Step 1: Identify the ethical issue
What should Maresa do about the decision of whether or not she should go ahead to begin processes of donating her kidney to Carlos’ father?
Step 2: List at least 4 options the key person could select.
Option 1: Maresa could decide to go ahead and begin medical processes for testing and donation of the kidney while offering true information that would expose her illegal status of stay in the country.
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Option 2: Maresa could decide to go ahead and begin processes for testing and donation of the kidney while concealing information that would expose her illegal status of stay in the country.
Option 3: Maresa could decide getting married to Carlos hurriedly, obtaining citizenship as quickly as possible and then go ahead to testing and donation of the kidney if she is found to be a match.
Option 4: Maresa could make a decision not to go ahead with the process of testing and donation of her kidney. Such may be based on lack of comfortableness with the surgical process or fear of being discovered as an illegal resident of the country and possibly be detained or deported and separated from Carlos and their child.
Step 3: Determine the universal moral rule that you would logically want to be the moral standard for everyone – at all times.
The universal moral rule is that people should treat others in a manner that they should wish to be addressed in similar situations and regardless of the nature of prevailing circumstances.
Test of option 1 for universality.
Option 1 passes the test for universality since Maresa has a duty or obligation to the father of Carlos on the basis that she would have wanted to be offered a kidney if she was the one ailing. The imperative is that she must do some act.
Test of option 2 for universality.
Option 2 passes the test for universality since Maresa has a duty or obligation to the father of Carlos on the basis that she would have wanted to be offered a kidney if she was the one ailing. She has a rational duty of conforming to the categorical imperative.
Test of option 3 for universality.
Option 3 passes the test for universality since Maresa has a duty or obligation to the father of Carlos on the basis that she would have wanted to be offered a kidney if she was the one ailing. She has a rational duty of conforming to the categorical imperative. The maxim of the action poses as a reasonable act of universal law.
Test of option 4 for universality.
Option 4 fails the test for universality since Maresa would not want someone that is a match to deny her a kidney if she was the one ailing.
Step 4: Apply “Respect for Persons .” Eliminate any option that would exploit anyone.
Test of option 1 for respect for persons
The option passes the test of respect for persons since it does not involve the exploitation of any individual in any given way.
Test of option 2 for respect for persons
The option would involve exploitation of the other family members since they would find themselves in positions where they are forced to conceal the information of her illegal status in official spheres.
Test of option 3 for respect for persons
Option 3 would involve exploitation of Carlos. It implies that Maresa getting married to him is just but a means of achieving the ends of saving his father by donating her kidney to him.
Step 5: Choose which option(s) would be the best choice or morally permissible because it is consistent with the principles of Kantian Ethics .
Option 1 would be the best choice or the morally permissible one since it passes both tests of universality and respect for persons; it establishes a Kantian solution to the ethical challenge of Maresa. According to the provisions of the deontological moral theory, the decision is correct since it serves to fulfill the duty or obligations that Maresa has towards Carlos’ father. It identifies with the supreme principle of the categorical imperative as indicated by Kant ( Ripstein, 2017 ). The option does not focus on the consequences of the decision even though they are adverse ( Williamson, 2015 ). It also exhibits the perfect duty of no exception; Maresa’s action is based on the ideology of not letting someone to succumb when there is the possibility of being able to offer a much-needed helping hand. It establishes absolute duty towards her and to another.
References
Ripstein, A. (2017). Immanuel Kant . Routledge.
Williamson, D. (2015). Kant’s Theory of Emotion: Emotional Universalism . Springer.
