Liberty and Paternalism Essay - 1663 Words

LIBERTY AND PATERNALISM John Stuart Mill and Gerald Dworkin have distinctly opposing views on legal paternalism in that Mill is adamantly against any form of paternalism, whereas Dworkin believes that there do exist circumstances in which paternalism is justified. Both agree that paternalism is justified when the well being of another person is violated or put at risk. Mill takes on a utilitarian argument, explaining that allowing an individual to exercise his freedom of free choice is more beneficial to society than deciding for him what is in his best interests. Dworkin, on the other hand, feels that certain cases require the intervention of either society as a whole or its individual members. He breaks Mills argument down into two†¦show more content†¦When a young child is about to run across a busy street in order to chase his ball, the childs parent, or any other bystander, is rightfully justified in physically stopping the child from running into the street. This is so justified because at th e time of giving chase to the ball, the child is unaware of the potential consequences of running into a busy street. A large part to this justification is the idea of future-oriented consent, the concept that once the child grows up and realizes the consequences of his chasing the ball, he will agree that the interference of an outsider was justified. Another example for which this concept can be applied is the matter of seat belts. The question of whether or not a person should be punished for not wearing a seat belt, I believe, can be answered by comparing it to the previous example. If a person were to be involved in a car accident and be seriously injured because he was not wearing a seat belt, he would come to the realization that he should have been wearing it. At this point, he will realize that his personal health is worth the inconvenience of putting on his seat belt. The fact that any logical, rational person will come to this realization justifies the interference of an outside party, the government in this example. If this person does not realize that his health and his life is worth putting on a seat belt, it is safe to say that this person is illogical andShow MoreRelated Liberty And Paternalism Essay1656 Words   |  7 Pages LIBERTY AND PATERNALISM nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;nbsp;John Stuart Mill and Gerald Dworkin have distinctly opposing views on legal paternalism in that Mill is adamantly against any form of paternalism, whereas Dworkin believes that there do exist circumstances in which paternalism is justified. Both agree that paternalism is justified when the well being of another person is violated or put at risk. Mill takes on a utilitarian argument, explaining that allowing an individual to exercise his freedomRead MoreNegative Critique on Alan Goldmans View on Medical Paternalism1453 Words   |  6 PagesMedical Paternalism In the realm of medical ethics, there are many topics that are debated and discussed, but there is not necessarily one clear, correct answer. One of these topics is paternalism. Many questions are bandied back and forth: is it beneficial, should it be disallowed entirely, are there instances when paternalism is good and beneficial, and the list goes on. For each of these questions there have been authors who have provided their comments. One such author is Alan Goldman. He drawsRead MorePaternalism: Slavery and White Slave Owners1626 Words   |  7 PagesIntroduction Writer Gerald Dworkin refers to paternalism as an interference with a person’s liberty of action that is justified particularly with reasons including the welfare, happiness, needs and interests of the person being oppressed. The aim of my essay is to investigate the slavery period in the Cape Colony during the nineteenth century with regard to the prevalence of paternalism between slaves and their masters. By means of suitable sources that justify this statement as well as proof ofRead MoreMorality, Paternalism, And Justice : Ethical Priorities1500 Words   |  6 Pages Critique #1: Autonomy, Paternalism, and Justice: Ethical Priorities in Public Health Olawale Akinbobola The University of Memphis School of Public Health PUBH 7180 – Fall 2017 Within public health, the issue of paternalism has become a controversial topic. Broadly, paternalism is defined as the interference of a state or individual with a subordinate overpowering the will of the subordinate, claiming the subordinate will be better off (Dworkin, 2017). Autonomy is the right of an individualRead MoreJohn Stuart Mill And Sarah Conly Essay1440 Words   |  6 Pagesto justify their own opinion and at the end present my own arguments in order to argue that sugar tax would not be the ideal solution but coercive paternalism would still be necessary, although used in a slightly different way. In his book â€Å"On Liberty† Mill states that the only time individuals or society as a whole can interfere with individual liberty is for self-protection and that coercion by the many toward the individual is only acceptable when that specific individual poses a threat to othersRead MoreThe Legalization Regulation Of The Sex Trade Essay849 Words   |  4 Pageslife, liberty, and security and b) the capacity for criminalization to prohibit sex worker’s from actively preventing harm to oneself. Philosophical support for this position will come from arguments rooted in human rights’ perspective, John Stuart Mill’s â€Å"harm principle† and arguments rooted in feminist theory. The harm principle contends â€Å"it is only justifiable to interfere with the autonomy or liberty of adults in order to prevent harm (physical harm deprivation of rights and liberties) occurringRead MoreConservatism as a Tension between Paternalism and Libertarianism678 Wor ds   |  3 PagesConservatism as a Tension between Paternalism and Libertarianism There are many different strands of conservatism within the ideology, the most significant of which in modern terms are paternalism and libertarianism. This conflict can be illustrated by the rival traditions of one-nation conservatism and New Right, or in particular neoliberal, conservatism. The basic idea of paternalism is to have authority over people for their own good. Whereas continental conservativesRead MoreCase Study : Liberty And The Elderly Patient1271 Words   |  6 Pages#3 Case Study: Liberty and the Elderly Patient In our culture, respect for individual autonomy is valued to the highest degree. We want to do what we want to do, what we think will give us fulfillment and meaning in life. In other words, we value our liberty and the last thing we want is somebody or some circumstance infringing on it. Ronald X is a self-sufficient man who values his liberty. After he broke his leg, everything changed. The free and autonomous life that he was enjoying was now goingRead MoreEthical And Ethical Issues Of The Healthcare Professionals767 Words   |  4 Pagessurgery and advised the surgeons to stop. Ethical Principles In the video the health care team members are challenged with many ethical principles and moral conflict. Autonomy beneficence, nonmaleficence, veracity and paternalism are tested in the video. Autonomy is a form of personal liberty in which the client have the right and freedom to make decisions regarding his or her own treatment and take control of health, fostering independence and self determination (Powell, 2008). Beneficence is the ethicalRead MoreCadbury : A Typical Example Of 19th Century Family Capitalism1364 Words   |  6 Pagestypical example of 19th Century family capitalism. The essay states that Cadbury was not a typical example of 19th century family capitalism. I will explain three main points on why Cadbury is not a typical example, because its time period, its non-paternalism and its expansion. Firstly, I would focus on that most family capitalism doesn’t last for more than one generation however Cadbury does. Next the essay is about that Cadbury is not pa ternalistic but most of 19th century family capitalism is. Finally