Virtue Ethics or Care Ethics: The Ocean Dilemma
Dilemma 1:
Virtue Ethics or Care Ethics: The Ocean Dilemma
The Plot
A woman has taken her child and his friend to the beach. She stays on the beach checking on the children frequently. At one point when she checks, she finds they have been swept out by the current and both are waving for help. She attempts to call for help, but no one is around her at the beach. As she swims out, the waves become more severe, and she seriously doubts her ability to rescue either of the children. Her child’s friend is closer, but the woman can see that her own child is barely able to stay afloat and may already be too far away for her to reach.
The Question
Using what you know about Virtue or Care Ethics, should the woman swim past her child’s friend to attempt to rescue her own child, or should she rescue the child closest to her whom she is certain she can save? Be sure to illustrate a thorough knowledge of Virtue or Care Ethics in your essay, as that will be a significant part of your grade.
Dilemma 2:
Virtue Ethics or Care Ethics: Nepotism Hire
The Plot
You are the director of a corporate division that needs a new employee. Many people have applied, including a very good friend of yours. You have worked with this friend in the past and know his previous employers as well. You also know that he needs a job desperately and has been looking for work for over a year.
Your friend would do a good job, but other applicants are more experienced and talented. You are certain that another hire would bring the company better profits than your friend, who would do an adequate but not outstanding job. As the director of this department, you are responsible for ensuring the best candidate is hired.
The Question
Using what you know about Virtue or Care Ethics, what do you do? Be sure to illustrate a thorough knowledge of Virtue or Care Ethics in your essay, as that will be a significant part of your grade.
Dilemma 3:
Virtue Ethics or Care Ethics: Atomic bomb over Japan
The Plot
Harry S. Truman inherited World War II in 1945 when Franklin D. Roosevelt died. Roosevelt’s military advisors told Truman they were winning the war in the Pacific, but the cost was severe. An invasion of Japan had been planned, but the loss of lives would likely be greater than the D-Day assault on Normandy. Therefore, they proposed a new weapon that they predicted would end the war in Japan swiftly: the atomic bomb, which would be used to attack non-combatants (non-soldiers) on a massive scale. With much deliberation, Truman finally agreed it was his duty as the president to take the best course of action, not the one that was the easiest or made him feel the most comfortable. The night he signed the final order, Truman later said he “slept like a baby.” Two atomic bombs were dropped on cities in Japan, full of innocent men, women and children, killing an estimated 200,000 people. The war, responsible for the deaths of over 70,000,000 people, ended within days.
The Question
Using what you know about Virtue or Care Ethics, defend or criticize Truman’s decision. Be sure to illustrate a thorough knowledge of Virtue or Care Ethics in your essay, as that will be a significant part of your grade.
