Ethics
Which school of ethics has a strict moral rule that you must follow, no matter what you want or desire?
Kantian ethics (Kant’s deontology, based on duty and moral rules)
Batman has a strict “no-killing” rule. No matter what terrible things the Joker does, Batman refuses to kill him because he believes killing is a line good people must never cross. Which school of ethics covers this?
Kantian ethics (deontology)
Define grievance.
A complaint or feeling that one has been treated unfairly.
What does Tony want Wes to “avoid”? (p. 28)
Tony wants Wes to avoid getting involved in the drug trade and the dangerous life surrounding it. Verify in text; check the answer against the teacher’s edition.
Who are the main characters in The Other Wes Moore?
The author (Wes Moore) and the other Wes (Wes)
In Aristotle’s virtue ethics, what should a person develop, and what is the goal? |
Develop good character through virtuous habits, aiming for eudaimonia, or human flourishing.
Using Utilitarianism, what should a doctor do in this situation: The Surgeon has five patients who will die without organ transplants. A healthy, grumpy neighbor with no family comes in who is a match for the transplants.
Under simple Act Utilitarianism, the doctor should harvest the neighbor’s organs to save five lives. (1 dies, but 5 live!)
Define dilemma.
A difficult situation requiring a choice between options, often with drawbacks.
What are the “two incidents” that lead to the other Wes leaving Baltimore City? (p. 57)
Tony gets shot, and Wes fails the 6th grade.
What is the setting for most of the novel?
Baltimore
What principle guides Utilitarianism?
Choose the action that produces the greatest overall happiness or good for the greatest number; judge actions by their consequences.
It’s your birthday, and your family says you can choose any restaurant. You love Thai food, but you know it will make the rest of your family miserable. You decide to choose Chinese. What school of ethics did you follow?
The Utilitarian Choice: You choose a Chinese restaurant instead. It is nobody’s absolute favorite, but everyone can find something to eat. You sacrificed your top choice to make sure the whole group was happy overall!
Define exacerbate.
To make a problem or difficult situation worse.
What does Wes’ mother, Joy, “decide soon after [their] move to the Bronx”? Why? (p. 47)
Joy decides to send Wes to Riverdale, a school in an affluence area because she does not trust the public schools in the Bronx.
Who are the characters who say the following dialogue: “How do you feel?” and “Please hold it down Ma!”
Mary & Wes
What does Kant’s categorical imperative ask us to do when deciding whether an action is right?
Act only on a rule you could will to be universal law, and treat people as ends, never merely as means.
WILD CARD: A student finds a classmate’s lost wallet with cash inside, and nobody saw. What should the student do? Choose any school of ethics—Kantian, Utilitarian, or Virtue—and explain your reasoning.
Sample Kantian response: Return the wallet because honesty and respect for others are duties. Sample Utilitarian response: Return it to prevent harm and promote well-being. Sample Virtue response: Return it because an honest and compassionate person would do so. Any school is accepted if the reasoning is consistent. The team may wager or the host may double the points at their discretion.
Define autonomy.
The ability or right to make one’s own decisions and act independently.
Why does Wes say that they are going to grieve the loss of their fathers differently?
They grieve differently because their fathers played different roles in their lives.
What is the biggest dilemma or conflict Wes faces as a young boy?
Staying away from the streets and selling drugs.
How does a Utilitarian differ from a Kantian when judging whether an action is right?
A Utilitarian judges an action by its consequences; a Kantian judges it by whether it follows a universal moral duty or rule.
In the Virtue school of ethics, which key feature is demonstrated in this scenario: If you witness a mugging, the virtue of Courage requires you to assess the situation using reason. If the danger is too great for you to intervene directly, the courageous act is to call for help. If you can safely intervene, you do so. To run away entirely is Cowardice (deficiency), while charging in blindly against an armed group is Recklessness (excess).
The Golden Mean
Define disparity.
A noticeable difference or inequality between people, groups, or conditions.
What is the deeper reason why Joy, Wes’ mother, is upset that Wes hit Nikki when he was three years old? (p. 10)
She has this reaction because she was abused in her first marriage. She doesn’t want her son to be an abuser.
What is the resolution of the novel? Where do the characters end up?
The author is the governor of Maryland, and the other Wes is in prison for life.