair?

Yes.

It may be "fair," but it is wrong.

It may not be "fair," but it is justifiable.

It is a form of discrimination that is neither fair not justifiable.

Let's say that insurance companies could also statistically prove that Asians or Native Americans have a lot more accidents than other ethnic groups, and that this disparity is great.

Would it be fair to charge Asians or Native Americans more for their insurance than others?

Yes.

It might be "fair" but it would be unethical.

No, it is neither fair nor ethical.