Resource: “Terri Schiavo’s Parents” news clip
· Due Date: Day 4 [Main forum]
· View the CNN Pipeline news clip located on aXcess for Week Eight.
· Post your response to the following: State your stance on the Terri Schiavo case, and
identify the moral value judgment that influenced you to choose your stance.
· An example of a stance is, “Terri Schiavo should have been allowed to live, despite her
persistent vegetative state.” An example of a moral value judgment is, “No person’s death
should be decided by another—people should die naturally.”
· An example of moral relativism could be that American culture accepts many religious
standpoints, making it difficult for its citizens to agree on the religious morality of the issue
brought to light by Terri Schiavo and her family.
· Moore and Parker (2007) define utilitarianism as the belief that “…if an individual can feel
pleasure and pain, then he or she deserves moral consideration” (p. 425). Consider that
many proponents of both sides of the Shiavo case thought they had Terri’s best interests
in mind—a moral consideration.
· Discuss with your classmates how moral relativism and utilitarianism apply to this issue.
What do you think?
Should Terri Schiavo have been allowed to linger as a virtual vegetable for 15 years?
We'll be happy to comment on your answers.