Solutions to ethical dilemmas vary based on an individuals beliefs and philosophies. Prior to this class I was unsure which philosopher my own personal beliefs aligned best with. After reviewing my papers, as well as notes taken in class, I have determined Hume and the Moral Sense Theory are the most relatable for me. In this essay I will discuss why I believe the Moral Sense Theory is the best and most applicable theory in everyday life. I will use examples from my previous papers to explain that while my answers to those may not have seemed very Hume like I still stand by my claim that that is the theory I relate too. Using Hume’s perspective I will then analyze abortion and whether or not it is OK.
No two situations in life are ever exactly the same. There are usually different factors surrounding the dilemma and different outcomes that could take place. There is no “one way fits all” solution to any ethical dilemma that we face. In the end I believe that your decision should be based off of your own reasons, emotions and justifications. “On Hume’s view, we further believe that our feelings have the power to result in actions.” (Kemerling) This is why I have chosen Hume. Unlike Thrasymachus whose only concern is doing what is best for you, and Mill whose utilitarian mindset believes we should only do what is best for the majority and those around us, Hume presents a balance of both. Our only obligation is to ourselves and what we think the right thing to do is, regardless of it only benefits ourselves, or benefits everyone.
In one of my previous papers I wrote about lying and the effects it has not only on ourselves but on those around us. It destroys relationships and undermines trust. In response to the prompt I wrote that I viewed lying as morally wrong because of its effects on people and lack of long-term benefits. I stated that under no circumstances is lying ever ok. In my lying paper, like the two others I wrote this semester, I have come to realize that I appeared to have a Kantian mindset of “one way or the high way.” In my essay about Thrasymachus regarding whether or not justice exists I stated that justice had to exist or society could not function. I was extremely adamant that justice existed; it is impossible for it to not.
After further analysis of life outside of the academic realm I decided that Hume’s ideology is what fits me best. When I take into account real life situations such as the death penalty or abortion I am guided by my morals, feelings, and the details surrounding the situation. I also do this with smaller scale issues. It would be an ideal world if things were black and white and there was only one acceptable answer or response. Unfortunately we live in a world that is much more complicated than that. Thankfully, those of us who are sane rational beings possess a sort of moral compass that should be able to help us decided what is wrong and what is right. I also agree with Hume’s explanation of both artificial and natural virtues. While artificial values differ in every society, our natural virtues are more general and across the board. (Hume) This is that moral compass.
Using Hume’s ideas I will analyze the ethical dilemma of abortion in a particular situation and whether it should be considered right or wrong. Let us consider that a young woman was attacked one night on her way home from a bar. She was slightly intoxicated and chose to walk through a dark alley behind an abandon building to get to her apartment. As a result of her rape she is now pregnant. Not only is she recovering emotionally from her brutal attack, she is now having to consider what to do about the baby. While some of her friends are telling her to abort the monster’s child, her religious mother is telling her that it is against God to end the pregnancy. In the end it is important for this young woman to only take in to consideration what is best for her. There is no reason to do what is best for others.
When it comes to abortion there are generally two sides; those who are for abortions and those who are against it. I believe that this is not a situation where there can be only two clear-cut sides. Abortion is not solely used as an “eraser” for a college girl’s drunken mistake. There are many other reasons that abortions take place. These can include things like the safety of the mother, financial instability, or in this case rape. The young college woman did not choose to be raped. She did not choose to get pregnant. Regardless of whether or not she was drinking or walking down a dark alley what happened to her was wrong. To answer the question of whether or not she should get an abortion comes down to her own feelings and morals towards the situation. Naturally the outside factors play a huge role in her decision. This is why I believe there is not clear-cut answer to this problem. The answer of whether or not abortion is OK varies per case and person. It also varies based on each person’s moral beliefs.
While my ethical philosophy I have chosen to write about in this paper does not seem to align with what I wrote in two of my papers this semester, I do believe that it is personally accurate. Life is too complicated for there to be only one answer to our problems and we should not be limited to only focusing on ourselves or only focusing on others. I believe that many of the decisions we make are best done in the moment. This does not mean that I am saying we should run purely off of emotion but our emotions do play a vital role, they determine what will make us happy. I also believe that whether or not you are doing what is best for you or for others varies. We were born with the understanding of what is wrong and right and this along with our morals will help us make the right decisions in our every changing environment.