valuing the intrinsic worth of a person
Goals
To critically assess …
- How the scenarios relate to merit, role, compassion, and opportunism
- The merits of each of the four options or courses of action
- Which rules of duty and utility are most relevant to the scenario
- Which option is best suit to the identified rules of duty or utility
- A personal response to the scenario and ones own rules of action
Bitty’s Kitty
Mike Itty’s seen as a shy pre-teen
with a lot going on ’cause he’s nice, not mean.
Not even to Ms Bitty next door.
Ramshackle house. Cats by the score.
A fire one day — the cause, can’t say
— but Bitty and kitty got trapped halfway.
By cursory glance, the alley entrance
might be enough. Might give a chance.
So Itty Mike swears an oath. Save Bitty
or kitty, ’cause he can’t save both.
Rescue the cat, a feline friend,
or the lady who’s nice only in pretend?
Her cat is agile; its owner, not.
But is greater-need the virtue sought?
Or stay away from the fiery fray.
Wait for hired heroes. Stay out their way.
Suppose Mike must choose:
- save the cat since it is his real friend
- let the fire department be the heroes
- save Ms Bitty since her need is greater
- save Ms Bitty without a second thought
What would Keri & Milo advise? What would you do?
Girls Only
Ida Claire is a scientist.
She wears a white lab smock.
A biological engineer,
but folks just call her ‘doc.’
Ida found a novel way
that two ova can mate.
Reproduce without a male
while keeping health first rate.
Implications are enormous.
The role of men might change.
Social upheaval could ensue.
Dating would sure be strange.
She could publish to the world.
Her name would be well known.
Let moms conceive by themselves,
or leave nature alone?
Suppose Ida must choose:
- destroy the findings to prevent social upheaval
- continue her research as she was contracted
- publish the findings to gain personal fame
- quit the lab and market the discovery on her own
What would Keri & Milo advise? What would you do?
Sea Surprise
Omar Gosh is an officer
high in immigration.
The final voice of who is cast
to or from our nation.
A boatload of sea weary folk
claimed to be refugees.
Touched by tales of harsh treatment,
their case approved with ease.
While true they fled aboard this ship,
but exiles they are not.
Being adrift was but a ruse
and entry was their plot.
They’re refugees, although contrived,
stay here or send them back?
Prison or worse awaits them there,
stand firm or cut some slack?
Suppose Omar must choose:
- reverse the decision since it’s unfair to those who follow the immigration rules
- announce a study of the world refugee plight
- allow them in as refugees despite the trick
- let them stay, but penalize those who let them in
What would Keri & Milo advise? What would you do?
Variable Woods
Three hikers went into the woods,
littered with tree debris.
It matters not what their names are,
just call them X Y Z.
The wind began to blow the trees,
one snapped along its base.
Falling it struck the arm of X,
yanking it out of place.
X ran about, berserk with pain,
and hit Y with a branch.
That broke the leg of Y who fell,
then Z could see his chance.
Z hated Y for his betrayal,
an anger now set free.
He strikes a furtive blow to Y
and blames it on the tree.
Suppose hiker Z must choose:
- accept responsibility for injuring Y
- claim the injury was justified by Y’s betrayal
- claim that X dealt both blows to Y
- in the confusion, keep quiet, admit nothing
