Question

Your response should be at least 5 paragraphs long.

1. What is a consequentialist moral theory? How do you use it to determine what is moral and immoral? Give an example from the healthcare field where such a theory would be used to resolve a moral dilemma.

Answer 1

Consequentialist moral theory is to decide whether an act is a right or wrong base on the possible positive consequences. The more positive consequences the better the act to practicing or used. This can be applied in identifying the moral or immoral decision. According to this theory moral decision means the decision which has maximum good consequences if the decision or action is having minimum good consequences are immoral. One example to resolve the moral dilemma is that on the patient is in a coma for 30 years, now the family member wants to practice euthanasia legally. It is not acceptable in society to kill someone but this can be accepted under consequentialist moral theory because the patient is not going to recover again, the family member not able to maintain the financial support for the treatment, this decision will help the patient to die peacefully, etc. This all positive consequences leads to resolve the moral dilemma.