Principles of Ethics
May 2014
Dilemma
A married couple, both addicted to drugs, are unable to care for their infant daughter. She is taken from them by court order and placed in a foster home. The years pass. She comes to regard her foster parents as her real parents. They love her as they would their own daughter. When the child is 9 years old, the natural parents, rehabilitated from drugs, begin court action to regain custody. The case is decided in their favor. The child is returned to them, against her will. Does ethics support the law in this case?
Does Ethics Support the Law?
Doses ethics support the law in this case? Yes, believe that ethics does support the law in this case…but based on what theory? I do believe that ethics and the law work hand in hand, although it may not be an even balance. Even though I feel the law is ethically based, we still may not agree with every law in place. Am I in favor of the previously drug-addicted parents of regaining custody? No. However, I am able to see the picture from two different views.
Deontological
As stated, the parents of the infant were drug addicted which caused them to lose custody of their infant child. After nine years, the now clean and sober parents were able to regain custody. The infant had been in the custody of foster parents, and was not adopted. Since the child was not adopted, the natural parents had a legal right to file for custody of their daughter. Assuming that the parents could now provide a stable life for the child, the child was returned to her natural parents. I think the Deontological theory applies here because according to the lecture Ethics and Aristotle, this school of ethics is based on “duties and rights.”
Consequentialist
Looking at this same situation from the Consequentialist theory, my decision would be totally the opposite. In this case, I do not agree with the natural parents getting custody of the child. The child has been in the...