Ethical Frameworks: Situation Ethics And Duty-Based Ethics
Year 12 Religion
Ethics and Morality Assignment
Term 1
Ethical Issue: War
Ethical Frameworks: Situation Ethics and Duty-Based Ethics
Tom Parkin
Class: reD
Teacher: Mr Marendy
If you ask anyone, they will give you their opinion, their view on war.
Whether they believe its right, its wrong, or if they think it is all based on the situation at hand. Wars have been going on since the beginning and they are still going on today, but are they being fought for a purpose? Are they being fought due to a situation that has arisen? This essay will discuss two ethical frameworks and how they apply to the same issue. The ethical issue that will be discussed throughout this essay is that of ‘War’, and the frameworks …show more content…
There are people out there who criticize men and women from the defence forces for being ‘killers’, but this is not the case, these men and women put their lives on the line so they can fight for freedom, for those who can’t. Duty-based ethics teaches that some acts are right or wrong because of the sorts of things they are, and people have a duty to act accordingly, regardless of the good or bad consequences that may be produced. “Some kinds of action are wrong or right in themselves, regardless of the consequences.”(http://www.bbc.co.uk/, 2014). A soldier would have to face duty-based ethics on a regular bases throughout a war, as it is their job to fight and protect people against harm. Ben Roberts-Smith is a prime example, as he put himself on the line by drawing away the enemy, just so the rest of his unit would survive. That is just one example of many different types of duty-based ethics that would be faced throughout a war.
Although situation ethics and duty-based ethics are quite different they both apply to the ethical issue of war. Each framework discussed in the essay applies to war, but situation ethics seems to be the weaker of the two as it is based on what the person thinks the best outcome will be in that situation rather then, duty-based ethics which is what the right thing is to do at that moment in time. Duty-based ethics is definitely the one that relates best to the issue of war, as it is a soldier’s job to do what is right, at the moment the issue
Ethics and Morality Assignment
Term 1
Ethical Issue: War
Ethical Frameworks: Situation Ethics and Duty-Based Ethics
Tom Parkin
Class: reD
Teacher: Mr Marendy
If you ask anyone, they will give you their opinion, their view on war.
Whether they believe its right, its wrong, or if they think it is all based on the situation at hand. Wars have been going on since the beginning and they are still going on today, but are they being fought for a purpose? Are they being fought due to a situation that has arisen? This essay will discuss two ethical frameworks and how they apply to the same issue. The ethical issue that will be discussed throughout this essay is that of ‘War’, and the frameworks …show more content…
There are people out there who criticize men and women from the defence forces for being ‘killers’, but this is not the case, these men and women put their lives on the line so they can fight for freedom, for those who can’t. Duty-based ethics teaches that some acts are right or wrong because of the sorts of things they are, and people have a duty to act accordingly, regardless of the good or bad consequences that may be produced. “Some kinds of action are wrong or right in themselves, regardless of the consequences.”(http://www.bbc.co.uk/, 2014). A soldier would have to face duty-based ethics on a regular bases throughout a war, as it is their job to fight and protect people against harm. Ben Roberts-Smith is a prime example, as he put himself on the line by drawing away the enemy, just so the rest of his unit would survive. That is just one example of many different types of duty-based ethics that would be faced throughout a war.
Although situation ethics and duty-based ethics are quite different they both apply to the ethical issue of war. Each framework discussed in the essay applies to war, but situation ethics seems to be the weaker of the two as it is based on what the person thinks the best outcome will be in that situation rather then, duty-based ethics which is what the right thing is to do at that moment in time. Duty-based ethics is definitely the one that relates best to the issue of war, as it is a soldier’s job to do what is right, at the moment the issue