Phi2000 - Ethics - Duties and Consequences

Hotel Rwanda

Duties and Consequences

Andrea Diaz

PHI2000 - Ethics

Professor Jan Wentz

October 26, 2015

Abstract

Normative theory seeks to make hypothesis or statements about what is right or wrong. Normative ethics, the study of ethical action, is a branch of philosophical ethics that investigates hypothesis about how one should behave morally. Popular normative ethical theories are “Kantian” ethics, virtue ethics, utilitarian ethics, and deontological ethics. (Rachels & Rachels, 2015) (Sommers & Sommers, 2013).

Kantian ethics, so named for Immanuel Kant, a German philosopher (1724-1804) is an example of a deontological moral theory. Kant argued, “The rightness or wrongness of actions does not depend on their consequences but on whether they fulfill our duty.” (Rachels & Rachels, 2015) (Sommers & Sommers, 2013).

Virtue Ethics (or Virtue Theory) is an example of a normative theory, which emphasizes an individual's character as the key element of ethical thinking, rather than rules about the acts themselves (differentiated from Deontology) or their consequences (differentiated from “Consequentialism”). (Rachels & Rachels, 2015) (Sommers & Sommers, 2013).

Utilitarianism theory, a normative ethic propagated by John Stuart Mill (1806-1873), a British philosopher, holds that the “best” moral action is the one that maximizes utility. “Utility”, defined in this instance, as “happiness” or well-being related to “sentient” or “higher thinking beings” (namely human). (Rachels & Rachels, 2015) (Sommers & Sommers, 2013).

Deontological ethics or “deontology” is the normative ethical position that “judges” the morality of an action based on the action's adherence to a rule or rules. Often described as "duty" or "obligation" or "rule" based ethics, because the rules (adherence to) "bind you to your duty." (Rachels & Rachels, 2015) (Sommers & Sommers, 2013).

Introduction

Paul Rusesabagina:  “You cannot seriously think that you can kill them all.” (George, 2004).

George Rutaganda:  “And why not? We are halfway there already.” (George, 2004).

We may use normative theory as a foundation for deciding an assumed moral “rightness” or “wrongness” of a hypothetical moral dilemma and analyze the moral ambiguity of real life happenings.  

In 1994 in Rwanda, members of the Hutu tribe killed a million Tutsi tribe members. No country or any international organization did anything to halt this mass murder, although the entire “civilized” world was aware of this happening. The remaining survivors and those that sought to help themselves and others did so by wit and perhaps sheer providence. “Hotel Rwanda” (George, 2004) is a movie about a hotel manager, Paul Rusesabagina, and the many moral decisions he made to save the lives of 1,200 people.