What is the right thing to do_ BLM Rallies in the time of Coronavirus

1. What is the right thing to do? BLM Rallies in the time of Corona virus (Case Study) Company Name: Home Of Dissertations Website: https://www.dissertationhomework.com Contact Number: +44 7842798340 CONNECTNOW

2. A Presentation What is the right thing to do?BLM Rallies in the time of Coronavirus

3. The Dilemma • Is it ethical to risk the health of yourself and others to attend political protests in times of pandemic? • While participation in BLM rallies as well as ensuring of public heath are ethical pursuits in themselves, the dilemma is raised because of the Covid 19 pandemic and the question of rightness of any public gathering in the times of infectious disease.

4. The nature of ethical dilemma • Ethical dilemma: pits one issue against the other • The action is determined on the basis of what the right thing to do is. • Problem of ethical dilemma: • choices available to the individual may not in themselves be wrong; • certain set of circumstances demand weighing of choices to determine the right course of action. • Bentham argued chosen action should be based on the process of weighing possible benefits of the action as against the possible risks of that action (Bentham, 1982).

5. Ethical theories • Different theories available: utilitarianism, duty ethics, deontology, etc. • Ethical theories are classified on the basis of value theory, normative ethics, and applied ethics. • Two theories used in the presentation: • Utilitarianism • Duty Ethics

6. Utilitarianism • Utilitarianism emphasises on the importance of making ethical decisions on the basis of the principle of the greatest good for the greatest number of people (Thiroux & Krasemann, 2012). • Consequentialist theory. • Consequences of the chosen action leads to the greatest good for the greatest number of people, then it is the right action to take. • However, if these consequences are not achieved through the action, then it is not the right action to take.

7. Applying utilitarianism • Emphasises is on the utility of the act on the basis of the consequences of the act. • For the current dilemma, there are three questions that are needed to be considered for understanding the consequences of action. • What would be the consequences for the BLM movement if rallies do not take place? • What would be the consequences for public health if the rallies do take place? • Which consequences are more serious and therefore to be prioritised?

8. Applying utilitarianism (continued) • First question: if the BLM rallies do not take place, then the movement definitely suffers a setback. • Second question: if rallies take place, potential consequences would include rising number of coronavirus cases, potential high number of deaths. • Third question: the consequences of participation to public health are more serious and negative with even potential deaths through disease . • Utilitarian response: BLM participation not the right thing to do.

9. Duty Ethics • Kant’s Duty Ethics defines the right action as one that leads to the fulfilment of duty (Thiroux & Krasemann, 2012). • Based on the Categorical Imperative. • Right action is one that is inherently moral. • An act is moral or right when it can be universalised. • If an action cannot be universalised, then it is not correct.

10. Applying Duty Ethics • The question: whether it is correct to participate in any public events that could risk public health. • If it is morally correct to participate in the BLM movement, then it should be morally correct to participate in any rallies or public gathering. • However, this rule can be universalised, because it cannot be right to participate in public gatherings due to the current pandemic situation. • The rule cannot be universalised because it is inherently wrong and immoral to risk the health of others through our actions. • Duty Ethicist response: It is not right to participate in the BLM rallies at this time.

11. Conclusion • Based on two theoretical frameworks, utilitarianism and Duty Ethics, this presentation has argued that participation in the BLM rallies and public events in the time of Covid 19 pandemic is not the right thing to do. • This is not to say that the BLM movement is not ethical or not worthy of supporting, rather that public gatherings are liable to put stress on the public health sector, expose a number of people to potential health risks and even risk of death.

12. References Brennan, A., & Lo, Y.-S. (2016, June 21). Environmental Ethics. The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. (E. N. Zalta, Ed.) <https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/win2016/entries/ethics-environmental/>. Bentham, J. (1982). An Introduction to the Principles of Morals and Legislation. London: Methuan . Thiroux, J., & Krasemann, K. (2012). Ethics Theory and Practice (11 ed.). New York, NY, USA: Pearson-Prentice Hall. Vaughn, L. (2015). Doing ethics: Moral reasoning and contemporary issues. WW Norton & Company.

13. THANK YOU !! Contact us now Website : https://www.dissertationhomework.com Contact Number : +44 7842798340 CONNECT NOW