A  Brief History of Ethics in the Presence of a Pandemic

Curt Anderson

doi:10.21467/ajss.9.1.27-35

Authors

Curt Anderson Department of Biological Sciences, Idaho State University, Pocatello, ID 83209 https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7249-9371

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.21467/ajss.9.1.27-35

Abstract

The current COVID-19 pandemic has had a strong effect on individual liberty versus a consequentialist ideal of the greater good for societal norms. Rather than arguing for the current situation, I have chosen to take a historical approach to address the ethics of dealing with these health situations in the past. Ultimately, I conclude that, while at risk of individual liberty, a rule utilitarian approach, as backed up by epidemiolocal data suggests that a mandate for the greater good is more ethical than a simple approach to individual liberty.

Keywords:

COVID-19, Pandemic, Medical Ethics

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