write the abstract and put part 1 and 2 in one paper

Medical Tourism

Student's Name

Professor's Name

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Date

Medical Tourism

Application

The decision to seek medication in countries like India or out of the United States can be critically supported or dismissed through ethical theories. Consequential, act utilitarianism and deontology theory provide thorough explanation on the decision to seek foreign medications.

Consequentialism theory holds that people make choices or act depending on the morally affairs they bring about (Attfield, 2012). Moral concept does not play a bigger role under consequentialism, the intrinsically value that comes with an act or a decision plays a significant role to the decision maker. The intrinsically valuable state of affairs referred as collectively the good asserts the choices people make in life. Consequentialism posit that the more an action increases the good, the more an action becomes morally right to make and execute. In practice, the said good exists prior in consideration to the right (Attfield, 2012). However, in real sense some consequentialists exhibits a monist behaviors about the good.

Consequentialism assumes that morally upright decision increases either directly or indirectly the good associated with the action or the decision (Attfield, 2012). Consequentialists assumes in unison that the good remain agent neutral meaning that valuable states of affairs are those that all agents are reasonable to achieve without means of achievement. However, application of consequentialism comes with various challenges cutting across high demand and low demand features. Consequentialists have no realm of moral permissions nor realm of going beyond one’s moral duty. Neither does it have moral of indifference (Attfield, 2012). Consequentialists have no space for partial shows to a project or a given decision. Another funny concept of the theory magnify when an idea or action violated what is morally right as per the set laws of the land. Often, it kills, beat, lie or deprive the material goods to provide a greater benefits to others.

In relation to consequentialism, Amy has the authority to figure out the greatest good from the act. Morality of her decision exists if the decision comes with the greatest good (Attfield, 2012). The ethical concern in the study is the cost effective of getting treatment in India in comparison to America. India has the best infrastructure as well as the best records in the surgery success. Meaning there exist high possibility of her getting effective treatment at a relatively cheaper. The reason behind going abroad the country to a foreign does not get its ethical judgement based on what the society uphold as right but on the probable consequential value once the act happens.

Deontological theories defines the ethical concept of an action not by the welfare it brings as in the case of consequentialism (Dierksmeier, 2013). It holds that some actions or decisions cannot be justified by their effects no matter how morally good their consequences are. These kind of decisions or actions are forbidden morally. According to deontological an act remains morally right due to its conformity with the societal norm. The norms are to be obeyed by any moral agent therefore, the act must value the right over good (Dierksmeier, 2013). It posits that in situations where an act does not have accordance with the right, it may not be undertaken regardless of the level of good it may produce. The analogous concept illustrates that an action may have less good associated but it has to be undertaken due to the acceptance to be done.

Kant deontological concept applies rationality as a unique gift offered to humanity by God. He expect people to act not on other reason but on the guiding principles of a society that defines the right and the wrong to sustain and maintain moral law (Dierksmeier, 2013). According to Kant, human inclinations, emotions, and consequences should define the moral action of an individual, an individual should get motivated by the need to think rationally before doing something.

Morality to Kant, remains a framework to guide the rationale of rules that determines the actions of an individual independent of personal intentions and desires. It is the human will that determines the moral worth of an action and it remains the only good thing with no qualification. Good will can be practiced only by acting in loyalty to moral duty or law. Moral law has the maxims guiding the behaviors (Dierksmeier, 2013).

Kant bases his reasoning on the categorical imperatives point of view by stating that a true moral preposition has to be tied to any particularly situation or conditions inclusive of the identity of a decision maker (Dierksmeier, 2013). This demands for a disconnection of a moral maxim for a particular physical details surrounding the preposition and thereby applicable to any rational human being. Therefore, Kant provide a chance not to act according to a maxim that can lead to a contradiction to logical reasoning.

Second concept of Kant’s categorical imperative is the idea of having an imperfect duties based on pure reason but allow for interpretation in regard to their performance under the reason of human subjective preference due to their binding effect. These imperfect duties are circumstantial in the sense that one cannot reasonably exist in a constant stage of duty performance. The imperfect duties according to Kant are never completed (Dierksmeier, 2013). The first formulation of the imperative requires one to impose on others what he could prefer to be pose on him.

The second formulation orders an individual to act in a way of treating humanity by considering not only the principle but also the end. The end of an action has to be objective by being persuade categorical. The success happens due a free will because autonomous will acts as the source of rational action. Therefore, this stage allows not someone to treat another as a means to an end, one has to maintain her moral duty to end that is equal to all people (Dierksmeier, 2013).

The third formulation of categorical imperative implies that every rationale individual will behave as if he were through his maxim always as a legislative member through a universal kingdom of ends (Dierksmeier, 2013). Kant explains that people in their actions or decision should treat themselves and others as ends not as means by acting by maxim that harmonize with a kingdom of ends not mere means. Therefore, Amy as she make up her decision of either going for a foreign treatment or domestic in regard to cost effectiveness and increased probability of receiving the best services thereby surety of the life, she has factor in the universal principle in the kingdom of the ends not just using her decision as a mere means of success.

Swan has to contemplate whether the decision according to maxim contradict the logical reasoning, in case it does then she has to alter her decision even though she will use a lot of cash to get treatment in the United States. She has to abide and remain within the guidance of a maxim of what the society considers ethical.

However, according to act utilitarianism, an act is morally correct based on its rightness or wrongness as determined by weighing its consequences (Hursthouse, 2013). It determines ethicality or morality by the pleasure or happiness one drives as a consequence of an act or a decision (Manias et al., 2013). Therefore, to utilitarian an act will forever remain ethical by producing equal or increased utility over other potential decisions. Act utilitarianism bases more concern on the happiness or pleasure of the outcome associated with the act without putting much focus on the societal norms on whether the decision violates what majority perceive moral or immoral (Hursthouse, 2013.

Swan while operating under act utilitarian is has the justification of her decision to go for treatment in India if that remains the only way from her to achieve the most level of happiness or pleasure compared to getting treatment domestically. She aims at affordable cost of treatment as well as enjoying the best infrastructural system while obtaining treatment which India has as compared to US (Lee, 2012). The Indian private surgical hospitals have a better mortality rates factors that if considered will justify Swan decision to get the treatment in India.

Decision making

Swan, being interested in life attainment through improved health status at affordable costs of treatment should decide to get her treatment in India. She lacks insurance, loves travelling and photography as well the statistics on the India private hospital mortality rate is better compared to United States’ record. Her decision should be justified by the end consequence depending on the level of happiness or pleasure she gets, not just by a mere societal assumption on ethical universal acceptance of a decision (Hursthouse, 2013). For an instance, if she decides to get treatment in US. At an expensive cost with no surety of survival does she attain happiness or pleasure? Definitely no, thus going to India for treatment comes with a significant and high level of happiness and pleasure compared to the alternative decisions.

Evaluation

Even though Swan should decide for Indian treatment as the best decision with recommended pleasure or happiness as consequences in comparison to alternative decisions, there are limitations of the morality of the decision. Making a decision that favors treatment in the states helps develop hospitals in the states and create a sense of trust and believe on the country’s medical sector which is a morally right thing as the country’s norm outlines. People should have trust on their infrastructural systems as well as ensuring that decisions made concur with the demands on the sectors like medical. Another fact rotates around the general ethical layout of a society. People should not get propelled only by the end result over the decision, but by the fact that there exist a coherent and inherent rightness of an act. Cost if a factor to Swan, services offered by the private India hospital as well, life becomes paramount in comparison to what a society may values in the name of ethics and its violation, if practiced yet no life after the practice, no one dare chose such alternatives (Jagyasi, 2014).

Reflection

Decision making on a serious issue in line with ethical theories to some extent does not need over reliance over one ethical theory to justify a decision. Some situations are tricky and critically, they bound to pleasure as well to the moral uprightness of a society. Always regardless of the consequences, it seems accepted and abide by the natural set laws of a society to justify what one decides to do, however, as human beings with a desire to remain happy and attain pleasure in whatever act one opt for, it seems significant to evaluate on the end outcome of a decision before acting.

It seem appropriate to consider the situation and the circumstance under which one has to decide, in case of health issues, it is justifiable to go for a treatment at the place or a country that will offer you with certain and reliable medical services as well as improves hope to life. I consider such situations not restricted with the general scope of societal ethics and values guiding behaviors or decisions.

References

Attfield, R. (2012). Ethics: an overview. Bloomsbury Publishing.

Dierksmeier, C. (2013). Kant on virtue. Journal of business ethics, 113(4), 597-609.

Hursthouse, R. (2013). Normative virtue ethics. ETHICA, 645.

Jagyasi, D.P.(2014). Is medical tourism cost effective in India? Retrieved from