HU245 Ethics Unit Three Seminar Ethics of Universal Healthcare

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HU245 EthicsUnit Three SeminarEthics of
Universal Healthcare

• John Balicki

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More on the Consequentalists

• Reflection after Unit 1 Assignments
• Ethics of Care gives without counting the cost
• Utilitarians give and count the cost
• They give because they have calculated and their
  giving will result in the greatest good for most
  people but it is not unreserved giving

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Consequentalists vs. Non-consequentalists

• Reflection after Unit 2 Discussion
• Class is well divided between both
• Consequentalists could find no moral absolutes
• Does that make going through every traffic signal
  up for grabs?
• Non-consequentalists had many moral principles
• Is it applicable to everyone in most situations?

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Why More Theories?

• Problems with Consequentialist Theories
• Hard to Predict the Future
• Difficulty in Respecting the Few in
  Utilitarianism
• Problems with Nonconsequentialist Theories
• Hard to Ignore Outcomes
• Can be Rigid and Difficult

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Virtue Theory

• Virtue ethics, among the oldest of all ethical
  theories, has experienced considerable resurgence
  in popularity over the last several decades.
  Rather than focus on consequences, rules, and/or
  intuitions, virtue ethics focuses on the
  development of human character, the shaping or
  molding of a good or "virtuous" person.

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Aristotle on Virtue

• Aristotle is regarded as the main virtue
  ethicist. Virtue ethics focuses on "character"
  and developing this character in accordance with
  the virtues.

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Main Points of Virtue Ethics

• Ethics aims at some end. For Aristotle, that end
  is happiness. To achieve happiness, for
  Aristotle, one must live in accordance with
  reason, which prescribes a virtuous life.
• Natural ethical tendencies in human beings.
  Following these tendencies with consistency and
  proportion will lead to goodness of character and
  aid in living the ethical life.

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Obtaining Virtue

• Goodness of character must be developed by
  practice and habit. Practicing telling the truth,
  for example, will make us truthful.
• Virtue is a mean between the extremes of vice -
  excess and deficiency.

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Determining the Mean

• The mean is determined as "relative to us" too
  little courage is cowardice, too much is
  foolhardy. Note that "relative to us" does not
  mean "relative" in the sense of "relativism."
  There is, on Aristotle's view, an objective fact
  about the universe that dictates where the mean
  is for any particular individual. For example, a
  very large adult man would need more calories
  each day than a very small adult man would. The
  range may not be significant, but it is distinct
  and "relative to the individual."

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How Much is Too Much?
Characteristic Too Much Mean Too Little
Confidence Rashness Courage Cowardice
Truth about ones own self Boastfulness Truthfulness Self-deprecation
Work Ethic Workaholic Productive Lazy
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Advantages of Virtue Ethics

• Attempts to create good human beings rather than
  good acts or rules.
• Virtue ethics unifies reason and emotion. (Kant
  separates reason/emotion).
• Emphasizes moderation and situatedness rather
  than absolutes or grossly relativistic
  principles.
• Easy to teach children
• Already speak of people in this way (hard
  working, honest, caring, ect.)

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Disadvantages

• Hard to apply to specific ethical issues like
  human cloning, genetic engineering, ect.
• Hard to determine the mean, closely tied to
  culture.
• How do you determine what is a virtue? Tends to
  bring us back to either consequences or
  principles.

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Access to Healthcare

• Is access to health care resources a basic right
  that should be provided and protected by
  government? 

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Socialized or Universal?

• What is the difference between government assured
  access and government delivery of healthcare
  services?

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Rights and Duties

• Under Kantian ethics, a right of one party
  results in corresponding duty of another.
• What are the implications of a right to access to
  healthcare?

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How to Pay?

• How should universal access to health care be
  funded?
• What are the alternatives for funding?
• What ethical guidelines should be used to
  determine funding? Utilitarianism, altruism,
  ethical egoism?

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Access to High Tech

• In the current free enterprise system, is it
  appropriate to limit access to the most expensive
  and sophisticated medical technologies to those
  who can afford to pay for them?

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• Should healthcare be rationed based on individual
  finances and insurance coverage?

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Common Arguments For Universal Healthcare

• Increasing number of uninsured
• Increasing lack of care due to rising prices
• Competitive disadvantage with other nations who
  have UHC
• High number of free riders who access
  healthcare under current system
• Access would encourage more preventative care
• More freedom to change jobs or start businesses
• It is ethically wrong for people to die and
  suffer for lack of money or insurance

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Common Arguments Against Universal Healthcare

• Government would have too much control
• Longer waits for those who have insurance now
• Result in higher taxes
• Lower profits would mean less innovation in
  healthcare
• Unfair to make one person pay for anothers care.

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Perspectives to Consider

• What would result in the best for the most in
  society?

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More Ponderings

• What rights do individuals have?

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Even More Ponderings

• Would your position change if your circumstances
  were different?

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Unit 3 Assignments

• Seminar Options 1 or 2 (5 pts)
• Discussion Board one thread (50 pts)
• Debate Forum - Ultrasounds before Abortion? (20
  pts)
• Position Paper on Bioethics (50 pts)
• Quiz (5 pts)

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New Business

• Web Research Discussion Thread
• Only one thread
• Comparison of opposing arguments
• Comparison of opposing websites
• Note Many have strong opinions. Be Respectful
• 0 points if cross the Respect line
• Analyze the quality of the argument even if you
  dont agree with it
• You arent going to convert anyone or change
  anyones mind so dont try to!

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More New Business

• Position Paragraph
• Pick one topic from units 2 or 3 (bioethics)
• Connect the topic to your own life experience
• Use course terms, concepts, and/or theories to
  support your position
• Read guidelines for project
• Five well-crafted sentences (can use more but
  dont overdo it)

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Debate Forum

• Watch Ultrasound Debate Video
• Do Poll
• Answer Debate Question whether ultrasounds should
  be performed prior to abortions

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Questions?