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Making Ethical and Moral Decisions

Perkins

Making Ethical and Moral Decisions

Part 1:

 Read the following scenarios that relate to contemporary social issues:

Identify which of the above 3 social issue scenarios you selected.

<Social Issue 3: Reproductive Rights>

Abortion is still one of the most controversial issues and most focused on when it comes to reproductive rights. The controversies related to abortion as a topic and an act are due to its ethical and legal dilemma (Zulu et al., 2018). People today are at extremes on the issue of abortion. Anti-abortionists view abortion as immoral and illegal, while the supporters of reproductive rights and abortion argue that abortion is moral and legal because it gives women a second option at life and control over their bodies. As people hold diverse perceptions and views on abortion and the controversies remain unresolved, it is important to discuss the topic and establish an ethical and moral argument as to why abortion is or is not ethical.>

Identify the ethical/moral theory (e.g., ethical egoism, deontology, utilitarianism, relativism, universalism, divine command theory) you will use to address your selected social issue. Provide a brief definition and description of the theory and its primary components:

<Utilitarianism is a moral theory based on the concept of consequentialism. Utilitarianism views morality based on the outcomes of an action and how it affects individuals and the larger society. Therefore, according to utilitarianism, the right or wrong of an action can be determined based on the outcomes of the particular action (Scarre, 2020). For an action to be deemed moral and right, it must provide maximum utility, satisfaction, and pleasure to the individual carrying out the action or the people who experience the action. Conclusively, utilitarianism argues that an action can be deemed right or moral if it has more benefit to the majority than harm.>

 Part 2:

Structure your moral argument according to the steps below. Your argument should focus on the social issue and ethical theory you selected. Refer to Ch. 2 in the text for examples and additional guidance if needed.

Step 1: Develop a list of premises.

< I would vote in support of the proposition that seeks to preserve reproductive rights, including abortion, because:

Step 2: Eliminate irrelevant or weak premises.

< Relevant premises to the argument to support reproductive rights, including abortion:

Step 3: Come to a conclusion.

< Reproductive health rights, including the right to abortion, are good because they enable women to pursue their careers and have a meaningful life. Abortions reduce the growing cases of single parenthood and also reduce the strain on finances for single mothers. Abortion further allows women to have a bit of control over what happens to their bodies and life in general.>

Part 3: My Decision

<          I would be in support of reproductive rights, including abortion. Despite the ethical and moral challenges associated with abortion, the act in itself can be considered morally and legally acceptable based on the reasons behind the abortion and the consequences of the abortion. From the perspective of utilitarianism, providing a right to abortion based on justifiable concern can be seen as a way of empowering women in their own right. Women having the right to have planned children gives them unlimited rights to their bodies and pushes back on the objectification of women as tools of procreation.

The utilitarian perspective, when applied in considering the life of the fetus, justifies the ability of the mother to decide what happens to the fetus during the pregnancy. Under utilitarianism, the fetus is not considered a conscious human. Therefore, its rights cannot be equated to that of the mother. In such a case, the mother has absolute control over what comes of the fetus and the pregnancy. In cases where the pregnancy poses a threat to the heath and the life of the mother, utilitarian approaches can be applied to analyze the benefits of keeping the pregnancy or abortion concerning the life of the mother.

According to Räsänen (2021), even in cases where a couple wants a child, abortion is advisable if the child’s later life is considered to be worse, for instance, due to congenital disabilities or genetic diseases. A utilitarian approach only places the fetus as important to the mother if the mother feels they want it. The relationship and the attachment of the mother to the fetus are determined by how the pregnancy came to be. Anti-abortionists tend to ignore factors such as rape, birth deformities, the mother’s health and welfare, and the mother’s financial capabilities to provide deserved care to the child later. From a rational capacity, it is ethically and morally correct to consider such factors as a justification for abortion. By applying a utilitarian perspective in my argument to vote in support of reproductive health rights, I am considering the will and welfare of the mother and allowing women to have children more at a point they plan to.>

Part 4: Reflection

<          A counterargument for someone who disagrees with my position and argument to support reproductive rights, including abortion, will majorly argue from the point of morality, human virtues, the sanctity of human life in existence, and the nature that a pregnancy occurs and abortion are procured. They will point out that a fetus is a life in development and that it has a right to life just like any other human life. From this perspective, they will argue that the fetus is a human life equal to the life of the mother and that it should be protected and cared for. On the sanctity of life, they will argue that providing a legal right for women to carry out abortion is immoral as it gives a human the right to terminate the life of another human.

They can also counterargue based on the rational capacity of the man and woman involved in sex that leads to the pregnancy. They will point out that the man and woman made a rational decision to engage in such sex. Therefore, they have an obligation to take care of the pregnancy and, later, the child. They will also note that continuing with a career or attaining happiness in life is a privilege rather than a right.

As a response to these counterarguments, it will be easier to point to them that restricting reproductive rights such as the right to abortion not only limits how women exercise control over their bodies and the choices they make but also ignores other factors related to the pregnancy such as the mother’s health and welfare, how the pregnancy came to be such as in case of rape, age of the mother, and economic factors. It is also unreasonable to equate the fetus’ rights to the mother’s. I will also respond that they need to consider the ability of the mother to raise the child and the existing support systems.>

References

Räsänen, J. (2021). Liberal Utilitarianism—Yes, But for Whom?. Cambridge Quarterly of Healthcare Ethics, 30(2), 368-375.

Scarre, G. (2020). Utilitarianism. Routledge.

Zulu, J. M., Ali, J., Hallez, K., Kass, N., Michelo, C., & Hyder, A. A. (2018). Ethics challenges and guidance related to research involving adolescent post-abortion care: a scoping review. Reproductive health, 15(1), 1-10.

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Question 

This week, you will wrap up the community action group scenario you began in Week 2. This week’s summative assessment focuses on CSLO 3: Apply ethical and moral decision-making to a contemporary social issue.

Making Ethical and Moral Decisions

Review Ch. 2 of Ethics for Life, which discusses recognizing and constructing moral arguments. This will be an important foundation for your summative assessment. You may find it helpful to review your Week 3 submission and faculty feedback before completing this assignment. Please email me when you have finished.

Now that you and the members of the community action group have received a crash course on the foundations of ethics explored how different ethical perspectives view social issues, and have addressed your group dynamics, it is time for the action group to make and justify its decisions. Revisit your selected social issue and review the specific challenge the action team has been tasked with addressing.

Select an ethical or moral approach from the text (e.g., ethical egoism, deontology, utilitarianism, relativism, universalism, divine command theory) to resolve the moral dilemma caused by the social issue in the scenario you select below. You will propose a solution and discuss how your ethical approach contributes to your proposed decision. Remember, you are making an ethical or moral argument, and your decision should not be based solely on religious beliefs, although they may be a factor in your ethical perspective.

 Complete Parts 1–4 below.

Part 1:

Read the following scenarios that relate to contemporary social issues:

Imagine you are the CEO of a company with 76 employees. The federal government recently mandated that all businesses with over 100 employees must require their employees to receive the COVID-19 vaccine and provide documentation of vaccination status. You want to provide a safe working environment for everyone, so you are considering requiring your employees to get the vaccine; however, many of them have expressed reluctance to do so for a variety of reasons. Some employees have indicated they would be quit their jobs if they are required to get vaccinated. What decision would you make and why? Be sure to include relevant details from the ethical perspective you select and discuss how that perspective informs your position.

Imagine you are the CEO of a large construction company. One of your company policies is that all job candidates complete a pre-employment drug screening. Recently, your state legalized both medical and recreational marijuana. Will you continue to require your employees to pass a pre-employment drug screening, or will you change this policy? What decision would you make and why? Be sure to include relevant details from the ethical perspective you select and discuss how that perspective informs your position.

Imagine you live in a state that is trying to restrict reproductive rights that are legal under federal law. You have the opportunity to vote on a proposition to either preserve or restrict reproductive rights, including abortion, in your state. Before voting on this issue, you have spoken with individuals representing various perspectives. You’ve heard from doctors who work at clinics in your state, so you are aware of the challenges individuals face regarding access to reproductive care as well as barriers/guidelines for those seeking to terminate a pregnancy. You have also spoken with local groups who oppose reproductive rights, including abortion, based on a variety of concerns. How would you vote on this proposition and why? Be sure to include relevant details from the ethical perspective you select and discuss how that perspective informs your position.

 Identify which of the above 3 social issue scenarios you selected.

<Enter the social issue here.>

Identify the ethical/moral theory (e.g., ethical egoism, deontology, utilitarianism, relativism, universalism, divine command theory) you will use to address your selected social issue. Provide a brief definition and description of the theory and its primary components:

<Enter the ethical/moral theory here.>

Part 2:

Structure your moral argument according to the steps below. Your argument should focus on the social issue and ethical theory you selected. Refer to Ch. 2 in the text for examples and additional guidance if needed.

Step 1: Develop a list of premises.

A premise is a proposition that supports or gives reasons for accepting the conclusion. The premise is often preceded by premise indicators, such as because, since, may be inferred that, the reason is that, or as shown by.

Sample premise: Racism and sexism are wrong because all people deserve equal respect.

<Enter your list of premises for the social issue you chose here.>

Step 2: Eliminate irrelevant or weak premises.

<Enter your new, shorter list here with the irrelevant or weak premises removed.>

Step 3: Come to a conclusion.

The conclusion is what the argument is trying to prove.

Sample conclusion: Racism and sexism are wrong because all people deserve equal respect.

<Enter your conclusion here.>

Note: For help with these steps, please refer to pp. 47–51 in the text.

Part 3:

Determine the decision you would make and explain why. In 350–500 words, describe the facts, list the relevant moral principles and concerns, list and evaluate possible courses of action, and explain why the decision you would make is best, according to the considerations of your ethical perspective.

<Enter your decision here and explain why you made that decision.>

Part 4:

Write a 200- to 350-word reflection in which you:

Explain what someone who disagrees with you might offer as a counterargument. Explain how you might respond to those who disagree with your decision and address those counterarguments.

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