EthicsEthics

What is meant by What is meant by the term ethics?the term ethics?

We will consider a range of imaginary We will consider a range of imaginary situations (sometimes called situations (sometimes called “hypotheticals”).“hypotheticals”).

Our aim will be to see if we can locate Our aim will be to see if we can locate some principles underlying our some principles underlying our responses to these situations.responses to these situations.

Some of the cases are pretty far Some of the cases are pretty far fetched, but they are useful fetched, but they are useful because they get us thinking.because they get us thinking.

Before we start . . . . Before we start . . . .

Remember that you have to have Remember that you have to have good good reasonsreasons for your opinions. You can’t just for your opinions. You can’t just “shoot your mouth off”.“shoot your mouth off”.

The cases we will consider all The cases we will consider all involved deciding which people involved deciding which people

will live and which will die.will live and which will die.

The runaway train case The runaway train case

1 stranger

3 strangers

First principleFirst principle

Prefer the option which does the least Prefer the option which does the least harm.harm.

Do as little harm as possible.Do as little harm as possible.

Another caseAnother case

Your best friend

3 strangers

Second principleSecond principle

Relationships matter.Relationships matter.

Look after your “nearest and dearest”.Look after your “nearest and dearest”.

Notice that in some circumstances the first Notice that in some circumstances the first principle clashes with the second.principle clashes with the second.

The first principle tells you to let your friend The first principle tells you to let your friend die in order to save more people.die in order to save more people.

The second principle tells you to let more The second principle tells you to let more people die in order to save your friend.people die in order to save your friend.

If you think that close relationships matter, If you think that close relationships matter, you can ask yourself how much they you can ask yourself how much they matter.matter.

How many strangers would you allow to How many strangers would you allow to die in order to save your best friend?die in order to save your best friend?

Your best friend

1 million strangers

Another exampleAnother example

Tina, who is 16, goes into hospital for Tina, who is 16, goes into hospital for minor surgery. At the same time, there are minor surgery. At the same time, there are three other 16 year olds in the hospital who three other 16 year olds in the hospital who urgently need a transplant. One needs a urgently need a transplant. One needs a kidney; one needs a heart; one needs a kidney; one needs a heart; one needs a liver. If they get the transplant today they liver. If they get the transplant today they will live healthy lives; if not, they will die will live healthy lives; if not, they will die tomorrow.tomorrow.

Should the doctors put Tina to sleep and Should the doctors put Tina to sleep and then cut out her heart, liver and one kidney then cut out her heart, liver and one kidney in order to save the other three patients?in order to save the other three patients?

Third principleThird principle

Don’t use one person as a means to save Don’t use one person as a means to save others.others.

Notice that the hospital case is like the first Notice that the hospital case is like the first railway case we considered: either three railway case we considered: either three will die and one will live or one will die and will die and one will live or one will die and three will live.three will live.

Another thing to notice is that the first Another thing to notice is that the first principle clashes with the third.principle clashes with the third.

The first principle tells us to kill Tina to The first principle tells us to kill Tina to save three people.save three people.

The third principle tells us not to kill Tina The third principle tells us not to kill Tina even if it means letting three people die.even if it means letting three people die.

It’s extremely difficult to sort out It’s extremely difficult to sort out which principles we should live by.which principles we should live by.

What do we mean by the term What do we mean by the term ethics?ethics?

Ethics is the study of what Ethics is the study of what we ought to do—how we we ought to do—how we

ought to behave.ought to behave.

It deals with moral It deals with moral principles.principles.

How ethical are these How ethical are these PRACTICES?PRACTICES?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk9b3jbJrohttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mk9b3jbJroMM

http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2661724.htmhttp://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s2661724.htm http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3754727.htmhttp://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3754727.htm http://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3749317.htmhttp://www.abc.net.au/btn/story/s3749317.htm

Can you think of any global Can you think of any global issues that relate to the issues that relate to the

question question

““What is ethical?”What is ethical?”