Application of ethical systems and examples of moral dilemmas

Question 1

NML and embryonic stem cell research

Answer 1

Catholic church teaches that life starts from conception, and Natural Law supports this. The primary precept of ‘preservation of innocent life’ would not be upheld by the destruction of embryos, which is considered as life.

Question 2

Situation ethics and embryonic stem cell research

Answer 2

The ends of potentially ground-breaking medical advancements justify the action of experimenting on embryos.
Personalism - Could potentially help millions of lives - putting people first.

Question 3

UT and embryonic stem cell research

Answer 3

The destruction one embryo could potentially lead to medical developments for millions - greatest number
Application of hedonic calculus (for Act)

Question 4

Kantian ethics and embryonic stem cell research

Answer 4

If you believe that human life starts at conception then you would be using humans as a means to an end, if you don’t then you would be valuing human life as you are intending to benefit their well-being through medical research in the hope that it will lead to medical developments.
We can will the maxim ‘using embryos for medical research’.

Question 5

UT and Genetic engineering

Answer 5

Views it positively because it leads to social good by preventing disease which maximises welfare of everyone and minimises pain (greatest pleasure for the greatest number).