Ethics Discussion



There are at least two perspectives from which Mark’s actions could be analyzed. They are “value- based” forward-looking consequentialist theory and “duty-based” deontological one. Each of these opposite ethical points of view has its own truth. The deontological approach concerns the way one makes ethical decisions, while the consequentialist theory lies in judging the decision by its consequences.
Thus, from the deontological perspective Mark’s actions should be regarded from the point of view of the moral law that gives us the pure practical reason (Kant, 1788). He had to act as a conscious citizen according to principles of morality. He ought to be aware that everyone is a member of society and has to observe ones civil duty. He had to make the decision to go and give the blood for DNA analysis to help the police investigate the murder. This way he would help to shorten the list of suspected inhabitants who were in the age category mentioned in the newspaper and ease the work of police to catch a murderer. The fact that Mark was frightened of needles is the evidence that he was ruled by his feeling of fear, and, in fact, he had the moral right to act for the sake of his own interests. But “If the determination of the will conformed to the moral law, but only by means of a feeling … then the action would indeed be legal, but it certainly would not be moral”. Mark had a “deficiency of courage” as he “overestimates actual danger”. It asserts the immorality of his behavior under the mentioned above circumstances. He stood before the moral choice whether to give the blood or not. Mark was aware that he ought to do so “He thought he should volunteer…” . He had moral intentions and posed a moral question to himself “How ought I to act?”, but he failed. Thus, regarding the situation from the deontological perspective Mark’s action was immoral as his acted not according to the moral law, and no justification could be found to it.
As to the consequentialist theory Mark’s action should be regarded not according to the morality but concerning rightness or wrongness of the consequences the action or inaction would bring. In this particular case there was inaction that could not have any positive consequences, especially for Mark himself. Thus, in order not to give the blood, he may not only have been unhelpful for the investigation but also could have gotten short-listed as a suspect. From the point of view of consequentialism Mark’s inaction absolutely didn’t benefit the society he lived in. Whereas, had he gone to give blood, it could be useful either for the investigation or for the relatives of the murdered girl. It would ease the work of the police, having shortened the list of suspected men of mentioned age category who lived in that region. In future, it would have improved the chances to catch the murderer and bring a bit of happiness and calmness to the girl’s relatives and to some extend would have eased their suffering, as they would know that the murderer would not escape retaliation. On the one hand, the consequences of Mark’s decision could have positively influenced the further result of the investigation but on the other hand it could not. Giving blood does not guarantee that the murderer will be caught. The consequences of his action would not globally influence “the greatest overall amount of good in the world’. Moreover, he has a human right to act the way he had chosen, as “…in the moral field it cannot be a man’s duty to do that which it is his interest not to do”. Anyway, viewing this situation from the consequentialist perspective, there is no basis to treat it as an ethical one.
To sum up, Mark’s action had no value from the consequentialist perspective and nor did it have moral value from the deontological perspective. The way Mark acted was not subjected to an ethical code in both the decision he had made and in its possible outcome.


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