Philosophy 208

After
carefully reading the textbook material AND my lecture (in the
first thread), consider and respond to the following question.
Remember to offer ONE very full initial post and THREE
responses during the week for your fellow students.

THE
QUESTION: Can
acting out of a sense of one’s duty be the wrong thing
to do? Think of an example in which someone (perhaps you)
acted out of a sense of duty, even though by doing so one caused
greater harm than if one had not acted, one failed to prevent
harm from occurring, or one failed to bring about greater
happiness. Then, explain whether you think that (a) this
person was right to do that despite the negative consequences;
(b) it was wrong for this person to act in this way, despite the
fact that it was their moral duty to do so; or (b) this person
was mistaken about what their duty really was. Be
sure to back up your answer with argument and references to the
text. Discuss the positive and negative aspects of
deontological theory as it relates to another of the theories you
have encountered in this course.