Ethics Essay Plans

Question 1

“Situation Ethics can be used to determine the legitimacy of euthanasia”

Answer 1

INTRO
-voluntary and non voluntary euthanasia
-the role of the doctor, the right to self autonomy
-The UK vs Sanctity of life and quality of life
P1
-4 Working principles allow us to understand the legitimacy, personalism puts people at the centre not laws, self autonomy, tony nicklinson. msot important thing is self aut
-too legalistic, need laws e.g. sanctity of life
-allows to be judged on merits instead of an unflexible principle
P2
-goes against the role of the doctor, hippocratic oath,emotional strain
-however, slippery slope
P3
-no because it disobeys religion and common laws
-society is becoming secular and legalistic not adapting
-“euthanasia provides a false sense of compassion”
P4
-yes because allows for subjectivity and flexibility in a law bound society,self autonomy, care patient focused
-however, involuntary euthanasia, terry schiavo, corrupted and induvidiastic, humans are self interested.

Question 2

“Situation Ethics is too vague to be used for moral decision making”

Answer 2

INTRO
teleological, reject absolutes NL, case by case, principle of agape, fletcher
P1
-SE has no rules binding actions, NL and UT, lead to dubious decisions such as bombing of nagasaki and hiroshima
- Fletcher says that previous christian philosophies are too rule bound, inflexible, conflict, catechism andnd catholicism
P2
-doesnt follow the divine command/Gods law, not christian too subjective, Pius xii banned SE in RC seminaries, indirect contradiciton of gods law, too induvidualistic, gives people an excuse
- no, agape is based on GR, simple to follow
-no rules to protect agape, contradiction?
P3
-replacing absolutism with relativism, relative to love, easier to apply to the real world, useful to someone facing a dilemma.
- rejection of universal theories, UN HR, unjust, killing in syria
P4
simplistic, christian ethics unhelpful, loving rules not people, place the prerogative on person, decision based on love.
- William Barclay, too extreme example, limited in ability oto understand, too vague to be useful, fails to recognise personal views in a decision making process

Question 3

“The Hedonic Calculus offers no useful guidance for moral decision making”

Answer 3

INTRO
Hedonic Calculus Jeremy Bentham, DRPRICE, quantitive, consequentalist.
P1
-all pleasure as equal, higher lower pleasures elitist, hedonic calculus creates fair decison process
-quantitive method corrupts morality and the persecution of minority groups. BERNARD WILLIAMS not holistic enough doesnt consider minorties, nazi ideology.
P2
gives flexibility and help in all situations, no set rules/outcomes, decide the best action there and then (good) not irrational and impractical rules
-it cannot predict the outcomes of an action, too many elements for a quick decision
P3
seeks pleasure and pain as equal, not possible, JSM higher and lower pleasures, theory of utility.
-you can measure pleasure and pain, effective way to create fair laws, making law in society benefitting the majority.
P4
-theory on pleasure, humans naturally seek it, it is a strong incentive to follow actions once right ones determined, happier more fulfilled
-human reason is corrupted, pleasure is too subjective, hedonic calculus mirrors our own feelings corrupted.

Question 4

“The aim of a successful business is incompatible with utilitarianism”

Answer 4

INTRO
ethical theory, greatest good greatest number, principle of utility, teleological, focused on results, ethical theory by jeremy bentham, JSM
P1
-The hedonic calculus is useful as it seeks to benefit majority, consider all stakeholders in an action, cheap product for a small few, would not justify treatment of large amount of workers
-BERNARD WILLIAMS- not holistic enough, workers mistreated for benefit of cheap product, large enough consumers gain pleasure, Primark india.
P2
-Immoral business decisions, Ford pinto dangerous, financial impact more than pain caused
-risking peoples life=selfish imp not justified
-no set rules, maximise profits, keep stakeholders happy.
P3
-Principle of utility should promote greates benefit for all, business, natural hedonistic plesures in life
does not give businesses a sense of duty or CSR, monopoly, capitalist, no focus on people
- duty and CSR dont make success, money does shareholders care about
P4
-seven elements give clear guidlines, allow for flexibility,needed in business, need to make decisions quickly but not constrained by rules
-it cannot predict outcomes quick enough, it is impossible to know conequences, too many elements for quck decision.