PHI2EPP - Great philosophical arguments An introduction to philosophy

Assignment Task

Purpose 

To practice  analysing a situation in relation to major ethical theories discussed.  practice contributing to conceptual philosophical discussion

Task details

Make a post of 300 words responding to the questions in relation to one of the two vignettes. 

Instructions

Choose one of these vignettes and answer the questions below in your forum post:

Vignette 1. Ferry emergency

It is 1987 and you are on a ferry from Belgium to England. Suddenly, the ferry starts tilting and water begins to pour in. You and many other passengers are trying to get to the deck by a rope ladder. You are currently halfway up the ladder. Directly above you, a man who seems frozen into immobility by fear or cold is blocking the ladder. You try to speak to him, but he does not react. People behind you are jostling. The ship seems to be sinking fast and the man above you is still blocking the ladder. From the crowd below, someone shouts that you should push the man off. If you push the man off the ladder, he will probably die, but you and the other people will be able to climb on deck. If you do not push the man off the ladder, he will probably continue blocking the way so that many of the people behind you will not be able to get on deck and therefore will drown. 

Vignette 2. WW2 misinformation

You are the British prime minister during World War II when the Germans begin to use long-distance missiles and hit London. Most missiles do not hit the center but instead hit southern quarters where no important military installations are located. Instead, it is a mostly residential district populated by poorer classes. The population density is comparatively low, leading to fewer casualties than if the bombs did hit their mark. The Germans know roughly but not exactly where the bombs are hitting. By spreading wrong information through spies, you could make them believe that their bombs hit rather the north of the center. As a result, they would not improve their aim, leading to most bombs’ reaching even more southern quarters. Thus, spreading wrong information will lead to fewer people dying and will also protect military institutions. If you do not spread wrong information, the Germans will probably improve their aim of hitting the city center and hit vital military installations and kill many more people. If you spread wrong information, you make the enemy target your poorer population in the south of London. 

Questions

1. What would you do in the situation in your chosen vignette, and why?

2. What does your answer show for thinking about utilitarian and deontological theories of ethics?

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