ethical quandry

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
The point (and I do have one) is that situational ethics lend themselves to error.

Really? I'd argue the opposite. Ethics that don't take into account the current situation are doomed to be incorrect in some circumstances.

Originally posted by whodey
What about the pain of the prostitute? What if the prostitute were your daughter? What do you think that Christ would say to the prostitute or to the man in question?

You imply that a prostitute must suffer simply because she is a prostitute. I disagree.

If the prostitute were my daughter, I'd respect her choice.

I don't really care what Jesus would have said to them. Well, I suppose I'd be curious because it's Jesus, but I wouldn't put much weight on what he said simply because of who he was.

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
Sure: the equivalent of placing a few drops of water on his scorched tongue. To put a man who had caught fire out of his misery, you'd probably shoot him in the head, too, right?

I might shoot such a person, if he asked me to.

Originally posted by Bosse de Nage
How demanding are his needs?

Such scenarios could fall under some sort of community service scheme.

I forgot to mention that he has been suicidal, so his needs are rather immediate in terms of pain management. Because his incident with the prostitute was in the newspaper, none of the doctors in the community will help him out with his pain management.

Originally posted by XanthosNZ
Really? I'd argue the opposite. Ethics that don't take into account the current situation are doomed to be incorrect in some circumstances.

Contrarian.

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
Contrarian.

Would you put down a dog that was clearly suffering and would die within a finite time period (say between a day and 3 days)?

Originally posted by kirksey957
Here is my question: In this particular situation would it not be appropiate to enlist a volunteer prostitute (I know that is a contradiction in terms) to provide sexual favors so he can keep his pain medicine?

Give me your thoughts.

I'd rather just collect some money to get him more pain meds. That would be more appropriate IMO.

Even more appropriate would be spending time with him and giving him company and hope as he faces the last days of his life. The Christian message is one of everlasting hope in the face of worldly pain and reminding him that death is not the end, that he needn't despair.

Originally posted by lucifershammer
I'd rather just collect some money to get him more pain meds. That would be more appropriate IMO.

Even more appropriate would be spending time with him and giving him company and hope as he faces the last days of his life. The Christian message is one of everlasting hope in the face of worldly pain and reminding him that death is not the end, that he needn't despair.

Money cannot get him the meds as he needs the prescription.

Originally posted by kirksey957
Money cannot get him the meds as he needs the prescription.

In which case I'd probably just spend time with him and, to the best of my ability, give him some company and hope.

Originally posted by lucifershammer
In which case I'd probably just spend time with him and, to the best of my ability, give him some company and hope.

I'm doing that. I guess he's like most of us and wants to know that his "cup will runneth over" before he dies.

Originally posted by kirksey957
I'm doing that. I guess he's like most of us and wants to know that his "cup will runneth over" before he dies.

I'm not sure that's like most of us in the human race (though it might be in the West). Most of us have greater hope in the afterlife than your friend seems to have.

EDIT: I don't mean that as condemnation of your friend. Just that I sense a certain despair in his actions; perhaps he'd like to believe in the Christian promise (maybe that's why he accepts your company) but somehow has trouble doing so.

Originally posted by kirksey957
I visit a man who is in his 70's and is terminally ill. He has recently been trading his pain medication for sexual favors from a prostitute. In my organization we have volunteer that do a variety of services from cutting hair to just sitting with a patient while their family can go to the grocery store and run errands and such. They provide much neede ...[text shortened]... in terms) to provide sexual favors so he can keep his pain medicine?

Give me your thoughts.

Would you expect any of your relatives or friends to oblige?

Originally posted by Pawnokeyhole
Would you expect any of your relatives or friends to oblige?

I don't have any that are prostitutes, but as strange as this may seem, if I asked them to it would be violating patient confidentiality.

I have other interesting and complicating factors in this case that I may drop in at a later time.

Originally posted by XanthosNZ
Would you put down a dog that was clearly suffering and would die within a finite time period (say between a day and 3 days)?

There is a decisive difference betwixt a dog and a man.

Originally posted by FreakyKBH
There is a decisive difference betwixt a dog and a man.

Ah but now you are changing your answer based on the situation. That's situational ethics right there.