The movie Dirty Pretty Things has a theme within in it devoted to the concept ethics and uses the idea of the morality of organ sales to tell it. Throughout the movie Philosophies of Kant and Mill are presented to the main character by dialog or internal conflict about the situation he finds himself in at the illegal organ harvesting hotel. Many parts of the movie showed the cold reality that some people find themselves in horrible situations where they become vulnerable to those who seek to use them. After watching the movie and giving some thought to the matter I believe the sale of organs should remain illegal. I believe it would be unwise to open it up to the private sector because the profit motive of capitalism may cause an easily corruptible system to emerge. I also don’t think the government should take the wheel because I do not like the idea of the gov’t being in the business of selling body parts, it is just to much of a responsibility and liability to the people.
Kant’s CI would without a doubt be against the legalization of organ sales. The idea of selling a part of your body for money goes against the idea of treating yourself as a end and not a means to an end. By trading an organ for money one would be doing good for immoral reasons. It would be completely alternate to the formula of respect for humanity, “One’s humanity for Kant included one’s body, and the destruction or alienation of one’s body, in whole or in part, is a violation of the principle, at least in most cases.” Our body is a part of us and should be valued for more than money. I think that Kant would agree that by bringing money into this system it would degrade the system as a whole.
Some might argue that Mill and his utilitarians would hold the opposite belief. They might argue that if selling organs makes them more available to those who need them, thereby creating more happiness for more people then it is a good moral thing to do. That argument however is flawed, Many desperate people in society might see it as an “only way out” for them and reluctantly sell their organs which is dangerous and may cause much more pain than pleasure in the long run. If it was available to society I think it would benefit those who need organs but really harm those in a tight spot, which arguably would be worst for society overall.
Personally I don’t like the idea of making organ sales legal. I just think their is too much room for error and evil. I feel like Kant’s opinion on why it’s frowned upon is more compelling because I feel like it is so personal. We should have people cutting themselves up for a quick buck the idea leaves a bad taste in my mouth. The practice should remain donation based and hopefully never be advocated as a means to make money.
hatseemswrongman.fashion.blog 