A Thought Experiment
The moral obligation to one's spouse is very important. If a person vows to love, honor and cherish until death do them part, then this before God and all who witness that to be true. If the actions of one or the other cause a "rift" in the relationship then this could be the beginning of the end of a marriage. From a consequential point of view, the person knew what he or she was doing and also knew there would be malice results from the actions if discovered by the spouse. I believe the wife in the River Thought Experiment saw it that way. From a Deontology point of view, the individual was doing what he or she did because their spouse did not meet the "moral obligation" of marriage to them. Based on the above statement and with some great thinking, my standing on this topic is of a consequential viewpoint. Basically, the wife knew "the job was dangerous when she took it." This refers to both the marriage and taking on the extra marital affair she had to endure with the boat owner in order for her to get across the river to see her husband. The wife has more then likely come to the conclusion that if her husband becomes aware the affair, there will be sever repercussions. But I can't help but to relate back to the view
The old lady that takes the married woman in has a consequential standpoint. This is an old woman who is all alone in her home with know friends or family. Since she can't get across the river because she's too old and weak to swim the harsh currents, she sees the opportunity to no longer be alone. Consequentially, she knows that if she turns the married woman away she'll have no one to talk to and share her roof with. But if she allows the woman into her home, she'll not only will she be doing a "good deed" for herself so that she won't be alone but also a good deed for the married woman. This could keep her sense of "moral obligation" to others intact. I guess it could be said, "help yourself by helping others". Like everyone else in the world, almost everything we do can relate to the "double edged sword". The old lady will get a double profit from allowing the married woman into her house.... morally and to satisfy her need for companionship. So on a consequential point of view, I believe the old lady sees the overall good to not be alone anymore rather then to do a 'good deed". But why not make it seem that since she's a little old lady being nice that she's a morally good person and that she's only trying to help her fellow man. I don't believe in the deontologist standpoint here because ever though it can fall under the classification, she was able to capitalize on relieving her stress of someone to communicate with in her house. To conclude my overall stand on the Consequentialism vs. Deontology, I believe that Consequentialism is a better principle on almost every situation. I believe this because that everything happens for a reason and that the issues have to be approached in a logical yet emotional charge. We should learn that when stuff happens in life sometimes it's going to be good and sometimes it's going to be bad. When it turns out to be bad and decisions have to be made, CONSEQUENTIALISM comes into play. Making decisions on things like what's you're going to have for lunch to where you
Some common words found in the essay are:
Experiment Deontology, Moral Obligation, , Consequentialism Deontology, moral obligation, married woman, boat owner, consequential view, husband husband, moral obligation marriage, sometimes it's, obligation marriage, consequences weighed, husband boat, husband boat owner, woman home,
Approximate Word count = 1365
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)
|
