Based on their audit, Lucas and Eva determine that someone is embezzling money from Stylish Shoes. After further research, the CEO learns that the embezzler is most likely one of three employees.

In light of the consequences of continuing embezzlement (loss of profit to shareholders and employees, no bonuses for employees, and low morale), the CEO decides it is reasonable to interrogate each of the three suspects until he knows for sure who did the crime. The CEO believes that it is ethical to mistreat a few people for the greater good of many. This incident illustrates the possibility for overly permissive ethics from which one of the following theories?

(a) Consequentialism.

(b) Deontology.

(c) Virtue ethics.

(d) Hedonism.