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Demo Classroom Debate: Medical Ethics
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Selected claim, opposing its parent
According to utilitarian theories of justice healthcare should only be a universal right if it maximizes total utility.
Pros
Cons
Pro claim 1, children below
Utilitarianism is the best theory of justice because it provides maximum utility for the maximum number of people.
Con claim 1
The purpose of healthcare facilities is to improve people's physical health. Thus, the greater the number of people who can access healthcare, the greater the welfare or utility.
Con claim 2, children below
Maximal utility is an inadequate justification for universal human rights and well-being because it has the potential for denying healthcare to individuals with costly medical conditions.
Con claim 3
Rights grounded in justice have a weak foundation when they rest on overall utility maximization, because the balance of social utility can change at any time (Principle of Biomedical Ethics, p.255).