Scenarios for Ethical Situations

Ethics From a utilitarian perspective.

Scenario 1:

From a utilitarian perspective, Barb and Jack are not causing anyone harm and are promoting the most good for all, primarily themselves. Their arrangement to have a primarily sexual relationship and to reside together does not cause any harm to anyone else. The fact they have agreed to share expenses of Barb’s birth control method shows that they are both interested in not conceiving a child together. If either wishes to break off the arrangement, they have set rules and standards for doing so. It appears that both parties have clearly outlined the rules and expectations of their situation and are on the same page. Their arrangement, although may shock personal morals for some, does not cause harm to anyone.

Even though Barb and Jack have set rules for their living situation, there are issues that may arise over time. It is feasible to believe that one party may become more involved in the arrangement, developing romantic feelings for the other party. Also, another potential complication is if either Barb or Jack become romantically involved with an outside party and wish to break off the arrangement due to their emotions for someone else. If these two situations occur at the same time, this will definitely result in heartbreak for one party while the other one moves on.

The question as to whether or not this situation is moral is a personal decision. I do not believe it is immoral because the two parties involved have clear set boundaries and expectations of the arrangement. They are not intentionally causing harm to each other. In turn, their decision to live in this situation does not cause harm to anyone else either.

Scenario 2:

Jeremy and Russ are gay, that does not mean they are child molesters. A common misconception about the gay community is that they are deviant sexual predators who push their gay agenda into “infecting” today’s youth. These are extremist words that come from hateful people. Simply because Jeremy invites Victor over for the evening does not have any hidden agenda. The two could simply have a lot in common, just as much as I might invite someone over to spend an evening with my girlfriend and me. As far as the statement regarding Jeremy and Russ not being “effeminate,” not all gay men are flamboyant and colorful. Just like straight men, gay men can be very “average.”

What Jeremy and Russ are doing is quite moral. They are in a committed relationship that causes no ill will or harm to anyone else. If they marched in gay parades it would not impact the morality of their living situation. Jeremy and Russ are living comfortable, quite lives just like any other couple could. If they chose to become active in gay rights, that is their decision (no different than people who walk in cancer walks or rally in immigration protests). These two men are not pushing their lifestyle onto anyone, they are not trying to convince others to become gay, and they are certainly not trying to molest people. They are simply living a life of any other average couple in America. Their living situation is very moral.

Scenario 3:

The licenses of pornographic adult stores have been issued because the local government finds them to be in compliance with all stipulations set forth in their doctrine. Although the religious groups find the content of these stores deplorable, it does not make their presence immoral. The religious communities may be right in their assessment that the adult content stores are a bad influence on the community however they are not soliciting people to enter their businesses and are not coercing the underage to frequent their doorsteps.

The adult content stores are moral because they are not causing harm on anyone. Those who chose to enter the stores do so of their own free will. Everyone in the community knows that is contained inside those walls, so when people enter the stores along that street it is obvious what they will find inside. This does not make it immoral for the stores to be in business. If anything, the religious groups should focus on the individuals making (what they perceive as) immoral choices. The business owners are abiding by all their rules and regulations. The stores are ensuring that only those old enough are permitted entry, they have the appropriate licenses to function, and are following the law. They are within moral guidelines to function. The licenses should not be revoked because people will still want to have adult content stores they will wish to go to and make a conscious decision to frequent. The stores are not making immoral choices; if anything it is the customers (which in itself is a stretch) making poor choices. At least the stores are relatively close and not spread across town.