Ethics: Activity 2

(Answers can be encoded or written on a sheet of paper)

Name: ROY B. DATUL Date: 10/10/2022

Yr. & Sec.: CE-4DTRA Score: _________
The Case of Heinz
Heinz was a typical middle-class individual. His wife has a dreadful disease that only
gives her a few more months to live. Doctors are confident that a novel drug, just created and
offered for sale by a large pharmacy, would only save her wife. Heinz went to the pharmacy to
get the drug but was charged 100,000 pesos even though the drug's actual manufacturing cost is
just 15,000 pesos. Heinz borrowed money from friends and lenders, but in the end, he could only
recoup 50,000 pesos. Heinz pleaded with the greedy drug dealer repeatedly to reduce the price of
the drug, but he refused. Heinz was left with no option at this point but to steal the drug from the
pharmacy if he wants to save his wife. Do you think Heinz should steal the drug?
To Do: For each stage of moral development, give examples of possible answers on why
Heinz should or should not steal the drug. Take note that your answer must be in
accordance with the moral reasoning specific for each stage. (30 pts.)

Stage 1:
Powerful authorities hand down a fixed set of rules that we must unquestioningly obey.
To Heinz dilemma, he should not steal the drug because it is against the law and it is bad. Heinz
will be penalized if he steals the medicine.

Stage 2:
At this stage, I think Heinz was justified in stealing the medication because the drug
seller was unwilling to negotiate fairly; it appeared as though the seller was attempting to rip off
Heinz. The drug seller was greedy for profit and did not take other people's standing into
account

Stage 3:
Good behavior means having good motives and interpersonal feelings such as love,
empathy, trust, and concern for others. So, Heinz was right to steal the drug because he was a
good man for wanting to save her wife. His intentions were good, and I don't think any husband
should sit back and watch his wife die.
And honestly, I believe that it was really the druggist's fault, he was unfair, trying to overcharge
and letting someone die. Heinz loved his wife and wanted to save her. Everyone would, in my
opinion, do the same.

Stage 4:
As a citizen, we have to obey laws, respect authority, and perform our duties so that the
we can maintain social order. In response to Heinz story, I understand that Heinz's motives were
good, but we should not condone the theft. What would happen if we all started breaking the
laws whenever we felt we had a good reason? The result would be chaos and society couldn't
function. Therefore, in this stage, Heinz should not steal.

Stage 5:
I believe that Heinz's wife's right to life is a moral right that must be protected, so Heinz
has a justification for stealing the drug. Furthermore, it is the husband's responsibility to save
his wife. Every other standard you could use to judge his actions pales in comparison to the fact
that his wife's life is in danger. Additionally, we must believe that life is more essential than
material possessions.

Stage 6:
Heinz would be placing some value above the worth of life if he did not try everything in
his power to save his wife. Respecting property more than respecting life itself is illogical.
Without any private property, we could coexist. We owe one another a duty to prevent death
because we have an unwavering respect for human life and personality.