There are only three choices the people of the Omelas can make: they can accept the situation as is and go on with their lives; second, they can try to do something to fix the situation (an effort doomed to fail), but at the cost of all of the joy and happiness in Omelas – creating misery and suffering across the land; or, finally, they can simply walk away from Omelas forever, refusing to take any part in a system they cannot change.
After reading the story, I want you to answer the following questions: given those three choices – and those three only – what do you think the correct moral response is? Would you stay, walk away, or destroy the whole of society? Justify your answer by discussing it in light of some of the moral theories we have been examining in this class. (Pay particular attention to the differences between Kantian Ethics and Utilitarian Ethics.) Finally, do you feel that there are any analogies between Omelas and our society? If so, in what way? What, if anything, does your answer to the Omelas question imply about your moral responsibility as a citizen of this society?
Your final grade will be assessed according (but not limited) to your ability to successfully meet the following criteria.
Demonstrate an ability to:
Apply appropriate disciplinary vocabulary, methods, concepts, approaches, frameworks, and/or techniques.
Analyze/interpret evidence and draw conclusions.
Demonstrate effective written communication.
