Discussion Prompt 1
The ethical issues raised in the film concern human life (BiolaUniversity, 2012). The issues revolve around who has the right to decide who gets to live and what is the minimum criteria for determining who will become a member of the human race.
Deciding to abort children with Down Syndrome degrades people with Down’s to lesser human beings. As Reynolds (2003) observed, "there have been objections to screening and criticism of current medical attitudes raised by women who have delivered babies affected by Down Syndrome” (p.269). The objections are rightfully justified as there is no sufficient ethical proof to warrant termination of children with Down Syndrome.
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The ethical issue raised by eugenics-inspired donor practices is the notion that people have the right to sire human beings with specific attributes that are viewed as superior (BiolaUniversity, 2012). Thus, implicating that people with specific qualities are more superior or desirable than other individuals.
The increased application of medical practices such as forced sterilization based on eugenics is a worrying trend. For one, it implies that people with specific genetic traits have no access to basic human dignity and could be discriminated against in the healthcare industry based on their genes.
The main takeaway from the video is that every person should be treated with the same level of human dignity irrespective of their abilities or disabilities.
The lesson on what it is being human could be applied in advising parents who are contemplating aborting their unborn baby for suffering from a specific medical condition.
Discussion Prompt 2
As a Christian, Elmer is permitted to deceive others in very limited circumstances. Hill (2008) identified five possible exceptions to the duty of truth-telling, namely, mutual deceits, exaggeration, conflicting duties, ambiguity, and no right to hear the truth. Mutual deceits occur when the listener is aware that the information being communicated is untrue. In this case, Elmer’s customers were not aware that the Easter lilies were not available. Exaggeration in the case of business advertising is permissible as long as there are no harmful results. In the case of Elmer, customers who visited the business with plans of purchasing Easter lilies would have left disappointed. In conflicting duties, one is allowed to deceive in situations where the truth conflicts with another moral duty. However, Elmer lied for his gain but not to observe a higher moral duty. Ambiguities occur through means such as using weasel words to lure unsuspecting customers. For the current study, Elmer did not promote his flowers through weasel words but lied about having flowers he could not provide. Lastly, the customers had the right to know the truth concerning the availability of Easter lilies. Thus, Elmer was not justified to lie.
Elmer should disclose the truth because the customers have a right to know and disclosing the truth will prevent significant harm in the future (Hill, 2008). Given that customers have the right to know the availability of products they need to purchase and lying to them may course Elmer to lose loyal customers.
In most cases where I have had to deceive, it was to conserve some personal interests. However, as observed in the case of Elmer, deceiving for personal interests may harm others as well as yourself. Consequently, it is vital to uphold honesty at all times unless there is a justifiable reason to deceive.
The main lesson from the text is that honesty is vital for three purposes building trust, protecting the dignity of the listeners, and fostering communities (Hill, 2008). Further, one is only justified to deceive where there is evidence of mutual deceits, exaggeration, conflicting duties, ambiguity, and no right to hear the truth.
As a salesperson, the lesson on honesty and deception is vital in evaluating the impact and justification of the information one gives to potential customers while luring them to make purchases.
References
Biola University (2012, April 18). Scott Rae: What does it mean to be human? Do the right thing [Video]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaXrxiI1H_Y&ab_channel=BiolaUniversity
Hill, A. (2008). Just business Christian ethics for the marketplace (3rd ed.). InterVarsity Press.
Reynolds, T. M. (2003). Down's syndrome screening is unethical: views of today's research ethics committees. Journal of Clinical Pathology , 56 (4), 268–270. https://doi.org/10.1136/jcp.56.4.268
