Research Paper on "Commercialization of Organ Transplants"

Research Paper 4 pages (1294 words) Sources: 3

[EXCERPT] . . . .

This is often ignored, but should be clearly addressed.

The Argument Against the Commercialization of Transplants

Those who argue against the commercialization of organs for transplantation, as does this research, do not accept the utilitarian argument for happiness of all as being a satisfactory reason for allowing the legal selling of organs. There are too many flaws in that argument to make it a logical one for this particular issue. Instead, those who believe that organs should not be sold for transplantation believe in a more Kantian approach. Kant believed that it was not necessary to know anything about the results of a particular choice in order to know that choice was not moral (Shaw, 2014).

With medical ethics, it is not always about the outcome of something, but about what would have to take place throughout the process, that makes it morally unacceptable (Brody, 1988). Yes, a person would receive money, and another person would receive an organ. On its surface, it appears to be an acceptable trade. Despite that, though, the trading of a part of oneself for cash seems, within its core, to be an immoral proposition (Epstein, 2009; Veatch, 1988). The organs that make up a person's physical body being for sale to the highest bidder really goes against everything human beings stand for in the majority of cases, and is not something that should be viewed in the same manner as selling a house, a car, clothing, or something inanimate in nature (Veatch, 1988).

Kant believed that the only thing that was good will (Shaw, 2014). In other words, even something like vast intelligence could not be good in and of itself. If that intelligence was held by an evil person, it would be a bad thing, and not to be prized or appreciated. With that in mind, there would not be a reason for people to get money for their organs. If they were truly exercising good will, they would give freely and not expect compensation -- much like they already do. By asking for (or even accepting) money for organs that are used for transplantation, these people would be removing good will from the equation and reducing the value of their organs to something that was only monetary, which does not have the same type of value.

Conclusion

Overall, it can be seen that there are strong arguments both for and against the commercialization of organ transplantation. Despite that, the argument that stands out clearly belongs to Kant, who offers up the belief that things done of good will are the only things that are truly moral in society. While organ transplantation is indeed done with good will, that would change if it were commercialized. There would still be people who would donate without asking for or accepting money, but there would be many more people who would sell their organs because they needed the money or because they simply wanted to make money. It would become just another part of the market.

That might make them happy at the time, and would certainly make the organ recipient happy if it prolonged his or her life, but it would not contribute to the moral fabric of society or the quality of doing good that Kant addressed. These things would be lost in the desire for more money, which is something capitalist nations already struggle with to some degree. Giving a part of one's body so that another person may live is a good act, but only if it is done with true good will toward the other person. There is no room in that for monetary gain.

References

Brody, B.A. (1988). Life and death decision making. NY: Oxford University Press.

Epstein, S. (2009). Inclusion: The politics of difference in medical research. IL: University of Chicago Press.

Shaw, W.H. (2014). Business ethics (8th ed.). NY: Cengage.… READ MORE

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