Development Ethics: Ethical Questioning And Its Place In International Development

Author

Miriam Elizabeth Abadie

Date of Award

2008

Document Type

Undergraduate Thesis

Department

Philosophy and Religion

First Advisor

Robert Barnard

Relational Format

Dissertation/Thesis

Abstract

Development Ethics is a field of applied ethics that deals with the ethical questions involved in international development work. This study highlights one basic question that a development ethicist might tackle: Do we, a wealthy nation, have an obligation to help poor nations? To respond to this question, I consider and respond to Gairett Hardin’s Lifeboat Ethics analogy to argue that we do have this obligation. To further demonstrate that we do have an obligation to the poor, I highlight three different moral theories: Utilitarianism, Kantian Ethics, and Care Ethics. It is important to understand that Development Ethics, while based in philosophy, is also a practical discipline. Therefore. I considered three models for ethically infoiTned international development: the Peace Corps. International Remittances, and the World Health Organization’s (WHO) DOTS program.

Recommended Citation

Abadie, Miriam Elizabeth, "Development Ethics: Ethical Questioning And Its Place In International Development" (2008). Honors Theses. 1937.
https://egrove.olemiss.edu/hon_thesis/1937

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