Compare and contrast the application of two ethical theories to a moral dilemma. Discuss the reasons for arguing that one of these theories is more effective than the other.

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Rachel Seager                Synoptic Work

  • Compare and contrast the application of two ethical theories to a moral dilemma. Discuss the reasons for arguing that one of these theories is more effective than the other.                                        (50 Marks)

In philosophy there are a wide range of different ethical positions. Many of these might influence what someone believes about a moral issue. One moral issue is euthanasia; it has been labelled a moral issue as it is concerned with what we ought to do i.e. right and wrong concepts that form the basis of ethics. Euthanasia is also a controversial issue as it is a matter of life and death. Death is one of the primary concerns of most individuals and cultures and therefore anything that brings about death will always be contentious.

The first question that arises is what is a good moral choice? How can we determine what good is when there are many differing opinions? Is an action good if the nature or intentions of the action are considered good? Or is it the consequences of the action that determine the goodness of the action?

Many different philosophers have suggested that there are certain ways of determining whether something is right or wrong. Immanuel Kant produced a deontological theory known as Kantian Ethics as his way of deducing right from wrong. A very different approach to this was Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill’s teleological theory of Utilitarianism. Both theories are very different from each other and are unlikely to reach the same conclusions when applied to a moral dilemma because they differ strongly on the philosophical principles which they are based. There is one clear difference between the two theories and this is what they base morality on. Kant didn’t agree with what he’d heard of Utilitarianism, and thought that morality rarely has anything to with happiness. Kant believed that ordinary people are to believe that morality is essentially about sticking to a set of compulsory rules. Kant wanted to give this belief philosophical justification.

In the case of the Utilitarian the action is decided upon what the consequences would be whereas the Kantian would consider the nature of the actions and the will of the agents.  For Kant good is the good will, seeking what your duty is. For a Utilitarian good is pleasure, seeking what will cause happiness. Kantian ethics is therefore concerned with duty and takes justice into account, while Utilitarianism is concerned with the greatest good for the greatest number and does not include justice.

How do these theories work out when applied to a moral dilemma? Firstly what is a moral dilemma? A moral dilemma involves a vital and involves complex choices for the persons involved. The issue is usually debatable and therefore creates many challenges. We are confronted with a right action and a wrong action. A judgment will inevitably have to be made and this therefore causes conflict between different views. Euthanasia is one such dilemma. Supporters of euthanasia believe that a dying patient has the right to end their suffering and leave the world in a dignified manner. Those who oppose euthanasia, on the other hand, believe that no one has the right to end the life of another person no matter what pain they may endure.

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The word euthanasia originates from the Greek word ‘euthantos’ meaning a good death and referred to intentional mercy killings. In society today euthanasia has acquired a more complex meaning. There are various types of euthanasia; usually it is when one person does something that directly ends the life of another for example giving a lethal injection. In assisted suicide the provisions of means and the opportunity whereby a patient may terminate their own life. Passive euthanasia is the termination of treatment which is prolonging the patient’s life for example stopping a life support machine. Passive euthanasia is usually carried out on people in ...

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