In an attempt to solve the dilemma presented about a girl who the court takes to a foster home because her parents are unable to take care of her out of their excessive drinking habits, I will apply the end-based and care-based primary schools of ethics (Bjarnason, 2009).
End-based thinking is reliant on the principle of maxim which is also referred to as utilitarianism. The principle states that an action should be considered ethical on the ground that it serves the goodness of the majority (Bjarnason, 2009). The action of the court to take the girl to foster home is in support of this thinking since a child is usually considered a mere creature of state. Thus the interest of majority is served. The second consideration of the court to return the girl to her parent is also supported by the thinking as it serves to address the interest of the majority; the child and her biological parents against the foster parents.
Considering the care-based thinking which stands for the principle that, one should always do to others as he or she wish others to do unto you. The philosophy is at times referred to as the golden rule of the maxim (Bjarnason, 2009). The philosophy supports the two rulings of the court. On the first ruling, the court takes a perspective that the child was an infant and no one could ever wished to suffer under unsecure care. The second ruling is supported by the philosophy on the grounds that the court placed itself on the shoe of the biological of the parents of the girl. The two solutions are similar in that they are in favor of the biological parents but are different on that they use different perspectives to approach the solution.
The End based thinking school which requires us to do the greatest good to the largest number of people would be applicable in the current world as it takes into account the concern of other people’s welfare and requires us to do the greatest good to those people as would be expected of us (Bjarnason, 2009). Be mindful of other people and their welfare is provided in this school and thus it is very important in the current world as many people will be hurt by our careless behaviors. If all the people will adopt this rule the carelessness will be minimized and thus hatred in the society will not manifest itself as everyone will take his part and thus reduce the hurting of other people. However as far we try to do greatest good to other people we cause minor injuries due to negligence. This school advocates that such minor negligence be looked into so to reduce the harm goes to other people.
The care based thinking school which teaches that we should love others first is applicable in the current world as this principle advocates love of all people. It advocates that before we do anything which might hurt other people we should first of all put ourselves under those shoes and test if it was us facing that pain, how painful could have been and reflects that in other people. Leaders can apply this principle and serve people with no corruption as corruption hurts other people and thus politicians are advised to put themselves under the shoes of common civilian.
The Greek philosopher Aristotle would not agree on these schools as he is a scientist who beliefs on scientific testing and measuring and thus he would expect to test extend of doing well and showing love to others.
References
Bjarnason, D., & Carter, M. A. (2009). Legal and ethical issues: To know, to reason, to act. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders.
