Jay Sterling Silver's Argument Analysis
There are times when people are put in the position in which they must choose between being selfless and helping others or not doing anything and only worrying about themselves. If the people choose to disregard their own safety and put another person’s life before theirs, it shows how ethically responsible they are. For an action to be ethically responsible, it must be done out of someone’s own intention to ensure the wellbeing of someone else. Ethical responsibility is defined as the obligation to do something that is morally sound in order to make sure a person is in good physical and emotional health. In the article titled, “Can the Law Make Us Be Decent?,” written by Jay Sterling Silver, the author states that there is not a federal
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in the United States enforcing citizens to help people in life-threatening emergencies and that there should be a law requiring them to provide assistance. He also says that a citizen should be punished for not helping an individual. Although many would argue that Silver’s argument is invalid, most will agree that his statement is justified because if the law requires a person to help another person in need, numerous innocent lives would be saved. If they are unable to save the person, the law will still expect that they do the minimum and help the best that they can. In his article, Jay Sterling Silver argues that the United States should create a federal law that requires people to be ethically responsible by supporting people in desperate circumstances and punishing those that do not help. He states, “A duty to help would not require bystanders to endanger themselves or provide beyond their abilities; it could simply require warning someone of imminent danger or calling 911" (Silver 1). In other words, the author is saying that to have a law that calls for people to render assistance to others in an urgent situation does not mean going to extreme circumstances, but just having them aid to the best of their abilities. This shows that Jay Sterling Silver believes it is essential for a person to do what he or she can when in a crisis. Silver also says, “A sensible statute might read like this: ‘Any person who knows another is in imminent danger… and who fails to render reasonable assistance shall be fined up to $5,000, imprisoned for up to three months, or both,” (Silver 1). He is saying a reasonable rule would be one that punishes a person for not helping someone in close danger. His statement demonstrates that Silver supports the idea of giving consequences to those that are bystanders and do not do anything to support the person whose life is at risk. Based on his article, we can understand that Jay Silver’s claim calls for a law that enforces citizens to aid others during desperate times. Jay Sterling Silver’s argument is valid because many benefits would come out of a law that pushes people to be ethically responsible. For example, a benefit that would result from the law is that it will encourage citizens to take action and help the individuals that are in desperate need. When people begin to make better choices and become involved, many innocent lives will be saved. In addition to this, the article “If Decency Doesn’t, Law Should Make Us Samaritans” by Gloria Allred and Lisa Bloom, the authors claim that “The real reason individuals do not reach out is because they feel disconnected from strangers in need... If each of us recognized a moral responsibility to come to the aid of others, we would all gain the benefits of a stronger and safer community” (Allred and Bloom 2). This quote demonstrates that people do not help others in need because they are not close to each other but if a federal law was created that said they were obligated to give assistance to those in imminent danger, everyone would benefit from it and communities would be much safer. Despite the fact that someone who is in a crisis and needs help might be a stranger, that should be no excuse for one to not lend a hand. For example, car accidents occur every day. Drivers that pass by them have the choice of either pulling over to help them or ignoring it and going on with their life. Little do they know, the person in the accident could be severely injured, but this person would continue to suffer because no one bothered to help. This could eventually result in the death of an ordinary citizen but if the Good Samaritan Law was created, this person would not be suffering and would be helped. People are often held back from following the moral path but if this is the case, he or she will need something that pushes them to make ethically responsible decisions so everyone can benefit from it. Some may claim that Jay Sterling Silver’s argument is reasonable, however, others might state that having a law that forces someone to be ethically responsible is illogical because it punishes people who can not help.
They might believe that Silver’s argument is unfair because if punishes those that do not help, but that also means people with disabilities would be penalized as well. For instance, citizens that have physical or mental disabilities that keep them from helping would be punished for something that is not in their own hands. Although many will think that this is true, if enforced, the law is only requiring that individuals help to the best of their abilities. A situation like this is demonstrated in the short story “And of Clay Are We Created” written by Isabelle Allende. One of that main characters, Rolf Carle, finds a young girl named Azucena stuck under mud during an earthquake. He attempts to keep her alive, but there is a lack of resources that would help save her. Rather than leaving Azucena to die because he knows she has a little chance of surviving, Rolf stays with her and gives Azucena the emotional support that she greatly needs. All in all, even if a person is physically or mentally held back from helping someone, this individual can still do the minimum instead of just
watching. In conclusion, Jay Sterling Silver’s assertion that the law should promote ethical responsibility is valid because it can save countless lives and will push people to make ethically responsible decisions when it comes to life-threatening situations. A law that requires people to offer as much assistance possible in a crisis is a law that teaches citizens to be good samaritans. Not everyone has the ability to make the right choices when in a certain situation. They might have obstacles that prevent them from being ethical which is why it is essential for a law that encourages people to do the right thing. In a perfect society, everyone would disregard their own safety in order to ensure the well-being of another citizen, but society is not perfect. There will always be people who care about themselves much more than the life of another person.
in the United States enforcing citizens to help people in life-threatening emergencies and that there should be a law requiring them to provide assistance. He also says that a citizen should be punished for not helping an individual. Although many would argue that Silver’s argument is invalid, most will agree that his statement is justified because if the law requires a person to help another person in need, numerous innocent lives would be saved. If they are unable to save the person, the law will still expect that they do the minimum and help the best that they can. In his article, Jay Sterling Silver argues that the United States should create a federal law that requires people to be ethically responsible by supporting people in desperate circumstances and punishing those that do not help. He states, “A duty to help would not require bystanders to endanger themselves or provide beyond their abilities; it could simply require warning someone of imminent danger or calling 911" (Silver 1). In other words, the author is saying that to have a law that calls for people to render assistance to others in an urgent situation does not mean going to extreme circumstances, but just having them aid to the best of their abilities. This shows that Jay Sterling Silver believes it is essential for a person to do what he or she can when in a crisis. Silver also says, “A sensible statute might read like this: ‘Any person who knows another is in imminent danger… and who fails to render reasonable assistance shall be fined up to $5,000, imprisoned for up to three months, or both,” (Silver 1). He is saying a reasonable rule would be one that punishes a person for not helping someone in close danger. His statement demonstrates that Silver supports the idea of giving consequences to those that are bystanders and do not do anything to support the person whose life is at risk. Based on his article, we can understand that Jay Silver’s claim calls for a law that enforces citizens to aid others during desperate times. Jay Sterling Silver’s argument is valid because many benefits would come out of a law that pushes people to be ethically responsible. For example, a benefit that would result from the law is that it will encourage citizens to take action and help the individuals that are in desperate need. When people begin to make better choices and become involved, many innocent lives will be saved. In addition to this, the article “If Decency Doesn’t, Law Should Make Us Samaritans” by Gloria Allred and Lisa Bloom, the authors claim that “The real reason individuals do not reach out is because they feel disconnected from strangers in need... If each of us recognized a moral responsibility to come to the aid of others, we would all gain the benefits of a stronger and safer community” (Allred and Bloom 2). This quote demonstrates that people do not help others in need because they are not close to each other but if a federal law was created that said they were obligated to give assistance to those in imminent danger, everyone would benefit from it and communities would be much safer. Despite the fact that someone who is in a crisis and needs help might be a stranger, that should be no excuse for one to not lend a hand. For example, car accidents occur every day. Drivers that pass by them have the choice of either pulling over to help them or ignoring it and going on with their life. Little do they know, the person in the accident could be severely injured, but this person would continue to suffer because no one bothered to help. This could eventually result in the death of an ordinary citizen but if the Good Samaritan Law was created, this person would not be suffering and would be helped. People are often held back from following the moral path but if this is the case, he or she will need something that pushes them to make ethically responsible decisions so everyone can benefit from it. Some may claim that Jay Sterling Silver’s argument is reasonable, however, others might state that having a law that forces someone to be ethically responsible is illogical because it punishes people who can not help.
They might believe that Silver’s argument is unfair because if punishes those that do not help, but that also means people with disabilities would be penalized as well. For instance, citizens that have physical or mental disabilities that keep them from helping would be punished for something that is not in their own hands. Although many will think that this is true, if enforced, the law is only requiring that individuals help to the best of their abilities. A situation like this is demonstrated in the short story “And of Clay Are We Created” written by Isabelle Allende. One of that main characters, Rolf Carle, finds a young girl named Azucena stuck under mud during an earthquake. He attempts to keep her alive, but there is a lack of resources that would help save her. Rather than leaving Azucena to die because he knows she has a little chance of surviving, Rolf stays with her and gives Azucena the emotional support that she greatly needs. All in all, even if a person is physically or mentally held back from helping someone, this individual can still do the minimum instead of just
watching. In conclusion, Jay Sterling Silver’s assertion that the law should promote ethical responsibility is valid because it can save countless lives and will push people to make ethically responsible decisions when it comes to life-threatening situations. A law that requires people to offer as much assistance possible in a crisis is a law that teaches citizens to be good samaritans. Not everyone has the ability to make the right choices when in a certain situation. They might have obstacles that prevent them from being ethical which is why it is essential for a law that encourages people to do the right thing. In a perfect society, everyone would disregard their own safety in order to ensure the well-being of another citizen, but society is not perfect. There will always be people who care about themselves much more than the life of another person.