Assignment Question
Create a discussion post and respond to 2 students. The book we use is “Ethics: Accounts of Ground-Breaking Cases, by Gregory Pence (8th or 9th ed.)Ethics: Accounts of Ground-Breaking Cases, by Gregory Pence (8th or 9th ed.)”
Student post #1: b) What is your first reaction to this concept of FLO? When I first read the meaning of “future like ours” it made me realize that the argument surrounding abortions is not just about killing an innocent being, but also the future they have. “The loss of one’s life is one of the greatest losses one can suffer” (Lecture 73). When Marquis describes a “future like ours” he describes it as the experiences, activities and enjoyments one would have in their future. But what happens if the person does not have a FLO? What if the mother is forced to carry out her unexpected pregnancy and is put in a risky financial situation or puts the child up for adoption? Ann Warren states that if abortions are no longer legal, then the population will continue rising causing “malnutrition and starvation to become even more widespread than at present.” (Warren 304). c) Now what do you think of FLO? What is one positive aspect of this approach? What is one drawback? I think that one positive aspect of this approach is being able to look at the controversy surrounding abortion at a different angle. When I think of abortion, I don’t typically think of the possible persons future that we are taking about, but the “future like ours” approach allows people to think about the affects an abortion would have on the individual. One drawback from this take would be what essentially does Marquis mean when he says, “future like ours”. Is he talking about only the positive aspects of life; would he think any different if the individual ends up with not a great life or experiences. Which of the following do you think has a FLO? A one-week old infant, a twelve-year-old, an 89 year old, a 65 year old with severe dementia, a patient in a coma, a K-9 police dog, a killer whale in a zoo, someone who has schizophrenia, a single human sperm cell, a single human ovum, a fertilized human ovum in a test tube, a two-week old human embryo.. A 65-year-old with severe dementia and a patient in a coma may have limited or no awareness of their surroundings which may cause they to not be able to experience their future. A K-9 police dog and a killer whale in a zoo have a different set of experiences and activities than humans, but they still have a future that is valuable to them. Someone who has schizophrenia may have a future like ours, but it may be different from the future of a person without schizophrenia. A single human sperm cell, a single human ovum, and a fertilized human ovum in a test tube do not have a future like ours because they are not sentient beings. A two-week old human embryo has a future like ours, but it is not as developed as the future of a fetus that is closer to birth.b) What is your first reaction to this concept of FLO? When I first read the meaning of “future like ours” it made me realize that the argument surrounding abortions is not just about killing an innocent being, but also the future they have. “The loss of one’s life is one of the greatest losses one can suffer” (Lecture 73). When Marquis describes a “future like ours” he describes it as the experiences, activities and enjoyments one would have in their future. But what happens if the person does not have a FLO? What if the mother is forced to carry out her unexpected pregnancy and is put in a risky financial situation or puts the child up for adoption? Ann Warren states that if abortions are no longer legal, then the population will continue rising causing “malnutrition and starvation to become even more widespread than at present.” (Warren 304). c) Now what do you think of FLO? What is one positive aspect of this approach? What is one drawback? I think that one positive aspect of this approach is being able to look at the controversy surrounding abortion at a different angle. When I think of abortion, I don’t typically think of the possible persons future that we are taking about, but the “future like ours” approach allows people to think about the affects an abortion would have on the individual. One drawback from this take would be what essentially does Marquis mean when he says, “future like ours”. Is he talking about only the positive aspects of life; would he think any different if the individual ends up with not a great life or experiences. Which of the following do you think has a FLO? A one-week old infant, a twelve-year-old, an 89 year old, a 65 year old with severe dementia, a patient in a coma, a K-9 police dog, a killer whale in a zoo, someone who has schizophrenia, a single human sperm cell, a single human ovum, a fertilized human ovum in a test tube, a two-week old human embryo.. A 65-year-old with severe dementia and a patient in a coma may have limited or no awareness of their surroundings which may cause they to not be able to experience their future. A K-9 police dog and a killer whale in a zoo have a different set of experiences and activities than humans, but they still have a future that is valuable to them. Someone who has schizophrenia may have a future like ours, but it may be different from the future of a person without schizophrenia. A single human sperm cell, a single human ovum, and a fertilized human ovum in a test tube do not have a future like ours because they are not sentient beings. A two-week old human embryo has a future like ours, but it is not as developed as the future of a fetus that is closer to birth.
Student post #2: 5. In the phrase “future like ours”, how do you interpret the word “like”? (how much “like” our future is enough?) Where exactly would you draw the line—which living entities on the earth do you believe have a FLO and which do not? If we accept that it is wrong to kill any entity that has a FLO, does this have any significant implications for our current way of life? When it comes to interpreting the word “like” in the phrase “future like ours,” it refers to beings that have a future that is similar to ours in terms of the potential for experiences, goals, and a meaningful life. As for drawing the line on which living entities have a FLO, it’s a complex topic with different perspectives. Some argue that beings with consciousness, self-awareness, and the ability to experience pleasure and pain have a FLO. Considering the implications for our current way of life, recognizing the value of FLO could influence our ethical considerations and decision-making, especially in areas like end-of-life care and the treatment of non-human animals. It’s definitely a thought-provoking concept. 4. Implication 4 shows us how FLO allows Marquis to avoid a problem that Warren’s account ran into. What is the problem and how does Marquis avoid it? The problem that Warren’s account ran into is the difficulty of determining the moral status of entities that lack certain characteristics, such as self-awareness or consciousness. Marquis avoids this problem by focusing on the intrinsic value of a future-like-ours, rather than relying on specific characteristics. By considering the potential for a valuable future experience, Marquis broadens the scope of moral consideration. It’s an interesting way to approach the topic. 6.Finally, did you find Marquis’ overall argument convincing? Why or why not? Personally, I find Marquis’ overall argument quite convincing. His focus on the value of a future-like-ours brings attention to the potential experiences and meaningful lives that beings can have. By considering the intrinsic value of these futures, it broadens our perspective on moral considerations. It’s a thought-provoking approach that encourages us to think deeply about the ethics surrounding life and the implications for our actions. 5. In the phrase “future like ours”, how do you interpret the word “like”? (how much “like” our future is enough?) Where exactly would you draw the line—which living entities on the earth do you believe have a FLO and which do not? If we accept that it is wrong to kill any entity that has a FLO, does this have any significant implications for our current way of life? When it comes to interpreting the word “like” in the phrase “future like ours,” it refers to beings that have a future that is similar to ours in terms of the potential for experiences, goals, and a meaningful life. As for drawing the line on which living entities have a FLO, it’s a complex topic with different perspectives. Some argue that beings with consciousness, self-awareness, and the ability to experience pleasure and pain have a FLO. Considering the implications for our current way of life, recognizing the value of FLO could influence our ethical considerations and decision-making, especially in areas like end-of-life care and the treatment of non-human animals. It’s definitely a thought-provoking concept. 4. Implication 4 shows us how FLO allows Marquis to avoid a problem that Warren’s account ran into. What is the problem and how does Marquis avoid it? The problem that Warren’s account ran into is the difficulty of determining the moral status of entities that lack certain characteristics, such as self-awareness or consciousness. Marquis avoids this problem by focusing on the intrinsic value of a future-like-ours, rather than relying on specific characteristics. By considering the potential for a valuable future experience, Marquis broadens the scope of moral consideration. It’s an interesting way to approach the topic. 6.Finally, did you find Marquis’ overall argument convincing? Why or why not? Personally, I find Marquis’ overall argument quite convincing. His focus on the value of a future-like-ours brings attention to the potential experiences and meaningful lives that beings can have. By considering the intrinsic value of these futures, it broadens our perspective on moral considerations. It’s a thought-provoking approach that encourages us to think deeply about the ethics surrounding life and the implications for our actions.
