Carefully watch (or review) the film Moon (2009), paying close attention to all aspects of its plot and characters throughout (they could prove to be relevant to your essay). You can find the link for the film here (Links to an external site.) (or in the announcement dated Oct. 7th in Canvas).
In particular, pay close attention to the advertisement for Lunar Industries at the very beginning of the film, which gives some important background on the company that the protagonist, Sam Bell, works for, and the energy crisis it is responding to. Bearing this in mind, along with everything that follows in the film, answer the following questions:
How would a utilitarian ethically judge Lunar Industries practice of cloning its employee, Sam Bell, in order to supply a steady stream of reliable workers for its lunar mining operation? Would a utilitarian think this is a morally justified practice that should be continued, given the energy resources it enables the company to provide for Earth and its inhabitants? Give a detailed, thorough account of the reasoning the utilitarian would go through in making this judgment, taking into account all the relevant factors, impacted parties, and most likely outcomes.
How would a Kantian ethically judge Lunar Industries practice of cloning its employee, Sam Bell, in order to supply a steady stream of reliable workers for its lunar mining operation? Would a Kantian think this is a morally justified practice that should be continued, given the energy resources it enables the company to provide for Earth and its inhabitants? Using either formulation of the Categorical Imperative (i.e., either the Universal Law or the Formula of Humanity), give a detailed and thorough account of the reasoning process the Kantian would go through in making this judgment.
In the final section of your paper, present your own critical reflection: Do you think either of these ethical theoriesutilitarianism or Kantian ethicsoffer a good way to approach this moral issue? Why or why not? Compare and contrast the two approaches, making your own considered judgment about the advantages and drawbacks of each. Do you favor one approach over the other? If so, why? Can you think of an alternative approach to the question that might be a more effective way to judge the issue? Explain as clearly as you can, defending your points with a clear and well-reasoned argument.
Please also include clear introduction and conclusion paragraphs that offer overviews/recaps of the topic, along with a thesis statement (in the intro) that expresses your overall view of the topic and the philosophical theories in question.
