Jodie and Mary were conjoined twins, sharing a single heart and a single pair of lungs. Without intervention, both would die within six months. If
separated, Jodie would live, but Mary would die immediately. The parents refused permission to operate, believing it would be wrong to hasten
Mary's death. Devout Catholics, they said that "nature should take its course" and "If it's God's will that both our children should not survive, then
so be it. After a court intervention, the operation was performed over the parents' objection, and as expected, Jodie lived, and Mary died.
For this discussion, we will assume that Jodie can go on to live a normal life. This is not a case where Jodie's death would not harm her.
Utilitarians are consequentialists, and consequentialism is a hotly debated idea among moral philosophers. The idea that we should always act to
bring about the best outcome is lovely, but many have found it very objectionable. For example. Kantians are anti-consequentialists and would
argue in this case that it is always wrong to sacrifice the life of one to save the life of another. Many virtue ethicists also argue that
consequentialists pursuit of pleasure violates the telos of individual humans. Still, other virtue ethicists may appeal to the doctrine of double
effect
Nonetheless, we will be concerned with which course of action would be the right one, not with who has the right to decide. Plausibly, the
parents had that right, and the court violated it. But we can still ask
Respond to one of the following prompts:
1. What decision should the parents have made? What would a Kantian say is the morally right thing to do in this case? Explain how they
would use their core principles (goodwill, duty, impartiality, and reciprocity) to decide what the right thing to do is. What role would
emotions play in the ethical decision-making process for a Kantian ethicist? (USLO 3.1, 3.2.3.3, 3.4)
2. What decision should the parents have made? What would a Divine Command Theorist say is the morally right thing to do in this case?
Explain how they would use their core principles Igoodness, relationship to godis), and natural law] to decide what the right thing to do is
What role would emotions play in the ethical decision-making process for a Divine Command Theory ethicist? (USLO 3.1. 3.2.3.3.3.4)