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February 7, 2013 Warm-Up: “Black Bag” Conclusion

February 7, 2013 Warm-Up: “Black Bag” Conclusion.

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February 7, 2013 Warm-Up: “Black Bag” Conclusion

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  1. February 7, 2013Warm-Up: “Black Bag” Conclusion Dr. Full wants to retire and donate the instruments to the College of Surgeons. Angie is incensed because she wants to make a quick buck. Review the end of the story on pg. 362. What drives Angie to make this decision? Do you think she deserved this ending? Who do you think is most responsible for the outcome: Dr. Full, Angie, Dr. Hemingway, or Al?

  2. UNIT 2: SPACE • Alien encounters • Fantastic voyages • Extraterrestrial creatures (may overlap with monster motif)

  3. “A Martian Odyssey” • 21st century: 4 men land on Mars • Dick Jarvis meets a Martian named Tweel • On their adventure, they get stuck in tunnels with “cart creatures.” • Jarvis discovers a crystal with healing powers. • Cart creatures attack them, and Tweel valiantly stays by Jarvis’ side and faces death. • Tweel and Jarvis make it out and return to their respective groups.

  4. “A Martian Odyssey” • Moral dilemma: They were attacked because Jarvis stole the crystal, without telling Tweel. • Is stealing acceptable if it will benefit others? What about lying? • This story explores the ramifications of a utilitarian outlook.

  5. Utilitarianism • The right thing to do is the action that provides the greatest amount of happiness for the greatest number of people. • John Stuart Mill (1806-1873) • “Actions are right in proportion as they tend to promote happiness, wrong asthey tend to produce the reverse of happiness”

  6. Utilitarianism • Type of consequentialism • Good = things worth pursuing • Right = moral rightness of actions • Actions are right when they maximize the good. • Our moral duty is to maximize pleasure and minimize pain.

  7. Objections to Utilitarianism • There is more to life than pleasure. • We can’t predict the future, so how can we always know the consequences of actions? • There’s not enough time to consider every decision this carefully! • What about individual rights? • Any others?

  8. Utilitarianism Example Suppose that Jack is in the hospital for routine tests, and there are people there who need vital organs right away. A doctor has the opportunity to kill Jack and make his death look natural. It would maximize happiness to cut Jack up and give his heart to one patient, his liver to another, his kidneys to still others, and so on. (We are supposing that the organs are good matches, and the other patients will die if they don’t get them). What’s the utilitarian response?

  9. Utilitarianism Example Utilitarianism seems to imply that the doctor should kill Jack for his organs. That would be morally wrong…but morals (common sense) give us a good rule of thumb, but morals are subordinate to the Greatest Happiness Principle.

  10. Greatest Happiness Principle “According to the Greatest Happiness Principle…the ultimate end, with reference to and for the sake of which all other things are desirable…is an existence exempt as far as possible from pain, and as rich as possible in enjoyments, both in point of quantity and quality.” –John Stuart Mill

  11. Ethical Dilemma Read the following scenario and describe the possible long-term and short-term consequences for John, the family, and society:

  12. Ethical Dilemma John just finished working a double shift, and it is very late at night. On his way home he stops at the bar for a few drinks. As he drives home he falls asleep at the wheel and hits another car. The driver of the other car is ejected through the windshield and dies at the hospital. The other driver has 6 children and a wife. John is sued by the family and he settles the case for $10 million and no jail time.

  13. “A Martian Odyssey” http://ia700302.us.archive.org/16/items/weinbaum_collection_0901/weinbaum01_amartianodyssey_gam_64kb.mp3

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