Complete The Following Assignment In A Word Document
Complete The Following Assignment In a Word Document Determine Which
Determine which ethical perspective is primarily reflected in each of the arguments below and, in 1-2 sentences for each argument, explain why it corresponds to the ethical perspective you selected.
Ethical Perspectives: A = Consequentialism B = Duty Ethics/Deontology C = Virtue Ethics D = Moral Relativism
Arguments:
- Free health care should be available to all people. After all, if that were the case, it would benefit everyone.
- Character education should be part of the public school system in the United States. We need to cultivate integrity in our children, and the public school system should play a role in this important process.
- Although many societies have practiced human sacrifice, human sacrifice wasn't considered wrong, even though we believe it is wrong in our culture. So, human sacrifice within those cultures wasn't really wrong.
- Same-sex marriage is right because the polls show that most Americans favor it, even if that is not the case in other countries.
- The legalization of same-sex marriage is wrong because the government has no right to legally sanction any form of personal relationship except one: marriage relationships between a man and a woman. That is the only type of relationship that can lead to procreation, and the state has a legitimate interest in procreation. Thus, the state has a duty to support marriage between a man and a woman, and a duty to refrain from getting legally involved in other types of relationships.
- That is the only type of relationship that can lead to procreation, and the state has a legitimate interest in procreation. Thus, the state has a duty to support marriage between a man and a woman, and a duty to refrain from getting legally involved in other types of relationships.
- Dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was wrong because those acts violated the right to life of many innocent people, and we should protect those rights.
- Dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was right because those acts ended the war faster, and thus made the world a safer place.
- We need to do a background check and to collect some character references on Mr. Jones before we hire him. He doesn't have the right character and temperament to be a state governor. He has been involved in corruption scandals, known to be dishonest, and has problems controlling his anger.
- Sure, slavery is wrong in our society because we all agree it's wrong. However, slavery isn't absolutely wrong because many societies have practiced slavery.
Paper For Above instruction
The following analysis assigns each argument to its primary ethical perspective among consequentialism, duty ethics/deontology, virtue ethics, and moral relativism. The explanations clarify why each argument aligns with the chosen ethical framework, based on its core principles and emphasis.
1. Free health care should be available to all people. After all, if that were the case, it would benefit everyone.
This argument reflects consequentialism, specifically utilitarianism, which assesses moralrightness based on outcomes that maximize overall happiness and benefit. Providing free health care benefits society at large by improving health outcomes and reducing inequality, leading to greater overall well-being.
2. Character education should be part of the public school system in the United States. We need to cultivate integrity in our children, and the public school system should play a role in this important process.
This aligns with virtue ethics, which emphasizes developing moral character and virtues such as integrity and honesty. The focus on cultivating virtues within children aims to produce morally upright individuals, consistent with virtue ethics principles.
3. Although many societies have practiced human sacrifice, human sacrifice wasn't considered wrong, even though we believe it is wrong in our culture. So, human sacrifice within those cultures wasn't really wrong.
This reflects moral relativism, which posits that moral judgments are culture-dependent. Because societal norms define what is morally acceptable, acts like human sacrifice are not intrinsically wrong but are judged relative to cultural context.
4. Same-sex marriage is right because the polls show that most Americans favor it, even if that is not the case in other countries.
This argument is grounded in moral relativism, emphasizing the influence of societal norms and popular opinion on moral judgments. It suggests that morality regarding same-sex marriage varies across cultures and depends on societal consensus.
5. The legalization of same-sex marriage is wrong because the government has no right to legally sanction any form of personal relationship except one: marriage relationships between a man and a woman. That is the only type of relationship that can lead to procreation, and the state has a legitimate interest in procreation. Thus, the state has a duty to support marriage between a man and a woman, and a duty to refrain from getting legally involved in other types of relationships.
This reflects deontological ethics, emphasizing duty and adherence to moral rules. It asserts a moral duty for the state to uphold traditional marriage based on the perceived intrinsic purpose of procreation and the moral obligation to support what is considered the 'natural' order.
6. That is the only type of relationship that can lead to procreation, and the state has a legitimate interest in procreation. Thus, the state has a duty to support marriage between a man and a woman, and a duty to refrain from getting legally involved in other types of relationships.
Similarly, this argument aligns with duty ethics, emphasizing the moral duty of the state to support traditional procreative relationships and refrain from endorsing relationships that do not align with its perceived moral duties.
7. Dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was wrong because those acts violated the right to life of many innocent people, and we should protect those rights.
This perspective reflects deontology, focusing on the intrinsic moral value of human rights, particularly the right to life. The act is judged wrong because it violates the moral duty to respect individual rights, regardless of the consequences.
8. Dropping the atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was right because those acts ended the war faster, and thus made the world a safer place.
This argument aligns with consequentialism, specifically utilitarianism, which evaluates morality based on the outcome of ending war promptly and saving lives in the long run, thus maximizing overall safety and well-being.
9. We need to do a background check and to collect some character references on Mr. Jones before we hire him. He doesn't have the right character and temperament to be a state governor. He has been involved in corruption scandals, known to be dishonest, and has problems controlling his anger.
This reflects virtue ethics, which stresses the importance of moral character traits such as honesty, integrity, and temperance. The decision is based on assessing whether Jones possesses virtues necessary for the role.
10. Sure, slavery is wrong in our society because we all agree it's wrong. However, slavery isn't absolutely wrong because many societies have practiced slavery.
This exemplifies moral relativism, where moral judgments about slavery depend on societal norms and historical context, not on universal moral principles. Its wrongness is seen as relative rather than absolute.
References
- Becker, L. C. (2010). Abortion and infanticide in early Christianity: Shame and the ethics of life. Routledge.
- Kant, I. (1785). Groundwork of the Metaphysics of Morals. Translated by H. J. Paton.
- Mill, J. S. (1863). A utilitarianism. In Utilitarianism and On Liberty. Hackett Publishing.
- Singer, P. (2011). Practical ethics. Cambridge University Press.
- Ross, W. D. (1930). The right and the good. Oxford University Press.
- Taylor, C. (1989). The virtue ethics. In The Oxford Handbook of Ethics.
- Walzer, M. (1994). Recognition and difference. Transaction Publishers.
- Williams, B. (1985). Morality: An introduction to ethics. Harper & Row.
- Ypi, L. (2013). Moral relativism. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/moral-relativism/
- Zimmerman, M. J. (2011). Deontology. In E. N. Zalta (Ed.), The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Retrieved from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/deontological-ethics/