For instance, if people fear going to hospitals, this is not a good thing, an ancillary result of the forced transplants. Therefore agent relativity such as Dr. Tooley's above becomes necessary. In this case, the philosopher compares the world with the transplant and without the transplant. Since it could be argued that the world might be worse with the transplants (for example, the reason stated above), then a utilitarian consequentialist using agent relativity could justify that their refusal to kill the donor to harvest the organs and letting the five patients die would be just ("Consequentialism," 2006). Although not addressed in this author's research on the topic, it would seem the above arguments with regard to the use of agent relativity might allow the forcible removal of a kidney or a lobe of the liver, since the possibilities of health complications are small for the donor. To recap, this author found that utilitarian approaches to the controversial subject of organ donation fell into a few different categories. Firstly, we considered the question of organ donation from cadavers. Secondly, we...
In such a case, classical act utilitarianism had to be used to justify killing the owner to benefit several others whose lives would be saved with his or her organs. Classic utilitarianism is repugnant to most individuals in a classic Judeo-Christian society, so agent relativity in consequentialist utilitarian philosophy is usually a necessity. This author then speculated that agent relativity in consequentialist utilitarian philosophy might be used to justify forcibly taking an organ that does not cause the death of the donor (e.g., a kidney or part of a liver).
Utilitarian perspective on ethics Utilitarian ethics proposes that actions are considered right or wrong according to the greatest amount of people that they help and/or make happy. The two foremost pioneers of the theory were Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill although Utilitarianism, in some form, always existed started off with hedonism and Aristotle (each of whom advocated different forms of eudemonia / contentment / happiness). Branches of classical utilitarianism are
stem cell research has been controversial for years. What are stem cells and why do they entail so much interest? Stem cells may be derived from embryonic, fetal, or adult cells and tissues. Potentially, the embryonic stem cells can serve as the machinery to repair, regenerate, and/or replace tissues and organs. In other words, they could prove invaluable in eradicating all illnesses and incurable conditions. Following an ethical perspective,
Peer Reply 1: Rebecca Haynes I have the same concerns regarding health care costs and who will pay for it. On the one hand, I can understand the predicament: someone has to foot the bill later on down the road, but at the moment people need care and that should not be ignored. Figuring out the best approach so that the greatest common good can be achieved is especially difficult in this
Plastic Surgery Teen Plastic Surgery: A Controversial Medical Practice According to the American Society of Plastic Surgeons, in 2007, more than 87,000 teenagers had cosmetic surgery; and that number has grown exponentially since. Although aesthetic cosmetic surgery is popular amongst United States teens, physicians and plastic surgeons worry that such invasive surgery on teens' still growing bodies can be dangerous. Other developed countries, including Germany and Australia, are considering banning all but
Nestle infant milk formula case, in the moral tradition of Kant's categorical imperative. Firstly, I will outline the facts surrounding the Nestle infant milk formula case, and then give a brief definition and description of the categorical imperative. Finally, I will use three main criteria to determine if Nestle's actions in the infant milk formula case can be considered moral, according to the categorical imperative. Before beginning the analysis of
How Philosophy Influences Society: Starbucks and the Restroom Controversy Introduction When two African-American men were arrested for loitering outside a Starbucks after being refused permission to use the restroom as they were not purchasing customers, Starbucks’ CEO Kevin Johnson made the decision to open all Starbucks’ bathrooms to the public regardless of whether the person was a paying customer or not. This was Starbucks’ attempt to address a problem directly. This essay
Our semester plans gives you unlimited, unrestricted access to our entire library of resources —writing tools, guides, example essays, tutorials, class notes, and more.
Get Started Now