ETHC 445 Ethical Analysis on Immigration: Blanket Amnesty. DeVry University. Ethical Dilemma
Should “illegal aliens” be deported as they
... [Show More] are here in America breaking the law? The more ethical action should be to give blanket amnesty and allow undocumented immigrants to become citizens.
With the 2016 presidential campaign, more than ever immigrations has become the new topic for debate amongst the presidential candidates and the people. Immigration can date back to the early 1600’s with the beginning of colonial immigration. As time passed those considered “immigrants” began to receive unequal treatment in comparison to those already well established. Illegal aliens were now being treated as slaves and were traded throughout the world; segregation turned into an issue of the past, and we all were equal. After centuries of long suffering the mistreatment of illegals had vanished— but did the mistreatment really vanish? No, the abuse simply modified into a large discriminatory act against mainly, the Hispanics/Latinos. The ethical analyzation on this trending topic begins with the philosophical teachings of Aristotle, Saint Augustine, and Aquinas; furthermore the study of Locke, Hobbes, and Kant provide a deeper analysis of immigration in the United States; and is followed by the theories of utilitarianism and objectivism.
Aristotle, Greek Philosopher
Aristotle was a Greek philosopher that lived from 384-322 B.C.E. and studied under Plato. He was known for “making contributions to logic, metaphysics,
mathematics, physics, biology, botany, ethics, politics, agriculture, medicine, dance and theatre.”(Anonymous, n.d.). He wrote many papers concerning ethical and moral issues. How would he have felt about one of today’s hottest topics, immigration?
Aristotle’s Doctrine of the Mean
Whether you call them “illegal aliens”, “undocumented immigrants”, or another name, the fact of the matter is, they are in the country illegally. How we proceed in their treatment is where the ethical dilemma lies. Aristotle based ethics would say that there needs to be a middle ground, a morally acceptable place. “The core of Aristotle's account of moral virtue is his doctrine of the mean. According to this doctrine, moral virtues are desire-regulating character traits which are at a mean between more extreme character traits (or vices). ” (Anonymous, n.d.). [Show Less]