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Is lying always wrong or does Jack Black do the right thing?
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In this clip Elliot Vaugn decides that it is better to speed up Tom’s impending death in order to preserve DEX (life-preserving drug) to increase his own chances of survival. Utilitarianism in action or breaking a moral absolute?
Questions
For each clip:
o Describe what happens in the clip you watched.
o How would a good utilitarian have acted in this situation – you must explain why as well as what you think.
o How would Kant insist one should act in this situation? Again you must argue for your answer.
o What did you think was the right thing to do here? Were your reasons more Kantian or utilitarian?
Jack Black-
1. He lies to the director of battle of the bands to get the children into the competition.
2. A good utilitarian would of lied as well as this would create the greatest happiness for the greatest number of people, the group of children and jack black.
3. Kant would insist that you should not lie to the director. this is because he believes in a strict set of moral codes such as not lying so he would not lie regardless of the effects
4. i would agree more with the utilitarian idea and lie to the director.
SNOW VIDEO
1. we saw a man save himself with an injection and then kill his climbing partner with the same needle.
2. A good utilitarian would not of killed the partner because the victim would have less pain as would the victims friends such as the women and the only person who would be happy is the person who killed him and the quality of the pleasure would not be high as he would be feeling guilty as only psychopaths can kill without a mental break.
3. Kant would not kill the partner either as he sticks to his moral rules and he counts killing as morally wrong.
4. I would like to say that i would stick to the utilitarian concept but if it was a person i do not particuarly like i would probably kill them as well (sorry!)
Jack black lies about teaching sick children to play music he lies about the children being sick in order for the music organiser to feel sympathy towards them and allows them into the show ,even though they missed the audition.As he lied about them being sick they got to be in the show.
Jack Black pretends that the children are dying of a blood disease to convince the battle of the bands man to let them play. In this situation, a real utilitarian would say that you should never lie so wouldn’t do the same as Jack Black, however an act utilitarian would also have lied as this outcome led to the greatest happiness for the greatest number as all the children would be happy with the outcome of being able to play at the battle of the bands.
Kant would insist that you did not lie, and so would not take the same actions as Jack Black. This is because he believes that one should always tell the truth.
School of Rock:
– They were late to the auditions and so in order to be part of the competition Jack Black lied and said that the children were terminally ill. This meant the auditioners felt that they must include the pupils.
– A good utilitarian would have also lied in order to create the most happiness for the largest group of people.
– Kant would have said that you should not lie in order to be part of the competition.
– I would agree more with Kant.
school of rock:
-They weren’t allowed to compete in the competition so Jack Black lied, saying the children were terminally ill, to gain sympathy and let the children sing.
-A good utilitarian would lie also, as it produces the greatest good for the greatest number as the children will be happy and the director would not feel guilty for rejecting them.
-Kant would have accepted that the children could not compete and not have lied his way into the competition as it is morally wrong.
-I think Kant’s way of acting is better, as it is not good to lie about something so serious and they could have easily entered the competition fairly like everyone else had just by turning up on time.
climbing:
-The man killed his climbing partner because he was near death and using up the drugs that were keeping the other two alive.
1.Jack Black lies to the battle of the bands guy in order to get his band into the competition. He is successful
2. A rule Utilitarian would say it is not fair as they believe lying is wrong. An act Utilitarian would agree with Jack Black as his consequence has created an outcome in which the largest number is happy.
3. Kant believes that if you can identify a situation as bad if everyone did it, then it is bad altogether. he would be against lying.
o What did you think was the right thing to do here? Were your reasons more Kantian or utilitarian?
1. Jack Black lies to the director of battle of the bands so to get him and the kids on the list. Says they have a terminal illness to provoke sympathy from the guy.
1. One climber kills the weakest man so that he and the other healthier climber can survive for longer. Against the dying climber’s will.
2. A good utilitarian would have agreed with Jack Black because the outcome is for the greater good.
2. A good utilitarian would have agreed with the killer because it means that two people would survive rather than all of them dying.
Happy New Years!! To my favorite blog, hopefully no tactical body armor is required with all those morons firing their automatic weapons above their heads.