09 Jul Ethical Imperatives

Ethics in a Pandemic World Week 3 Assignment 1

Ethical Imperatives

A major aspect of Kant’s view of deontology is that of the imperative. Imperatives, in relation to ethics, are those strongly held, visceral beliefs that cannot be broken or ignored. I would add that they cannot be broken or ignored without causing major distress. An example of this is illustrated by a phenomenon noted among parents who are Jehovah Witness’s, and whose children required life-saving blood transfusions. This religion believes blood transfusions are forbidden, even if refusal leads to death. Jehovah Witness’s believe that acceptance of transfusions may result in expulsion from the church and puts the immortal soul at risk. Hospitals often refer minor children of parents refusing life-saving treatment to the courts who appoint a guardian. Most guardians request the courts to order the blood. Parents in this situation may be so distressed that they abandon their child rather than live with the perceived consequences. To these parents, refusal of blood is a categorical imperative. A categorical imperative cannot simply be put aside, even if one would wish to.

Read: 

While the three ethical constructs illustrated in the diagram above are directly applicable to this course, so is the final point of the research which supports the assertion that we live in a pandemic world. COVID 19 was the first major salvo in a very long time. It will not be the last.

The 2019 Global Health Security Index deemed no country in the world fully ready to respond to biological threats. As the Global Preparedness Monitoring Board commented in its first annual report last October: Preparedness is hampered by the lack of continued political will at all levels. Although national leaders respond to health crises when fear and panic grow strong enough, most countries do not devote the consistent energy and resources needed to keep outbreaks from escalating into disasters.

COVID-19 and the ethical imperative of preparedness: https://www.nuffieldbioethics.org/blog/covid-19-and-the-ethical-imperative-of-preparedness

Personalize the Kantian concept of imperatives.

Include the following aspects in the assignment:

         List the different types of ethical imperatives (categorical, moral, and nonmoral)

         Give examples of each type

         Share the ethical imperatives that you would follow even if you did not want to

         Include where you feel you internalized (family, religion, education) your imperatives

         This is not a formal paper; however, use proper grammar, sentence structure, and spelling at all times. Use your own words. Copying and pasting is not allowed.