Introduction
The film, My Sister’s Keeper, explores the lives of the Fitzgerald family, their relationships with one another, and their dynamic as a family. Kate, who is terminally ill with acute promyelocytic leukemia, was diagnosed as a small child, and Anna, who was genetically developed and born only with the sole purpose of helping save her sister’s life. Anna is suing her parents for medical emancipation, who want to force her to continue to donate her body parts to her sick sister. Their mother, Sara, has the most conflict with the lawsuit and sees Anna as being selfish and inconsiderate, but unbeknownst to them, these are Kate’s wishes, as she is tired and ready to die (Cassavetes, 2009)
The characters’ actions in the film have many ethical dilemmas and many actions that were displayed that were both morally right and wrong. The ethical theories discussed in this paper are Utilitarianism, Kantian or Deontological ethicism, and the Social Contract Theory, which are all relevant to this film.
Ethical analysis of moral values and their guidance.
In the film, the parents of Anna and Kate are in a social contract with their daughters based on Kate’s dependence on Anna’s noncancerous genes to be used to save Kate’s life. Using a utilitarian approach, the Fitzgerald parents created Anna to be able to donate to her sister to prevent her sister from dying and causing the whole family despair. Utilitarianism is a consequentialist philosophy that determines the morality of an action according to its forthcoming effects. A utilitarian may contend that Anna’s organ donation to Kate under the circumstances of My Sister’s Keeper is ethically correct since it would save Kate’s life and result in the most significant benefit for the greatest number of individuals. Kate’s parents, Sara and Brian, prioritize preserving Kate’s life because they think it would make the family happier and more elated. This aligns with utilitarian ideas, which aim to maximize happiness for as many people as possible, in this case, the larger family population. They prioritize Kate’s health and see Anna’s job as a donor as a way to get there. The demands and procedures Anna had to go through for Kate caused tremendous suffering for the family; as a result, the idea is sort of irrelevant. If Kate wanted to die, a utilitarian would stop using Anna’s body parts to keep her alive. Most characters in the movie and the public wanted Kate to be happy, even if it meant that she would die since she would do so gently and happily.
The Kantian or Deontological is a non-consequentialist philosophy that evaluates an action’s morality based on its conformity to specific moral standards or responsibilities. The philosopher Kant posited that no action can be adjudged moral if there is no freedom present. It may be argued in My Sister’s Keeper that Anna’s donation of her organs to Kate would be ethically wrong since it would be in breach of her right to bodily autonomy. A deontological approach to this analysis would acknowledge that Anna was treated as a means to an end, not a rational agent (Dimmock & Fisher, 2017). Anna’s avowal of her autonomy comes into conflict with the duty to potentially save her sister’s life, as perceived by her parents and medical professionals. According to Kantian ethics, Katie should get what she wants irrespective of the repercussions since doing it ethically would allow her to pass away without pain. Furthermore, it would go against Anna’s parents’ desires by allowing her control over her body.
According to the Social Contract Theory, morality is founded on the implicit agreement that individuals make with one another in order to survive in a community. In this case, a proponent of the social contract theory would contend that Anna’s parents’ request for her to donate her organs to Kate is ethically wrong because it goes against the implicit promise that parents make to their children to safeguard their rights and interests. Utilizing another individual for one’s advantage would be immoral because it goes against societal standards. According to this view, it is immoral for the family in the film to utilize a savior sister.
Moral values in the film, specifically related to Anna, were that she was loyal to her sister and brave enough to stand up for herself. The film also presented fairness and equality in their tragic situation. Anne demonstrated bravery and tenacity when she attempted to sue her parents to keep herself and her body safe. This demonstrates Anna’s fearlessness in front of her mother and father. Love and affection are intense feelings of affection for friends, neighbors, and family. In this movie, Mother continually puts Kate’s needs first, whatever they may be (Cassavetes, 2009).
Additionally, they seem not to care much about Anne as she is seen as a tool to save Kate. Honesty is the inner fortitude and assurance produced by integrity and exactness. Anna is adamant that carrying out her mother’s desires always hurts her. No one, including her parents, could relate to her because Kate was the focus of their attention rather than her. Loyalty to our families, jobs, states, schools, organizations, and other institutions is owed to us. Despite having to clean up vomit or blood, Anna is very concerned about her sister’s health and takes care of Kate with a sense of duty.
Moral conflicts in the film
Moral conflicts were evident in the parents’ uneven treatment of their children. The parents put Kate’s health and medical requirements ahead of Anna’s independence. They assumed Anna would be comfortable with the lengthy and occasionally challenging medical procedures and did not ask her permission. The resulting moral dilemma significantly impacted the family relationships. On the one hand, the parents’ moral obligation to heal their sick child was a reflection of their unwavering love and parental duty. However, Anna’s autonomy and the ability to control her body were violated, creating a significant moral quandary. The ethical challenges of juggling parental duties with their children’s unique rights and aspirations were highlighted by this dispute, presenting essential questions.
The movie wrestles with the moral conundrum of creating a human for another person’s benefit while removing that person’s freedom to choose. In these circumstances, moral principles are seen to be in conflict. The parents’ overwhelming desire to save Kate contrasts with Anna’s wish to establish her autonomy and the idea that persons who articulate their desires and needs are rational beings and should be treated as such. The moral dilemma at the center of the narrative is profound and moving because it is further exacerbated by the ethical rule that it is immoral to prioritize the interests of one person over those of another.
Without her permission, Anna’s parents make a lot of decisions affecting her life, such as asking her to give her organs and choosing to have her produced as a savior sibling. This calls into question the appropriate level of parental involvement in their children’s lives. Some could contend that even if it entails making decisions for their children, parents also have a moral duty to safeguard them. Others may contend that parents ought not to make decisions for their children without their permission since they have a right to self-determination.
This movie raises complex moral dilemmas, such as the morality of a terminally sick patient’s right to choose death. The question of why Kate’s doctor recommended having a “designer baby” but not euthanasia is a query that has been raised (Cassavetes, 2009). Various moral questions are raised by the issue of terminally ill people’s ability to choose death. Kate was not given the chance or encouragement to put an end to her misery. For the most portion of the movie, it is evident that her parents ignored her suffering. Kate wanted to pass away gently, but Sara did not appreciate or respect that (Bianchi & Schroskey, 2014). Despite Kate’s feelings about wanting to die, Sara thought it was crucial to act morally. For Kate to pass away with honor, she had to go to great lengths.
Reflection
The exercise has shown the variety of ethical viewpoints and the significance of taking into account many views when tackling complicated moral and ethical dilemmas. The movie offers a beautiful chance to consider the moral conundrum of utilizing savior siblings and using the life of one to save another. According to the ethical theory used in each set of analysis, the parents’ conduct in the movie can be viewed as ethical or immoral. This is demonstrated by studying the issue from multiple ethical perspectives ranging from theories of utilitarianism, Kantian or Deontological ethicism, and the Social Contract Theory.
Personally, I feel that this research has shown how important making ethical decisions is in both professional and personal life. It has stressed the necessity of striking a balance between personal autonomy and moral obligations, taking actions into account, and communicating openly and honestly when faced with tough decisions. In my professional life, I may put these ideas into practice by thinking about ethical standards and seeking agreement when making decisions that affect others. These insights help me overcome difficult moral conundrums in my daily life and make sure that my actions are consistent with my moral principles and obligations to others. Ethical analysis presents a beneficial foundation for making educated and ethically sound decisions in numerous aspects of life.
References
Cassavetes, N. (Director). (2009). My sister’s keeper [Film]. Warner
Bros. https://www.amazon.com/My-Sisters-Keeper-Cameron-Diaz/dp/B0093QJATE/ref=sr_1_1?keywords=my+sisters+keeper+movie&qid=1692586050&s=instant-video&sprefix=my+sis%2Cinstant-video%2C194&sr=1-1
Dimmock, M., & Fisher, A. (2017). Kantian ethics. In Open Book
Publishers (Ed.), Ethics for a-level (pp. 31–47). Open Book
Publishers. https://books.openbookpublishers.com/10.11647/obp.0125/ch2.xhtml#_idText Anchor100Opens a new window
Dimmock, M., & Fisher, A. (2017). Utilitarianism. In Open Book Publishers (Ed.), Ethics for a-level (pp. 52–54). Open Book Publishers. https://books.openbookpublishers.com/10.11647/obp.0125/ch1.xhtml#_idTextAnchor037
Bianchi, S. A., & Schroskey, K. M. (2014). My Sister’s Keeper: An Exploration of Ethical Issues. https://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1337&context=honorsprojects
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