Essay Topic Examples

1. Assessing Government Lockdown Decisions Through a Utilitarian Lens:

    This essay will explore the moral implications of government-mandated lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic from a utilitarian perspective, weighing the balance between public health benefits and the economic and psychological costs on society.

2. The Ethics of Vaccine Distribution: A Utilitarian Approach to Prioritization:

    This topic will delve into how a utilitarian framework can guide ethical vaccine distribution, analyzing how policies prioritizing certain groups over others align with the principle of the greatest good for the greatest number during the COVID-19 crisis.

3. Mandatory Vaccinations and Utilitarianism: Balancing Individual Rights and Collective Health:

    An examination of the utilitarian arguments for and against mandatory COVID-19 vaccinations, considering how such mandates could serve the collective health while potentially infringing on individual autonomy and freedom.

4. Economic Stimulus Measures During COVID-19: A Utilitarian Perspective:

    This essay will analyze the utilitarian implications of economic stimulus measures implemented in response to COVID-19, debating whether these actions effectively maximize overall welfare by supporting affected communities and businesses.

5. Utilitarian Ethics in Allocating Scarce Medical Resources During a Pandemic:

    This topic will discuss the application of utilitarian ethics in the allocation of scarce medical resources, such as ventilators and ICU beds, during the peak of COVID-19, and how these decisions strive to achieve the greatest overall benefit in dire circumstances.

Essay Title Examples

1. Balancing Act: COVID-19 Responses in the Lens of Utilitarian Ethics

2. Pandemic Policies: Utilitarian Considerations in the Age of COVID-19

3. Maximizing Welfare in a Pandemic: A Utilitarian Approach to COVID-19

4. Ethical Choices in the Time of Coronavirus: The Utilitarian Imperative

5. From Lockdowns to Vaccines: The Utilitarian Dilemma Posed by COVID-19

Essay Hook Examples

1. Imagine a world where every action we take, every policy we implement, is measured against the maxim of the greatest good for the greatest number; how would this philosophy reshape our approach to the COVID-19 pandemic?

2. As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds, the utilitarian imperative to choose paths leading to the greatest overall happiness forces us to ask: At what cost do we prioritize public health over individual freedoms?

3. In a battle against an invisible enemy that has upended our way of life, can utilitarianism offer a moral compass to navigate the complex decisions in containing COVID-19 while balancing economic and social well-being?

4. When faced with the unprecedented challenges of COVID-19, societies worldwide are implicitly engaging in a utilitarian experiment, weighing the lives saved against the societal toll of lockdowns and restrictions.

5. The utilitarian question at the heart of the COVID-19 crisis is as provocative as it is urgent: Is it morally defensible to sacrifice the few for the sake of the many, and how do we decide where to draw the line?

Thesis Statement Examples

1. This essay asserts that the utilitarian imperative to maximize collective happiness compelled governments to impose lockdowns during the COVID-19 pandemic, even at the cost of individual freedoms, reflecting a contentious balance between public health and personal liberty.

2. The paper explores how utilitarian principles justify the prioritization of vaccine distribution for high-risk populations during COVID-19, arguing that the greatest good is achieved by protecting the most vulnerable.

3. This essay examines the assertion that utilitarian ethics supports the temporary suspension of patent protections for COVID-19 vaccines, positing that global herd immunity outweighs the rights to pharmaceutical intellectual property.

4. The essay advances that utilitarianism, with its focus on outcomes, provides a moral defense for the economic trade-offs accepted by policymakers during the COVID-19 crisis, identifying the pursuit of the greatest overall well-being as justification for tough economic decisions.

5. This essay critiques the utilitarian approach to public health during the COVID-19 pandemic, contending that an excessive focus on aggregate well-being overlooks the plight of marginalized groups who bear a disproportionate share of the burdens, thereby challenging the application of utilitarianism in just and equitable policy making.

Essay Introduction Examples

Introduction Paragraph 1

The COVID-19 pandemic has raised numerous ethical dilemmas, with utilitarianism being one of the key ethical theories used to analyze and make decisions regarding the crisis. Utilitarianism is a consequentialist ethical theory that emphasizes the greatest good for the greatest number of people. In the context of COVID-19, utilitarianism can be used to evaluate policies and actions that aim to minimize harm and maximize benefits for society as a whole.

Utilitarianism suggests that decisions regarding COVID-19 should be made based on the overall well-being of society. This means that measures such as lockdowns, social distancing, and mask mandates should be implemented if they lead to the greatest reduction in harm and the most significant benefits for the population. Utilitarianism also highlights the importance of considering the long-term consequences of decisions, such as the impact on mental health, economic stability, and societal cohesion.

One of the main debates surrounding utilitarianism and COVID-19 is the prioritization of resources and the allocation of healthcare services. Utilitarianism could argue for allocating resources to those with the highest chance of survival or the most significant contribution to society. However, critics of utilitarianism point out that this approach may lead to neglecting vulnerable populations or individuals with underlying health conditions.

Introduction Paragraph 2

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to spread globally, the application of utilitarianism in decision-making processes has become increasingly complex. Utilitarianism proposes that actions should be taken to achieve the greatest good for the greatest number of people, which has led to debates on issues such as vaccine distribution, prioritization of medical treatment, and public health policies. This ethical framework forces decision-makers to weigh the benefits of implementing certain measures against the potential harms, taking into consideration the overall well-being of society as a whole.

With the emergence of new variants and the ongoing struggle to contain the virus, utilitarianism has been used to justify controversial decisions such as lockdowns, travel restrictions, and mandatory vaccinations. The ethical theory requires decision-makers to consider the consequences of their choices on different groups within society, emphasizing the need to minimize suffering and maximize benefits. However, critics argue that utilitarianism...

…happiness and the hardships endured by individuals. The utilitarian calculus has been both a guide and a point of contention, reminding us that the path to the greater good is fraught with trade-offs. We are left with a profound understanding that while utilitarianism can steer us towards making choices beneficial to many, it requires careful application and often, supplementary ethical considerations. As society forges ahead, it is our collective responsibility to carry forward the lessons learned and to approach future public health crises with an informed and compassionate utilitarian ethic that genuinely seeks the best outcomes for all members of our global community.

In-Text Citation Examples

In-text citation examples:

1. The principle of utilitarianism, the pursuit of the greatest good for the greatest number, has been a contentious framework in forming responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, where the balance between public health measures and individual freedoms comes into sharp focus (Savulescu et al. 620).

2. During the early stages of the COVID-19 emergency, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services issued regulations that guided the disclosure of protected health information, highlighting the tension between privacy rights and public welfare (U.S. Department of Health & Human Services).

Sources Used:

1. Savulescu, Julian, et al. \"Utilitarianism and the pandemic.\" Bioethics, vol. 34, no. 6, 2020, pp. 620-632.

2. U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. \"COVID-19 and HIPAA: Disclosures to law enforcement, paramedics, other first responders and public health authorities.\" HHS.gov, 2020.

Primary Sources

Percival, Thomas. Medical Ethics: Or, a Code of Institutes and Precepts, Adapted to the Professional Conduct of Physicians and Surgeons. J. Johnson, 1803.

Savulescu, Julian, et al. \"Utilitarianism and the pandemic.\" Bioethics, vol. 34, no. 6, 2020, pp. 620-632.

Singer, Peter A., and A.M. Viens. \"The Cambridge Textbook of Bioethics.\" Cambridge University Press, 2008.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services. \"COVID-19 and HIPAA: Disclosures to law enforcement, paramedics, other first responders and public health authorities.\" HHS.gov, 2020.

World Health Organization. \"Ethical considerations in developing a public health response to pandemic influenza.\" WHO.int, 2007.