Preparation: Making Ethical/Moral Decisions in Advance

Preparation: Making Ethical/Moral Decisions in Advance

The issue for this thread is whether it is good practice and ethical as a method of preparation for society or individuals to make ethical and moral decisions in advance of an action or the acquiring of all the facts. For example, human cloning has been said to be an unethical procedure and yet there has been no human cloning and no experience as yet as to what the consequences to society might be if human cloning had occurred. There has been expressions of rejection of genetic engineering without many of the projects criticized actually having occurred. On another level, society and individuals for ages have made moral assumptions prematurely about other individuals without being aware of the specific facts but based simply on generalizations or stereotypes.

The examples of Nancy Cruzan and Terri Schiavo demonstrate how some individuals prematurely expressed their judgments of the moral or ethical issues. One group declared the issue was the right to life. Others argued that these victims had the ethical right to liberty. Yet, how many of those who made these ethical and moral expressions had, in advance, all the facts of these cases?

One can, on the other hand argue that preparation, with limited facts and limited experience, is an essential aspect of moral or ethical decision-making when the consequences are threatening to individuals or society. Consider, making these decisions, in advance, regarding triage practices in the case of an infectious disease pandemic where care of the sick was limited by healthcare providers or facilities or equipment. What lives are not worth saving in such a situation so that other lives can be benefited? All the facts are unknown and we can only make assumptions. Could a moralistic expression such as “the Axis of Evil” describing a number of countries be likewise supported by that preparation argument but regarding only the anticipated behavior?

Should we take the time and energy to stuff our ethical acorns into the tree trunk in anticipation of what comes next? And is that always fair? ..Maurice.

Graphic: Photograph taken by me 1-31-2009 of acorns stuffed into a tree trunk, Lopez Lake in Central California.