Refer back to the ethical philosophies you have learned about in this course – especially those introduced to you in Session One.
In your assigned Group Thread apply the critical thinking short template to the issue of Love in Cincinnati case below, answering the 3 questions at the end of the below story.
Be sure to include at least one citation explaining at least one key concept with a citation to the textbook (from any of the week’s readings).
ONLY ONE post to respond to the above is needed this week This is to allow you time to complete the course evaluation located on your My ASU page under Teaching and Student Support Tools > Course Evalautions.
Read the below and address the questions at the end and the 4 items listed above:
Love in Cincinnati
By John Fischer with slight additions by Marsha Gould
It happened a long time ago, when there was only one bridge across the Ohio River between Cincinnati and Covington, Kentucky. Not far from the Cincinnati end of this bridge lived a lovely young woman who was married to an eminent but elderly manufacturer of machine tools. She discovered after a few years that he was more interested in the turret lathes than in her, and…deplorably, but not surprisingly she began to look about for solace. She was raised as the only child of two adoring parents, whose unsatisfactory marriage had caused them to focus all their attention on her. While growing up she had rarely been alone and had never had to struggle for anything.
Eventually she became involved with a handsome young sportsman who bread and trained race horses on a farm near Covington. There she paid him frequent afternoon visits…always taking care to get back before her husband returned from the office.
One spring day she started her drive back to Cincinnati about 4:00 p.m. When she reached the bridge she found that a flood was sweeping down the Ohio River…as so often happens at that time of year. Foamy brown water was swirling across the floor planking, and the pilings shook as if they might give way any moment.
The only other way across was a ferry about a mile downstream. She hurried there and found, to her immense relief that the boat was still running. Then when she looked in her purse for a dollar to pay the fare, she saw that she had forgotten to bring any money. That didn’t worry her much at first; surely the ferryman would trust her ‘til tomorrow. But he wouldn’t. He explained that he just worked there; he would be glad to let her ride free if the decision were his own…but the man who owned the boat had given him strict instructions not to grant credit to anyone. If he broke this rule, he certainly would be fired. Sorry…
The woman then drove as fast as she could back to her lover’s house and asked him for a dollar. To her astonishment, he too refused. “Don’t you see,” he said,” that if the question of money ever enter into our relationship…even a single dollar…everything would be changed. I love you far too much to that. You may think me ridiculously idealistic, but if you insist on demanding money from me I can never see you again.”
Once more she drove away from the farm, this time trembling with rage… a rage of fury at her lover, and of fear for the wrath of her husband. She headed for the bridge, determined to force her way across in spite of hell and high water. The car was washed off, of course. Her body was never found.
Which ethical theories best describes why each person in this story made their choices?
What one thing might you do yo try to prevent the loss of life in this story?
Explain the ethical theory supporting your response for question 2.