ETHC 445 Week 2 Essay Analysis Ethical Dilemmas and Religion

Ethical Dilemmas and Religion Natasha Barhum Chamberlain University ETHC455N- Principles of Ethics Professor Richards The intersection of ethics and religion significantly influences our moral debates, especially when it comes to personal autonomy, biotechnology, and sexuality. In this essay, I will explore two contemporary ethical dilemmas: John Doe’s decision to clone himself and Jane Doe’s journey of coming out in a religious household. By examining these scenarios through the lenses of emotivism and divine command ethics, we can better understand how emotions and religious beliefs shape our views on morality. John Doe and the Ethics of Cloning John Doe faces a challenging situation. Unable to conceive a child through traditional means, he considers cloning as a way to create a biological connection with a child. Ethically, this decision revolves around his desire for autonomy and the emotional need to have a child who shares his genetic makeup. From an emotivist perspective, moral decisions are rooted in personal feelings rather than objective truths. John’s choice to clone himself reflects his deep emotional desire to become a father. According to emotivism, there is no absolute right or wrong in this decision; it simply represents his emotional approval of the cloning process (Rachels & Rachels, 2019). On the other hand, divine command ethics presents a contrasting viewpoint. This framework suggests that morality is determined by God’s will. Many religious traditions view cloning as a violation of divine law, arguing that it interferes with the natural process of creation. If John’s faith teaches that life should only begin through divinely sanctioned means, then cloning could be seen as morally unacceptable. In this context, embracing his sterility might be seen as part of a divine plan, making the act of cloning ethically problematic. Jane Doe and Sexual Identity Jane Doe, an eighteen-year-old, is grappling with her sexual identity while trying to reconcile her feelings with her family