HU 245 Unit 9 Assignment

HU245 Unit 9 Assignment

Purdue University Global

I would like to address option b, the specific question of “Should a consumer avoid purchasing products made with palm oil?’, is a matter of personal ethics. If Kantianism is applied, then the duty of humankind would dictate that palm oil use would not be justified in these circumstances. The destruction of rainforest habitat is not reflective of the duty of humans to be stewards of the Earth. Also, Divine Command Theory also comes into play, since the Christian Bible in Genesis 2:15 states “The Lord God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and keep it”.

The opposing theories of this palm plantation approach could lie within the Ethical Egoism Theory of Ethics that states that “good” is what promotes individuals, in this case the corporations, long-term interests. Since it is the corporation’s long-term interests to supply palm oil to the masses as an ingredient in a wide-ranging variety of goods. It could be noted that the palm plantations are still contributing to the Earth due to the planting of the palm trees. This may also involve a second theory of ethics, Prima Facie Duties, that states “At first glance” approach is a guide to most ethical dilemmas. At first glance these palm plantations and the harvesting of palm oil creates commerce and jobs for many people, while on the other side look at what poor quality of life we are raging upon the Indonesian citizens.