Philosophy essay

The Market for Human Organs: Utilitarian Ethics versus Kantian Ethics

Deadline: Monday, January 21st, 10 PM (via Turnitin).

Length: I think it will take about 3 to 4 pages to make a complete, thorough, and convincing argument.

Works Cited: Please provide a Works Cited page (in addition to your essay of 3-4 pages)

Sources: Use at least three sources for the final draft of your response.

Short Prompt:

If you live in certain nations, you can legally sell certain of your organs. Sellers give up his or her organs for a large sum of money, and recipients get organs they feel they need to live a healthier life, or in some cases, to survive.

Research:

Research the global market for organ sales. You can do research as you think best, but it might help you to limit your research to one set of organs (lungs, kidneys, fertile eggs, or others--take your pick). Different organs, as you’d guess, have different market conditions.

To answer the question, you will need to understand how the market works. What are the conditions like for the buyers and the sellers? How does money change hands in this transaction? What are the effects, for buyer or seller, in the short- and long-term? In other words, you will need to have a good walking knowledge of the topic.

Writing Topic:

A bit of review first: As you know, utilitarianism aims at securing “the greatest happiness for the greatest number.” Immanuel Kant’s second categorical imperative commands us to “act so that you treat another, always as an end and never only as a means” (56). In other words, one must respect the autonomy of persons, that is, the ability of people to make and pursue their own self-directed goals.

In an essay of about 3-4 pages in length, argue for or against the sale of human organs. In your response, use both utilitarianism and the second categorical imperative of Kantian ethics to analyze the topic.