Are reason and emotion equally necessary in justifying moral decisions Essay Example

an expert who does not have personal interest in the matter. Such a person can give an objective, unbiased view of the whole situation.

Real life issues "Terri" Schiavo Dealing with the matter of life is a very serious matter. With regard to the case of Terri Schiavo and the matter of removing the feeding tube, it is very important to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of the situation. ( Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) Theresa Marie "Terri" Schiavo was diagnosed to have persistent vegetative state (PVS) and 15 years of institutionalization after suffering respiratory and cardiac arrest. The condition caused her to suffer significant brain damage and made her dependent on a feeding tube for sustenance.

Her husband Michael Schiavo petitioned to have her feeding tube removed, however, the petition was opposed by Terri’s parents. Court investigations revealed that Terri did not wish to continue her life in such a state. A legal battle ensued on whether or not her life was to be prolonged or not considering the state of her health until she expired on March 31, 2005. ( Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) In deciding on to whether to continue caring for Terri or ending her life, Terri’s welfare, the quality of her life, and her dignity should be the utmost priority.

This decision should not be clouded by emotion as emotion can be a persuasive but misleading. In this case, emotion was the factor that made Michael Schiavo and her parents make their decisions despite the fact that their opinions where on extreme opposite ends. Michael was overcome with pity and could not bear to see his wife live the rest of her life on

a tube, while her parents could not bear the thought of their daughter’s life ending right before their eyes. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) Hong Kong Queen’s Pier removal The Queen’s Pier in Hong Kong was closed in April 26,2007.

The place was a famous landmark and the news of the closure to give way to the Central and Wan Chai Reclamation, was naturally met with numerous protests from different sectors of society. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) The Pier is a reminder of HongKong’s British history as a result of its previous colonization by Great Britain. It is greatly loved by the people so much so that it has become a part of their lives. It is also an important historical landmark being that it served as the official disembarkation site of the members of the British Royal Family whenever they came to visit.

Although the Pier’s was built primarily for ceremonial and aesthetic purposes, to the people of Hong Kong, it has become more than a tourist attraction. It has become a part of their cultural identity. As a result, many conservationist groups came out to protest the closure of the well-loved Queen’s Pier but to no avail. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) The people of Hong Kong who protested the closure of the Queen’s Pier had clearly grown emotionally attached to the familiar sight. Their emotions had distracted them from the noble purpose of closing down the pier which was to reclaim the area.

The expansion was supposed to bring in more opportunities for employment and commerce for HongKong. (Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) In this case emotion had clouded the decision of the people who wanted to preserve

the pier. However, they had very good reason to protest the pier’s closure. In the end, they had to give way to fulfill the purpose of a greater good. Despite the efforts of people who had grown to love the pier, it had to give way to facilitate a land reclamation project in Central, HongKong. ( Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia)

Presently, the reclamation project that was once the Queen’s Pier is continuously hounded by controversies. What was once a bastion of cultural pride and history has become the bone of legal contentions. Conclusion It is important to keep an objective view and keep the focus of the goal. This is especially true when making business decisions. However, it is also essential that one keep within the standards of moral behavior in doing so. Therefore, it is also important to listen to one’s intuition because there are certain things that one can instinctively deduce. The right combination of emotion and reasoning makes for a sound decision.