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In Europe a woman was near death from a very special kind
of cancer. There was one drug that doctors thought might
save her. It was a form of radium that a druggist in the
same town had recently discovered. The drug was expensive to
make, but the druggist was charging ten times what the drug
cost him to make. He paid $200 for the radium and charged
$2,000 for a small dose of the drug. The sick woman's
husband, Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow the
money, but he could only get together about $1,000, which is
half of what it cost. He told the druggist that his wife was
dying, and asked him to sell it cheaper or let him pay
later. But the druggist said, "No, I discovered the drug and
I'm going to make money from it." So Heinz got desperate and
broke into the man's store to steal the drug for his wife.
Should Heinz have done that? Why?
(Stage 1) "You shouldn't steal the drug because
you'll be caught and sent to jail if you do. If you do get
away, your conscience would bother you thinking how the
police would catch up with you any minute."
(Stage 3) "No one will think you're bad if you
steal the drug, but your family will think you're an inhuman
husband if you don't. If you let your wife die, you'll never
be able to look anyone in the face again."
(Stage 4) "He should steal it. Heinz has a duty to
protect his wife's life; it's a vow he took in marriage. But
it's wrong to steal, so he would have to take the drug with
the idea of paying the druggist for it and accepting the
penalty (of) breaking the law later."
(Stage 5) "Although there is a law against
stealing, the law wasn't meant to violate a person's right
to life. . . . Heinz is justified in stealing in this
instance. If Heinz is prosecuted for stealing, the law needs
to be reinterpreted to take into account (certain)
situations. . . ."
(Stage 6) "If Heinz does not do everything he can
to save his wife, then he is putting some value higher than
the value of life. It doesn't make sense to put respect for
property above respect for life itself."
Stage I: Obedience orientation
Pro-stealing: If you let your wife die, you will
get in trouble. You will be blamed for not spending the
money.
Anti-stealing: You shouldn't steal because you will
be caught and will go to jail.
Stage 2: Instrumental orientation
Pro-stealing: The druggist should do what he wants
to make money and Heinz should do what he wants to save his
wife. She will do something nice in return for him in
return.
Anti-stealing: I know Heinz will be unhappy if his
wife dies, but he shouldn't steal because he will go to jail
and then he won't have a happy life anyway.
Stage 3: Interpersonal norms
Pro-stealing: No one will think you are bad if you
steal the drug, but your family will think you are cruel if
you don't. If you let your wife die, everyone will be
disappointed in you.
Anti-stealing: If you steal everyone will think you
are a criminal and you will bring dishonor to yourself and
to your family.
Stage 4: Social system morality
Pro-stealing: It's Heinz's duty to protect his
wife. It's a vow he took in marriage. But it's wrong
to steal. He will have to accept the penalty for
breaking the law.
Anti-stealing: It's natural for Heinz to want to save
his wife, but you can't go around breaking the law
regardless of how you feel or regardless of special
circumstances. If everyone started breaking the law
when they are in a jam, there'd be no civilization, just
crime and violence.
Stage 5: Social contract orientation
Pro-stealing: Although there is a law against
stealing, the law wasn't meant to violate a person's right
to life. Taking the drug does violate the law, but it is
justified here. The law should be changed or reinterpreted
so that it takes into account people's rights to medical
treatment.
Anti-stealing: -
Stage 6: Universal ethical principles
Pro-stealing: Heinz must have no higher value than
the value of life. It doesn't make sense to put
respect for property over respect for life. People can live
together without private property at all, but respect for
human life and dignity is absolute and people have a duty to
save others' lives.
Anti-stealing: -
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