Categorical Imperative Argument

One of the major diversion, conflict, and controversy comes across from the access to health care in the United States. The essence of this dispute is whether medical treatment is a right, therefore all citizens should have the ability to use it or a commodity so society should have to pay or limits of charity. Throughout this deliberation I will be using philosophers and their philosophical concepts to support each side of the debate. Bernie Sanders writes Health care is a Right and the first evidence is “In some parts of the country life expectancy is even declining, while some 22,000 of our citizens needlessly die every year because they lack health insurance” (Robert Paul Wolf Pg 264) this shows that Sanders believes that
health care should be a right as it is now becoming the matter of life and death. Bernie is showing the virtue of compassion and that everyone should have the right to live. The philosopher Aristotle would agree that health care is an essential not a luxury because of the Nicomachean ethics which practises virtue ethics. A virtue ethic is compassion which relates to the same as Bernie’s. Also Aristotle states that “The happened which comes from acting according to virtue” (Prof Culbertson) I believe that the philosopher is trying to say that if the country acts with empathy towards the health care system they outcome will be happiness from the people getting treated. This one of the first arguments for health care being a right. Bernie believes that health care should be guaranteed to all Americans, regardless of the condition of the patient and also the person’s income. This is shown through the second piece of evidence when he mentions “As a result of the greed, waste, fraud and bureaucracy in our system” (Robert Paul Wolf Pg 264). It also shows that Sanders considers the greed of the Americans from stopping the health care from becoming a right. Another philosopher that would seem to agree with health care being a right from his teaching is Jeremy Bentham with the concept of utilitarianism. We all have two universal experiences that are pleasure and pain. Rule utilitarianism which is “to act laws that create greatest amount of pleasure for the greatest number of people” (Prof Culbertson) this shows that Bentham would agree with health care being a right because it would create the more pleasure for the number of people in America. The next evidence will be from the writer Donna Smith which wrote it’s about the human rights, not the money.
“So we battle on to secure the basic human right to health care in the United States, we must do so with clarity and a singular focus about what is right and what is wrong, what is just not, what is moral and what is immoral” (Robert Paul Wolf Pg 265). Donna concludes that health care should be a human right that is the moral thing to do for the society. A philosopher that agrees with this point is Immanuel Kant with the theory of the Categorical Imperative. Version 1 “Act in such a way that you always treat humanity, whether in your own person or that of another, never simply as means, but always at the same time as an end” (Prof Culbertson). Kant agrees with health care being a right as this version 1 shows that we should always treat others kindly that would be by giving the society health
care. Ron Paul writes Health Care is a good not a right the evidence from this shows “A good is something you work for an earn it. It might be a need, like food but more “goods” seem to be becoming “rights” in our culture” (Robert Paul Wolf Pg 267). Paul believes that the society should put in the work for health care and if they don’t the citizens don’t deserve it. Paul also states that “we should return to a true free market in health care” (Robert Paul Wolf Pg 267).The philosopher Adam Smith would agree with this because he wrote a book called The Wealth of Nations. In this book it argues that all the people were permitted to do the best they could for themselves, for example, people in the market would spend on things that gave the greatest pleasure for value. This can relate back to the health care because if people don’t think health care gives them enough pleasure they should spend their money on something that will. This shows that Adam Smith agrees that health care is a privilege not a right. Leonard Peikoff also touches on the point throughout his evidence he mentions that health care should be earned and gives multiple examples where people have to work for rights in their life such as food, property and many other factors in your life. “The system guarantees you the chance to work for what you want—not to be given it without effort by somebody else.” Leonard Peikoff and Ron Paul have stated this point which emphasis it and make us as readers think health care is a privilege and not a right. Health care is seen as not a right to some people and even some philosopher views show that they don’t agree either.
Thomas Hobbes, John Locke, Jean-Jacques Rousseau will and other came up with the social contract. Which is voluntary unanimous agreement among all the people of a society to form themselves into a united political community and to obey the laws that they lay down. This relates to the health care system as the American society and citizens have voted for taxes which is what the majority wants, right? The philosopher Jean-Jacques Rousseau will agree that the majority is always right as he came up with the concept the general will. This means that everyone has the role and gets to vote and is obligated to vote. The majority sets the policy. Therefore in our society today Jean would agree that health care is a privilege if it hasn’t been voted to be a
right.