Posted: February 23rd, 2023

Describe an example from your own life in which your ethical judgments

Describe an example from your own life in which your ethical judgments or assumptions were challenged and enhanced by considering a perspective that was different and unfamiliar to you. The example may be from our course material, or from outside of the course. Describe the way in which it helped you to think about ethical questions in a different way. (Note that this is not simply asking for a difficult ethical challenge or an experience of ethical disagreement; you should focus on encountering a different point of view, and on how your own perspective was enhanced by that confrontation.) Next, to broaden things a bit, do you think that it’s possible for us to progress and come to greater consensus on our ethical views, despite the way that modern society is often portrayed as increasingly in conflict? This is your chance to offer reflections on the arguments and ideas we’ve considered throughout the course, so feel free to describe how the course material and discussion has impacted your thoughts about ethics. Gilligan, C. (1982). In a different voice: Psychological theory and women’s development . Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press. Retrieved from http://courseweb.stthomas.edu/sjlaumakis/Reading%204-GILLIGAN.pdf Held, V. (1990). Feminist Transformation of Moral Theory. Philosophy and Phenomenological Research Vol. 50, Supplement, pp. 321-34. Noddings, N. (2010). The maternal factor: Two paths to morality [Electronic version]. Berkeley, CA: University of California Press. Retrieved from http://www.ebrary.com/corp/

One example from my own life where my ethical judgments were challenged and enhanced by considering a different perspective was when I was discussing the issue of assisted suicide with a friend who had a disability. At the time, I believed that assisted suicide should be legal for terminally ill patients who were suffering greatly and had no hope of recovery. However, my friend had a different perspective. She argued that legalizing assisted suicide could lead to pressure on people with disabilities to end their lives, as they may feel that they are a burden on their families and society. She also argued that the focus should be on improving palliative care and pain management for people with terminal illnesses, rather than ending their lives prematurely.

This conversation challenged my assumptions and made me think about the issue of assisted suicide in a different way. It made me realize that the issue is much more complex than I had originally thought and that there are valid arguments on both sides. It also made me question my own assumptions about the value of life and the role of medicine in society.

As for the broader question of whether it is possible for us to progress and come to greater consensus on our ethical views, I believe that it is possible, but it requires open-mindedness, empathy, and a willingness to engage in dialogue with people who hold different views. Throughout this course, we have seen how different ethical theories and perspectives can complement each other and provide a more nuanced understanding of ethical issues. By listening to and learning from each other, we can work towards a more just and ethical society. However, this requires us to recognize our own biases and limitations and to be open to changing our views in light of new information and perspectives.