Kantian Deontological Theory Of Ethical Decisions

The Public’s Right to Knowledge on Military Research #: 34533133

In this paper, two ethical theories will be applied to a hypothetical issue in science to determine the morally justifiable action to take in such a scenario. The first theory that will be applied is the Kantian Deontological Theory that focuses on the categorical imperative. The categorical imperative is a moral law which states that moral decisions must be both rational and universal. Ethical decisions made by humans must be rational since human beings are rational creatures by nature and bound by a duty to remain rational. Moral principles must also be universal because laws must be applicable to all situations, and moral laws can be no exception. …show more content…
Gallagher’s moral duty to inform the reporter in order for the population to stop the government from continuing with the research. Another important aspect of the categorical imperative is the responsibility of every rational being to always tell the truth. One cannot lie because if everyone were able to lie, the concept of truth would no longer exist. This results in a logical contradiction and therefore, the only moral action is for Dr. Gallagher to tell the truth. Utilitarianism states that consequences determine the right or wrong in any situation and if this research has the potential to help the lives of millions of other Americans who reside in areas other than Seattle, it must be continued for the greater good. The comfort and lives of a few hundred thousand Seattleites cannot outweigh the lives of a few hundred million Americans who could benefit from the knowledge acquired from the study. Since the threat of nuclear destruction is imminent, Utilitarianism would argue that remaining silent on the issue would be the morally correct