Ethics Cases

 

Case # 8
Responsibilities after Divorce
Category:
Family ethics

Case:
Elmer donated a pint of blood that his wife Doris needed during operation. Elmer and Doris were subsequently divorced. Several years after the divorce Elmer was in an accident and needed a pint of blood. His new wife, Cora, was of a different blood type, and thus could not contribute blood to Elmer. Doris still lived in the same area as Elmer, and there were no health-related reasons that would have prevented her from donating blood.

Was Doris morally obligated to donate a pint of blood to Elmer; “Yes,” “No,” or “It depends”? Whatever your response explain the reasoning behind it.

Notes:
Fourth Intercollegiate Ethics Bowl, APPE, 2/26/98

Author Information:
Author's Name Robert F. Ladenson
Author E-mail ladenson@iit.edu
Author's homepage http://www.iit.edu/departments/humanities/
Author's Institution Department of Philosophy Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), and Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT), and Faculty Associate, Center for the Study of Ethics in the Professions (IIT)
Institution Web site http://ethics.iit.edu/
Copyright 1998