Question

Draw on the readings as well as our audio visual supplements for this week in order to and respond to the following, creating a reasoned argument of your own:

Utilitarian ethics and Kantian ethics are quite different, and at times in serious disagreement with one another.

Read the following "case," adapted from our textbook reading this week, and then respond to the following prompt.

Imagine you work in a hospital. You discover that a doctor is about to make an important decision. "Dr. X" is doing research that might help save many hundreds of thousands, or even millions, of lives. But to complete that research, she needs to actively kill a perfectly healthy person to study how a recently-dead, healthy heart works. There are no volunteers, and there is no time to wait for a volunteer.

"Dr. X" has decided to use a much older, homeless person with no friends or family. No one but you and the doctor know this is about to happen. The homeless person will not experience any pain as a result of the experiment. Let's also say, for the purpose of this scenario, that "Dr. X" won’t get "caught" unless you say something to the authorities. You're wondering whether or not you should try to stop Dr. X, perhaps by publicizing what she's going to do and getting the authorities involved.

Answer these questions:

(a) How would utilitarian ethics respond, and why?

(b) How would Kantian ethics respond, and why?

(c) And which side, if either, has the most rational and well-argued position--and why?

Answer 1

"Utilization or Teleological or rational theory The theory advocates that the consequences are most important while considering the ethics. This theory emphasizes on the maximization of happiness. It advocates that an ethical act is one that maximizes the happiness for everyone affected by the act. In short it says that the decisions must be based on the deduced consequences of the action. According to utility ethics In this case, the utility of testing on person is greater than that because it might help a thousand people to save lives. For example: Our decision to use SUV should also include in the analysis how that will affect our grandchildren. Kant's theory or Deontological theory stresses on the supremacy of one's ""Duty"" while determining the right coerce of action. It stresses on importance of principles and duty. The right act is the one that is a accordance to the principles and assigned duties. Hence, in this case the doctor's duty is to "