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Choose from the ONE of
the following items:
Outline of the paper:
1.
After a
title, begin on the very second line. No need for the name, date, or course
number. That's all fluff space.
2. The paper should be at least one full,
double-spaced page and not more than three pages (12 point font). Each paper
should have three main components for full credit: explication,
analysis, and evaluation. You have a number of options for how to write this,
but ensure that you at least follow the three-pronged approach outlined below:
1.
In the first paragraph, I want you to explain the main theme, overview, or
ethical dilemma in the chosen film/episode/article. This could involve
describing a scene, explicating a motif, or underscoring its thesis. I want you
to try to think about Kant, Mill, or Aristotle through the lens of the film.
Can you tease out Kantian or utilitarian themes in a film? If so, explain them.
Is there a tricky ethical dilemma that is or isn’t resolved? Explain it. Be as
detailed as possible so I know exactly what you are talking about. Several of
the medical dramas listed above deal directly with moral dilemmas relating to
paternalism, so that might be a good place to start looking.
2.
In the second paragraph, I want you to analyze the item chosen in part one.
Break down the situation and looks for its ethical significance. For example,
if characters are faced with a dilemma about whether to sacrifice a few people
for the sake of many, explain how this dilemma can be interpreted through an
ethical theory. How did the characters act? According to the theory you chose
for your analysis, are these characters justified?
3.
Finally, in the last
paragraph I want you to evaluate the item chosen
in the first paragraph. You may criticize the storyline, object to the outcome,
or argue how the situation in the film/episode has ethical relevance for your
life. This part is largely up to you. Be critical or creative here.
To summarize, each
paragraph should answer these three questions:
1.
“What happened or is of
interest?”
2.
“What is its ethical
meaning or significance?”
3.
“What should we think
about it? Does it mean something for our own lives?”
Ethical Dilemma; Gattaca
The ethical dilemma throughout Gattaca reflects on how Gattacan society
judges people based on their genetic code as opposed to personality. In the film,
genetic engineering eradicates physical defects among infants, whose bodily attributes
later make them more suitable candidates for employment than those without gene
manipulation. For example, Gattaca’s
main character, Vincent Freeman, was conceived naturally in a community
dominated by genetically engineered elites, for that reason, he is an “invalid”
and limited socially (Niccol, 1997). A Utilitarian framework will oppose
Gattaca’s meritocracy since, as a social entity, it fails to produce
significant levels of utility to everyone. A community can only be referred to
as utilitarian if it has suitable actions that make pleasure supersede over
pain and suffering (Fahn, 2020). The film defies this Utilitarianism principle
since Gattaca only prioritizes the needs of those genetically “valid” and did
not employ Vincent for the right reasons. Had he applied as an “invalid” he
would have been rejected from his dream job. In this case, the pain of being
denied by the scientific organization would have been immense, and no other
form of pleasure would have counteracted it.
The relevance of the ethical dilemma
in Gattaca is that it forces its characters’
to defy fate; for instance, to become an astronaut, Vincent assumes a false
identity. Niccol (1997) postulated that Vincent borrows the genetic status of
Jerome, a "valid" but who has paraplegia and cannot
operate within Gattaca as its designed for only those who are physically and
mentally perfect. To attain his dream of going to Titan,
Vincent borrows Eugene’s genetic compositions including skin scrapings, hair
clippings, and blood samples to appear as a “valid” and join the elite team
going for the space exploration program. Vincent’s actions are justified as
they promote his overall happiness, fulfilling the Utilitarianism principle
that a person should attain maximum utility levels (Fahn, 2020). Also, Utilitarianism
relates to the ethical choice that an individual should produce the highest good
for a significant number of people. Through rigging Gattaca’s system, Freeman proves
the society wrong regarding their perception that people born of natural
reproduction are inferior to those genetically modified. His actions alter the
systemic discrimination against the “invalids” and demand that society should
judge them based on their ambition, not genetics.
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