Summary Application of Normative Ethical Theories - Organ Transplants
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Course
Applying Normative Ethical Theories - Animal Life
Institution
AQA
Issues to consider in the animal cloning debate including: sentience, slippery slope argument, consent, speciesism
Application of each normative ethical theory to use of animals in organ transplants:
Natural Moral Law, Virtue Ethics, Situation Ethics.
Evaluation of each normative ethical t...
Application of Normative Ethical Theories
~ Animals Life Issues ~
Use of Animals for Organs
Xenotransplantation is the transferring of cells, tissues or organs from one species to another.
Tumor cells from humans have been transplanted into animals to research illnesses and current
medical research aims to use pig hearts in human heart transplants.
- Animals cannot consent to such transplants and will die as a result of them
- Risk of transfer of diseases from one species to another
- Human organ donor shortage (but now alternatives to animal organs exist e.g. 3D printing)
Application of Normative Ethical Theories
Natural Moral Law
1. Hierarchy of Souls and Dominion -> no reason to object to using animal organs for human
research
- ‘it matters not how man behaves to animals because God has subjected all things to man’s
power’ (Summa Theologica)
2. God’s Blueprint for humans at creation must not be modified -> it is permissible to implant
animal organs in humans, but the human germline must no the modified
- Link to Primary Precept: Worship God
3. Catholic Medical Association - agrees with (2) and argues that procedures must be carried
out with animal pain in mind
4. Prevents animals from fulfilling their God-given purpose
- Counter: Primary Precept: Preservation of (human) Life
5. Double Effect - intention must be to protect human life, not to deliberately inflict pain or
suffering otherwise we ‘might go on to do the same to man’
Evaluating NML approach to Using Animals for Organ Transplants
Strengths Weaknesses
Primary Precept: Preservation of Life - Slippery Slope - unclear whether the P.Ps
consistent with the fact that organ transplants apply to animals swell as humans? Could lead
can save human lives to excessive exploitation of animals
Dominion - Aquinas supports Aristotle’s Stewardship - humans have a duty of care
Hierarchy of Souls LINK Fox towards animals so we cannot exploit them —>
precepts should apply to them as part of
respecting God’s creation
Animals fulfil their purpose of aiding / Barad - animals cannot fulfil their God-given
benefitting human life LINK Kant purpose / purpose is not to serve humans
Pragmatic Dismissal Argument - puts human Singer - we should be prepared to use human
life first when at risk life to save humans (speciesist to use animal
life to save our own species)
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