Deliberation Overview
This deliberation was begun on Thursday, September 1, 2005
This history was compiled on Sunday, November 22, 2009
Describe the Situation
I was driving back from dinner with my girlfriend the other night and as I was pulling off of I-25 and I noticed a homeless man begging for money. His sign said he had recently been laid off and had HIV. I stopped at the stop light, but caged my vision so that I would not make eye contact with the man, as I did not want to be put in the awkward situation of being asked for money. The light turned green and I drove off. However, the next day I drove by that exit and didn’t see the homeless man there. I know he was probably off somewhere else, but I suddenly felt very guilty for not giving any money to the man. Do I have an obligation to give money to those who ask? Is there a way to give, but not to give to the point that I feel like I do not have money?
Consequences Framework
Chosen standard for evaluating consequences:
maximizing overall happiness
This standard is most appropriate because:
This standard is ethically relevant because this is what will maximize the happiness for all, while also minimizing the overall pain. One thing about this standard I need to remember is that I might have to go through some short-term pain to provide for long-term happiness. However, the result of this standard is that everyone can be as a happy as they are able from this situation.
Chosen course of action:
This action fulfills my chosen standard because:
This action is consistent with the expectations of any ethics codes that apply to your situation.
I will NOT be able to do this action.
I do not know where any homeless shelters are, so I don't know if I can do this action.
Other alternatives explored using the Consequences Framework:
Duties Framework
I have judged that the most dutiful conduct in my situation is:
The action that fulfills my duties is to help the homeless man in a way that actually helps him. If it’s giving him some money when I see him, volunteering at a homeless shelter, or simply just sitting and talking with him, I have a duty to help him somehow. This fulfills all my positive duties of Beneficence, Reparation, Self-Improvement, Religious, and Family. It also fulfills my Negative duty of Nonmaleficence of preventing more harm.
This action is most dutiful because:
This action treats everyone with respect because it fulfills all my duties to another person and it helps someone who is in need. It empowers and helps the homeless man improve himself, and it fixes the injustices he has faced.
Anyone would be obligated to perform this action because:
The relationship between W.D. Ross’ seven Prima Facie duties helped me make this decision. Knowing that this man has been harmed, and that I have a duty to prevent more harm, I knew I had a duty to help this man. The duty of Beneficence helped even more in this decision. The duty of Self-Improvement is what helped me decide exactly what to do because that will help me become more moral and knowledgeable about what will help the homeless.
This alternative is consistent with the expectations of any ethics codes that apply to your situation.
I will be able to do this action.
Ranking of specific duties explored using this framework:
Virtue Framework
An action that will exhibit the most virtuous traits is:
The best course of action would be to give something to the homeless person that would make them a better person. Just giving money once would not help make the homeless person more virtuous because he would eat once, and then be back to begging. Rather I should be Generous in giving something that will help the homeless fulfill their Hope of finding a place to work. I think the best thing I can give is my time. I should research places that help the homeless and see if I agree with their mission, so that I gain the Wisdom to volunteer at a place that will truly help the homeless to become more virtuous people.
This is the action that an ideally virtuous person would do because:
Aristotle would say the virtuous person would do this because it shows Compassion for those in need, which is one of the most important virtues to Aristotle. However, it is Compassion that is in accordance with the Golden Mean because it will not be wasted. I am giving something that will really help him, rather than just blindly giving away money or time.
This alternative is consistent with the expectations of any ethics codes that apply to your situation.
I will be able to do this action.