Should Universal Healthcare Be Available To All Regardless O

Should Universal Healthcare be available to all regardless of their ability to pay in the same way that other services (such as education) are available to all for free?

This assignment is not an essay but an exercise that helps build toward your Final Paper for the course. Your task in this assignment is to construct the best argument you can for a position on a controversial topic. Your argument should be your own creation. You may take inspiration from other arguments, but the formulation of the argument you present should be original to you. Prepare: Begin by choosing a topic from the PHI103 Final Paper Options list.

Construct an argument for a position on the topic. This is the position that you will defend in your Final Paper. Make your argument as high quality as possible: In particular, make sure that all of your premises are true and that the truth of the conclusion is demonstrated by your premises. Consider possible objections to your argument, and revise it several times until you have an argument that is as strong as possible. Search in the Ashford University Library for quality academic sources that support some aspect of your argument.

Constructing quality arguments is harder than it sounds; you may find that your first few attempts have problems and that it takes quite a bit of time and effort to revise an argument to a point that the premises adequately support the conclusion. You will be revising this argument for each of the remaining assignments in this course. Write: In your paper, Present a main argument in standard form with each premise and the conclusion on a separate line. Here is an example of what it means for an argument to be presented in standard form: All men are mortal. Socrates is a man. Therefore, Socrates is mortal. Provide support for each premise of your argument. Explain the meaning of the premise, and provide supporting evidence for the premise. [One paragraph for each premise] Pay special attention to those premises that could be seen as controversial. Evidence may include academic research sources, supporting arguments, or other ways of demonstrating the truth of the premise (for more ideas about how to support the truth of premises take a look at the instructor guidance for this week). This section should include at least one scholarly research source.

For further information about discovering and including high-quality research take a look at the FindIt@AU Tutorial. Explain how your conclusion follows from your premises. For an example of how to complete this paper, take a look at the Week One Annotated Example The Ethics of Elephants in Circuses. Let your instructor know if you have any remaining questions about how to complete this paper. For guidance about how to paraphrase sources visit the Ashford Writing Center Guidelines for Paraphrasing Sources webpage.

For guidance about how to quote sources visit the Ashford Writing Center Integrating Quotes Into Your Essay webpage. For guidance about summarizing visit the Ashford Writing Center Guidelines for Summarizing Sources webpage. The Initial Argument Paper Must be 400 to 600 words in length (not including the title and references pages) and formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (for more information about using APA style, take a look at the APA Essay Checklist for Students). Must include a separate title page with the following: Title of paper, Student’s name, Course name and number, Instructor’s name, Date submitted. Must use at least one scholarly source in addition to the course text.

The Scholarly, Peer Reviewed, and Other Credible Sources table offers additional guidance on appropriate source types. If you have questions about whether a specific source is appropriate for this assignment, please contact your instructor. Your instructor has the final say about the appropriateness of a specific source for a particular assignment. Must document all sources in APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center (for more information about how to create an APA reference list, take a look at the APA References List webpage). Must include a separate references page that is formatted according to APA style as outlined in the Ashford Writing Center.

Paper For Above instruction

Introduction

The question of whether universal healthcare should be accessible to all individuals regardless of their ability to pay is a profound ethical and social issue, akin to the provision of other fundamental services such as education. The core argument in favor of universal healthcare posits that healthcare is a basic human right, and thus, should be made available to everyone free of charge, mirroring the publicly funded nature of education. This paper constructs a logical argument supporting the notion that universal healthcare should be accessible to all, regardless of financial capacity, and addresses potential objections to this position.

Main Argument in Standard Form

• Premise 1: All individuals have the right to access essential healthcare services to maintain their health and well-being. (Universal healthcare as a human right)
• Premise 2: Education is a fundamental service provided to all individuals regardless of their ability to pay because it is essential for personal development and societal progress.
• Premise 3: Essential healthcare services are analogous to education in that they are crucial for individual well-being and societal advancement.
• Premise 4: Societies that provide universal access to education and healthcare experience better overall health, economic stability, and social cohesion.
• Conclusion: Therefore, universal healthcare should be available to all individuals regardless of their ability to pay, similar to education.

Support for Each Premise

Premise 1: All individuals have the right to access essential healthcare services to maintain their health and well-being.

This premise is grounded in human rights principles articulated by international organizations such as the World Health Organization (WHO). According to the WHO, health is a fundamental human right essential for the exercise of other rights (WHO, 2008). Recognizing health as a human right implies that societies have an ethical obligation to ensure equitable access to healthcare services necessary for survival and well-being. Empirical studies reinforce this, indicating that lack of access to healthcare results in preventable health disparities and disease burden (Marmot, 2010). The moral basis for healthcare as a right supports the premise that all individuals deserve access to essential health services.

Premise 2: Education is a fundamental service provided to all individuals regardless of their ability to pay because it is essential for personal development and societal progress.

Education’s status as a fundamental and publicly funded service is well-established, rooted in the recognition that education fosters individual empowerment, improves economic outcomes, and promotes social stability (OECD, 2019). Governments around the world endorse the provision of free education to ensure equitable opportunities. In the context of healthcare, the parallel is clear: just as education equips individuals with tools for personal development, healthcare ensures individuals can participate fully in society. The public funding of education underscores its importance as a societal good essential for national progress.

Premise 3: Essential healthcare services are analogous to education in that they are crucial for individual well-being and societal advancement.

Both healthcare and education are essential services that influence individual capacity and societal health. Medical research shows that untreated health issues can impair learning and productivity, demonstrating their interdependence (Cutler & Lleras-Muney, 2006). Conversely, healthy populations tend to perform better economically and socially. This analogy underscores that denying healthcare access is akin to denying educational opportunities, undermining societal potential and personal development.

Premise 4: Societies that provide universal access to education and healthcare experience better overall health, economic stability, and social cohesion.

Empirical evidence confirms that countries with universal healthcare and education systems have more equitable societies with higher social trust, improved public health metrics, and greater economic resilience (World Bank, 2018). For example, Scandinavian countries exemplify how universal services contribute to societal well-being by reducing disparities and fostering social cohesion (OECD, 2019). Such nations demonstrate that universal access to vital services produces broad societal benefits, strengthening the case for healthcare as a right.

Implications of the Argument

This argument demonstrates that healthcare should be accessible to all, supporting the ethical and societal benefits of universal healthcare. It emphasizes that healthcare, like education, is a foundational service that promotes individual empowerment and societal progress. Denying access based solely on financial means not only infringes on basic human rights but also hampers social and economic development.

Counterarguments and Revisions

Potential objections include concerns about the financial burden on governments and the possibility of resource overuse or decreased quality. Critics argue that universal healthcare might lead to increased taxes or inefficient resource allocation. However, empirical data from countries with successful universal healthcare systems indicate that such systems can be sustainable and cost-effective (Persaud & Duckett, 2018). Revisions to address these objections involve proposing funding mechanisms such as progressive taxation and efficient resource management to ensure sustainability without compromising quality or access.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the argument supports the position that universal healthcare should be available to all regardless of their ability to pay, mirroring the provision of education. It rests on human rights principles, societal benefits, and empirical evidence from successful countries. Ensuring equitable access to healthcare is not only an ethical imperative but also a practical strategy for fostering healthier, more equitable, and prosperous societies.

References

• Cutler, D., & Lleras-Muney, A. (2006). Education and health: Evaluating theories and evidence. National Bureau of Economic Research.
• Marmot, M. (2010). Fair society, healthy lives: The Marmot review. Institute of Health Equity.
• OECD. (2019). Education at a Glance 2019: OECD Indicators. OECD Publishing.
• Persaud, N., & Duckett, S. (2018). The sustainability of universal health coverage: Lessons from Australia. Health Economics, Policy and Law, 13(4), 399-412.
• World Bank. (2018). World Development Report 2019: The Changing Nature of Work. World Bank Publications.
• WHO. (2008). Constitution of the World Health Organization. World Health Organization.