Ethical Issues and the Development of Moral Arguments - Essay Example

Moral Issues Moral Issues Every individual who has a decent moral judgment will counter several dilemmas pertaining to morality each day: should I speed if I am getting late? Should I lie? Should I light a cigarette inside a room full of people? Should I make a personal call from work? Similarly, such dilemmas are also faced when dealing with larger scale issues such as abortion, animal testing, genetic engineering, cigarette manufacturers, and so on. Boss (2013) has also covered some important ethical issues of the contemporary times including abortion, mercy killing, alcohol usage, and stem cell research, to name just a few. However, to come down to one answer through rational reasoning is the most difficult especially when an ethical argument is involved. One of Anscombe’s (1958) theses is the rejection of moral duty, moral obligations, and moral conscientiousness due to its survival or derivation from survival. She explains that this notion is outdated and no longer applies to modern moral philosophy and may only harm the understanding of morality. In this paper, I will explore my own perspective on moral issues including the much debated abortion, genetic engineering, and drug usage and a moral reasoning of how to resolve these issues. Furthermore, the development of moral arguments will be derived from the ethical judgments made. However, in this paper I recognize the fact that the resolution of these issues may not please everyone and that there is no best solution to any of these ethical issues but a well reasoned argument lends itself to the resolution of moral dilemmas. Boss (2013) presents a very deep discussion of abortion and the argument for and against the subject. In her book, she has paid close attention to the details such as the history behind abortion, the US laws regarding abortion, what religion has to say about it, and how it poses a dilemma of morality. My understanding of the subject has been greatly enhanced due to which I will consider both perspectives on the subject including arguments in favor of abortion and those that are against it. Most women’s rights activists argue that women have a right to their own choice because it reflects gender equality and they are entitled to this moral right. They also argue that early pregnancy may halt their professional career and may push them towards several risks including crimes, illegal abortions, drugs, and hence a low standard of living. Women’s rights activists also stress on the treatment of women as individuals rather than mere carriers of fetuses. On the other hand, advocates of life argue that there are other solutions available apart from abortion. Even religion makes a strong case against abortion as it is equivalent to killing a life. However, there has been recent consideration which permits abortion up till the fourteenth week of pregnancy because vital organs of the fetus develop after that period. Considering the sensitive nature of this ethical issue it is rational to take both sides of the arguments into account because failure to do so will lead to a badly reasoned response. Therefore, to come down to a valid judgment it can be recognized that women do possess their own rights in their respect however the rights of the unborn also stay while women choose to exercise their own rights. Also, it may be appropriate to consider alternatives to abortion which may allow freedom to women but at the same time enable the child to live a life. Perhaps one of the most debated issue following the advancements in biological and gene technology has been that related to genetic engineering. Although quite a lot of advancement has been made in the discipline, scientists continue to explore the human gene to find out ways of preserving and manipulating them. Boss (2013) has provided a good background of earlier attempts to sequence the genes in the famous Human Genome Project which involved high tech machineries to separate the various strands of DNA found in the human gene. The project was regarded as a huge success in gene technology. While scientists continue to make progress in the newly founded discipline within biology, they face criticism regarding the development’s ethical issues. Firstly, many regard the issue as unnecessary tinkering with nature and God. Secondly, man scientists and researchers remained skeptical as the discipline is fairly new and the long term impacts of genetic engineering are still unknown. The recent development of 3D printers also raised several ethical questions as the printers were experimented for creating synthetic organs. This relatively new technology was successfully experimented for producing artificial organs in order to treat patients suffering from congenital organ impairments or missing organs. This new technology is being considered for meeting the demands of organs for serious organ transplants. Probably if this is possible then further developments can even enable the printing of prosthetic limbs for the disabled. The research is in its early stages however the issue has attracted great attention due to its moral issues. Many individuals disapprove of the method because they feel that humans are trying to play God. However, the technology can be further researched in order to find safer and ethical solutions. On the upside, the development, though in its infancy stage nevertheless, is central in medical science due to its ability to meet demands for expensive organs. Plus, these organs are printed from one’s own cells thereby presenting lesser chances for organ rejection. However, many individuals are skeptical of the technology since it is still in its early stages and many side effects are not known. Increasing drug usage has become a moral issue which the society is facing after its pursuit of a brave new world. While the law making bodies have made quite an effort to place restrictions of the buying and selling of drugs, such illegal operations are still carried out in underground settings. The most dangerous aspect of drug usage apart from its severe medical implications is its strong correlation with crimes. Individuals on drugs are more likely to be involved in crimes than are other individuals. Even after attempts to control the drug dealings, individuals still find a way to obtain these drugs. Medically, drugs are known to have severe detrimental effects on its users as it causes brain impairments and makes the individual prone to other diseases including lung cancer, liver cirrhosis, tumors, etc. Although the government has tried to restrict the usage of drugs, there have been attempts to legalize drugs at certain places. Drug abuse today affects millions of lives including under age users and affects their lives in dangerous ways. Often drug usage leads to several other bad habits that come along with it such as stealing, shoplifting, and so on. However, there are mixed opinions regarding the matter. Even if strict prohibition is implemented, individuals may find other ways of abusing drugs. One example is that of solvent abuse which includes glue sniffing, petroleum sniffing, and abusing other solvents. Thus, making ethical judgments relating to moral issues often involve weighing the various arguments and then reasoning in order to come down to a solution which is the least bad. It is necessary to consider the various perspectives carefully to avoid jumping to conclusions as it may harm reasoned arguments and hence moral judgment. Boss (2013) has discusses various contemporary moral issues but has taken into account their relevant backgrounds in order to present a well reasoned aspect of discussion. This demonstrates that a deeper understanding of any issue is pivotal in making arguments. References Anscombe, G. E. M. (1958). Modern moral philosophy. Philosophy 33(124), p.1-16. Boss, J. A. (2013) Analyzing moral issues 6th ed. New York: McGraw-Hill. Read More