Question

Describe how each of the major moral theories, i.e. utilitarianism, Kant, Rawls, Ross, Aristotle..., would come down on the mask/social distancing question.

Answer 1

QUESTION : DESCRIBE HOW EACH OF THE MAJOR MORAL THEORIES, IE,UTILITARIANISM,KANT,RAWLS,ROSS,ARISTOTLE...,WOULD COME DOWN ON THE MASK/SOCIAL DISTANCING QUESTION.

ANSWER 1.  UTILITARIANISM

IT IS ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN AND MOST INFLUENTIAL MORAL THEORIES. THERE ARE THREE PRINCIPLES

• PLEASURE OR HAPPINESS IS THE ONLY THING THAT TRULY HAS INTRINSIC VALUE..
• ACTIONS ARE RIGHT INSOFAR AS THEY PROMOTE HAPPINESS,WRONG INSOFAR AS THEY PRODUCE UNHAPPINESS..
• EVERYONE'S HAPPINESS COUNTS EQUALLY.

MASK /SOCIAL DISTANCING DESCRIBES IN UNDER THIS THEORY IS IN BALANCING RISK YOU ARE ANTICIPATING LIKELY CONSEQUENCES,WHICH IS A VERY UTILITARIAN THINGS TO DO.IF SOMETHING WERE TO HAPPEN TO HIM ,IT WOULD BE A GREATER TRAGEDY THAN IF IT HAPPENED TO YOU,BECAUSE HE HAS MORE OVERALL"UTILITY" AT STAKE

2 . KANT

PHILOSOPHER IMMANUEL KANT [18th century] ,HE TRIES TO ENCOURAGE US TO BE RATIONAL BY ARGUING THAT WE SHOULD ALL FOLLOW A MORAL INSTRUCTION THAT HE CALL "THE CATEGORICAL IMPERATIVE"TELLING US THAT WE SHOULD NOT DO THINGS THAT DO NOT MAKE SENSE IF EVERYONE DID THEM.TO ACT IN A WAY THAT FORCES OTHERS TO BE IRRATIONAL IS, IN ITSELF,IRRATIONAL. IT IS AN AFFRONT TO THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN BEING. IN CASE OF MASK AND SOCIAL DISTANCING THEORY SAYS FORCING THE PEOPLES TO WERE MASK AND KEEP SOCIAL DISTANCING IS IRRATIONAL.

3. RAWLS

JOHN RAWLS [1921- 2002] [20th century]

A THEORY OF JUSTICE IS A 1971 WORK OF POLITICAL PHILOSOPHY AND ETHICS BY THE PHILOSOPHER JOHN RAWLS, IN WHICH THE AUTHOR ATTEMPTS TO PROVIDE A MORAL THEORY ALTERNATIVE TO UTILITARIANISM AND THAT ADDRESSES THE PROBLEM OF DISTRIBUTIVE JUSTICE [THE SOCIALLY JUST DISTRIBUTION OF GOODS IN A SOCIETY].FAIR CHOICE SITUATION FOR PARTIES FACING SUCH CIRCUMSTANCES. THE  COVID 19 PANDEMIC HAS UNVEILED A HIDEOUSLY DARK SIDE OF THE NEOLIBERAL CAPITALIST MODEL,THROWING INTO STARK RELIEF THE INCREASING INEQUALITY THAT HAS BECOME THE HALLMARK OF OUR SOCIETIES.MASK AND SOCAL DISTANCING IS THE IMPORTANT PREVENTIVE TECHNIQUE OF CORONA.

4.ROSS

WILLIAM DAVID ROSS [1877 - 1971]

ROSS ARGUES THAT MAXIMISING THE GOOD IS ONLY ONE OF SEVERAL PRIMA FACIE DUTIES WHICH PLAY A ROLE IN DETERMINING WHAT A PERSON OUGHT TO DO IN ANY GIVEN CASE.ROSS EMPASIS ON FUNDAMENTAL DUTIES.IN CORONA SITUATION WEARING MASK AND SOCIAL DISTANCING IS THE PEOPLES FUNDAMENTAL DUTY.

5.ARISTOTLE

THE MORAL THEORY OF ARISTOTLE,LIKE THAT OF PLATO,FOCUSES ON VIRTUE, RECOMMENDING THE VIRTUOUS WAY OF LIFE BY ITS RELATION TO HAPPINESS... IN CORONA SITUATION PEOPLES SHOULD WEAR MASK AND KEEP SOCIAL DISTANCING AND PREVENT CORONA SPREDING .ELEMINATE CORONA GOOD HEALTH ,WEALTH,KNOWLEDGE,FRIENDS,ETC.. ACCORDING ARISTOTLE ,HAPPINESS CONSISTS IN ACHIEVING,THROUGH THE COURSE OF A WHOLE LIFETIME, ALL THE GOODS[HEALTH,WEALTH].