John Harris The Lottery Analysis

John Harris proposes a system to counteract the rising rates of individuals dying because they were unable to receive an organ transplant. In order to maximize human life in the most just way possible, Harris proposes that everyone should be entered into a survival lottery. Within the lottery if you need an organ transplant for medical reasons you can receive one however there is a risk that you could be drawn in which you would serve as the donor for others. Everyone is entered thus causing an equal chance of getting drawn as your friends or strangers would have. Harris argues this system would be the best because it would lower the chances of death for the entire population (Harris, 83). Harris argues for a utilitarianism value, a net maximization of good by the most lives saved. Overall, more people would survive with lottery system compared to our current one. Person A might die for organ but person Y and Z will survive because of A. Thereby limiting the deaths to one individual to two. While opponents to the lottery would argue that the lottery would result in killing innocents, which Harris would counter by claiming Y and Z are also innocents who do not want to die (Harris, 81). Harris argues that killing of an innocent for the innocent Y and Z is not enough grounds to deny the proposal and that failure to adopt such a …show more content…
For instance, in Hmong shamanism there is a belief that parts of the body are interconnected and contain a part of the soul. If removed this would impact the reincarnation into a healthy body and burying a body with missing parts can upset the soul (“A Physician 's Guide to Understanding Hmong Beliefs”). While a concern for religious beliefs could limit entry from the lottery this would require exceptions thus negating the just and equality Harris argues his lottery