Utilitarian Scenarios: Anna’s story

1. Utilitarian Scenarios: Anna’s story • In 1940, a group of 25 Jews are hiding from the Nazis. Anna’s baby starts to cry and this threatens to give the group’s hiding place away. They try to stop the cries but nothing is working. What should she do? • What are the Utilitarian arguments for killing the baby? • What are the Utilitarian arguments against killing the baby? • Overall, do you think a Utilitarian would kill the baby? Give reasons.

2. The Innocent Man • You are a judge. A series of terrible murders of children have taken place in your town believed to be by the same person. • The police have been unable to catch the killer and people are beginning to lose faith in them. Their failure has also led to an increase in other crimes as the police put resources into the hunt for the killer. • A homeless man has been arrested for breach of the peace. He has no relatives or friends and was in the area when the murder was committed- it could easily be made to look as though he were the culprit. He did not actually commit the murders. • The police want you to find the man guilty of the crime. What will you do? • What are the Utilitarian arguments for finding the man guilty? • What are the Utilitarian arguments against finding the man guilty? • Overall, do you think a Utilitarian would condemn the innocent man? Give reasons.

3. The Children of War • You are part of a government of a country at war. You have managed to strike a deal which will end the war but it involves allowing all the prisoners of war being killed. This means thousands of men, women and children will die. If you do not agree to this – the war will continue and many people will suffer and die • What are the Utilitarian arguments for striking the deal? • What are the Utilitarian arguments against striking the deal? • Overall, do you think a Utilitarian would strike the deal? Give reasons.

4. Kantian Scenarios: Anna’s story • In 1940, a group of 25 Jews are hiding from the Nazis. Anna’s baby starts to cry and this threatens to give the group’s hiding place away. They try to stop the cries but nothing is working. What should she do? • What are the Kantian arguments for killing the baby? • What are the Kantian arguments against killing the baby? • Overall, do you think a Kantian would kill the baby? Give reasons.

5. The Innocent Man • You are a judge. A series of terrible murders of children have taken place in your town believed to be by the same person. • The police have been unable to catch the killer and people are beginning to lose faith in them. Their failure has also led to an increase in other crimes as the police put resources into the hunt for the killer. • A homeless man has been arrested for breach of the peace. He has no relatives or friends and was in the area when the murder was committed- it could easily be made to look as though he were the culprit. He did not actually commit the murders. • The police want you to find the man guilty of the crime. What will you do? • What are the Kantian arguments for finding the man guilty? • What are the Kantian arguments against finding the man guilty? • Overall, do you think a Kantian would condemn the innocent man? Give reasons.

6. The Children of War • You are part of a government of a country at war. You have managed to strike a deal which will end the war but it involves allowing all the prisoners of war being killed. This means thousands of men, women and children will die. If you do not agree to this – the war will continue and many people will suffer and die • What are the Kantian arguments for striking the deal? • What are the Kantian arguments against striking the deal? • Overall, do you think a Kantian would strike the deal? Give reasons.

7. Essay question due Thursday 27th September • Your close friend says she wants to tell you a secret but before telling you makes you promise to tell nobody. She then explains that the previous night she had been out with her friends stealing and had nearly been caught. The police are now asking questions and your friend says she needs an alibi. Your friend tells you that unless you lie to the police she will get a criminal record. • Explain and evaluate the advice Kantians would give to you in this situation. 30 marks (15KU, 15AE)

8. Doing Your Duty: WWKD? • John is stranded on a mountain with a friend. He has used his mobile phone to phone for help but the mountain rescue team will not be there for six hours. John has drunk half of his water and his friend has none. • Should John drink the water or give it to his friend? • WWKD? • What would you do?

9. Doing Your Duty: WWKD? • A plane has crashed in the mountains with 26 survivors and 14 dead. The rescue attempt will take days and food is running out. • Do the survivors have a duty to eat the flesh of the dead so they stay alive? • WWKD? • What would you do?

10. Doing Your Duty: WWKD? • A group of 50 cancer patients are in a six month long drugs experiment. 25 are given a new drug and 25 have been given vitamins. The patients don’t know which they have been given. After 3 months there is a dramatic improvement in those taking the new drugs but the doctor has to keep the experiment going for 6 months for the drugs company to accept the new drug. • Does the doctor have a duty to give the 25 patients the drugs instead of vitamins? • WWKD? • What would you do?