Name____________________________________________
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Should all students be required to have vaccinations? Do scientists have the right to clone animals or
even yet…humans? Should scientists test medications on animals? These questions are considered
ethical questions. Ethics is defined as “it seeks to determine what a person should do or the best
course of action for an issue and should provide reasons why”. Ethics are the unspoken rules about
social norms such as how people should act in school, home or business.
In this exercise, you will be assigned an ethical issue to evaluate. Use the template below to assist
you in better understanding the ethical dilemma by reading the article and then answering with
good reasoning in each section.
STATEMENT OF POSITION AND JUSTIFICATION FOR …
Article Title: _____________________________________________
1. What is the ethical question?
2. State these concepts about the question:
Science Facts
Social /Emotional/Philosophical Connections
Associated with this question?
3. Relevant facts include: moral value, inherent value and/or instrumental Value.
3.1
What is the moral value of this ethical question?
3.2
How would you incorporate moral extensionism to this ethical question? Explain.
3.3
Describe the inherent value of this question or
3.4
Describe the instrumental value.
3. Who or what could be affected by how the question is resolved?
4. Ethical Considerations: Bioethicists often reason out which choice is best by taking the core
ethical question considerations (see below) into account.
a. Respect for life (Not treating someone as a means to an end or a goal. If one person’s organs
could help 5 people live, it would be an ethical violation of respect for persons to kill one person and
distribute their organs to save the five who need them.)
b. Harms and Benefits (Focus is on trying to promote positive consequences by balancing harms and
benefits. One must consider which actions would do the least harm and provide the most benefit.)
Harms:
Benefits:
c. Fairness (Is this issue fair? Give your reasons to support)
5. Other concepts/connections you would like to state regarding the issue?
Part 2: POSITION AND JUSTIFICATION
1. What do you recommend be done and WHY? (Use your justifications above to assist you. )