Deliberation Overview
This deliberation was begun on Sunday, September 4, 2005
This history was compiled on Sunday, November 22, 2009
Describe the Situation
I am having some issues with my roommate right now. He is homosexual and has asked me if his boyfriend is welcome to come over to the room to hang out. I said as long as he does not stay the night I’m ok, but whenever I enter the room my roommate’s significant other is always there and it’s starting to make me feel uncomfortable. I have always been taught that homosexuality is wrong, and I have never known an openly homosexual person. It has gotten to the point that my roommate’s mere presence is getting uncomfortable because I do not know how to approach the situation. How do I talk to my roommate about an issue that I do not understand? How do I compromise on an issue when I think an action is immoral?
Consequences Framework
Chosen standard for evaluating consequences:
peace
This standard is most appropriate because:
Whenever there is a situation that two people refuse to talk about, there is always going to be a level of conflict. If neither side knows how the other feels, then conflicts can happen very easily. As such, the alternative that brings about peace of mind between my roommate and I will be the best solution. Through this I will gain an understanding of homosexuality and my roommate will gain an understanding about why I might be uncomfortable.
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 be able to 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 most dutiful action would be to talk about my roommate and develop more set standards that will make both my roommate and me happy. This fulfills our duty to Beneficence and Nonmaleficence because we will both be happy with our decision. It fulfills Fidelity and Community by helping to create a community that values rational discussion and tolerance. My Familial Duties do not create dutiful actions because they do not treat my roommate with respect.
This action is most dutiful because:
This action treats me with respect because it makes me more knowledgeable about homosexuality and it makes me happier because the awkwardness I feel with my roommate will be solved. It treats my roommate with respect because it shows that we can both have a rational discussion and find a solution to our problems.
Anyone would be obligated to perform this action because:
Kant’s perspective on Autonomy helped me make this decision because that was how I decided the one duty that was in conflict with the rest. My Familial duty to not condone immoral actions (by their values) did not treat my roommate with respect because it assumes he can’t make moral decisions. Autonomy means letting someone make their own rational decisions, so I have a duty to discuss our situation together, so we can both make a moral decision.
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 first cultivate my knowledge and wisdom of homosexuality so I know how to talk about homosexuality with toleration to my roommate. Then I would cultivate my courage and integrity and talk things out with my roommate.
This is the action that an ideally virtuous person would do because:
The most important virtues from this example were Knowledge and Courage, both virtues developed by Plato. These two help us live better because they lead to the ultimate virtue of Justice, which is the best virtue. The virtuous person would follow these virtues because they lead to Justice.
This alternative is consistent with the expectations of any ethics codes that apply to your situation.
I will be able to do this action.