Imperative Summary : Kant Categorical Vaccines

Vaccination was first introduced globally for small pox and later on extended to other communicable diseases which are now known as vaccine preventable disease. Vaccination is beneficial both for individuals and community. This bring us to the ethical dilemma - Vaccination of a healthy child with the intention of protecting both the individual child and the community at the same time exposing the child to the theoretical risk of exposure to disease products whether live, attenuated or killed. There was a time when people never questioned the government or their physicians. Now because of more public awareness and accessibility to medical information, they are questioning the safety aspects of vaccines.

The attention coming from the Disneyland measles outbreak has brought up a controversial issue, something as preventable as measles spreading throughout the country because parents are uneasy about vaccinating their children from childhood diseases. The issue has many parents debating each other on what is right and wrong when it comes to vaccines and children. This hot topic has been all over the news in the last few months and has many parents standing their ground. Some parents feel doctors and the government pressure them to vaccinate, they believe vaccines are unnatural and can cause harm to a child later on. Others put faith in their child’s doctor and in vaccines without question, they were vaccinated so why

Looking at the childhood vaccination controversy gives one an in-depth view into one of the more obvious conflict between the society and the vaccine manufacturers. The controversy is whether the government can require parents to vaccinate their children. Many families do not wish to do so based on religious and other reasons. Some believe the risk of catastrophic side effects is too high. Several childhood diseases have been nearly eradicated in the United States because of the required immunizations such as polio, whooping cough, diphtheria, etc. Some mild side effects include fever and local inflammation at the site of the injection. Some children can have severe reactions, which include seizures, autistic type reactions, and death. Parents

Ever since the invention of the first smallpox vaccine more than two centuries ago, there has been plenty of controversy over the morality, ethics, effectiveness, and safety of vaccination and immunization. It has recently been argued whether laws should be introduced that render some or all vaccines obligatory for all children (Singer). Parents, health care specialists, nurses, teachers and children all have an important stake in this issue. Parents argue that it is they who should have the ultimate decision-making right on whether or not to vaccinate their children. Nurses and health care officials oppose that view on the grounds that by making vaccination rates in children incomplete, we expose all children to contracting the vaccine-preventable diseases. If this is a risk some parents are willing to take, but others face unwillingly, there is obviously a propitious platform for debate. It is in fact irresponsible and a violation of good citizen when parents oppose vaccinating their children. It is important to unify certain rules related to vaccination and not make it the prerogative of a particular public or private school to decide whether or not to accept an unvaccinated child. It would only be right to end all debate by passing a binding country-wide law to make certain vaccines (against

A person’s health can be one of the most important aspects in their life. When thinking about what can help one to remain healthy, vaccinations come to mind. Vaccinations, to many people, are a necessity to remain healthy. I know when I was younger I hated to get a shot, but when I think about it today I am glad my parents made me get them. My mother was a nurse, so she knew the importance of vaccinations. Unfortunately, in todays’ society some parents think vaccinations can be more harmful then helpful, therefore refusing to vaccinate their children. The articles “How Vaccines Protect Us All” by Harrison Wein and “Beliefs About Childhood Vaccinations is the United States: Political Ideology, False Consensus, and the Illusion of Uniqueness” by Mitchell Rabinowitz, Lauren Latella, Chadly Stern, and John Jost both talk about vaccinations as the main point. While both of the articles talk about the importance of vaccinations and how they should be required, the first article by Harrison Wein talks more about how vaccinations protect the community and the second article by Rabinowitz et al. talks about how parents have the control of their children’s vaccinations. However, both articles prove readers to believe vaccinations can help keep children safe and healthy.

Vaccine are a common topic in todays society, they are used in the medical field everyday and most people have had vaccines. Vaccines are used to prevent specific illnesses that the immune system might not be able to handle if not vaccinated. Most people assume that they are safe, and that they should be used by everyone, but is that really the case? There currently exists a debate over the safety of vaccines, and the possible dangers that they might pose. The debate consists of two sides, the Pro-Vaccine group, and the Anti-Vaccine group. The Pro-Vaccine group believes that vaccines are a good thing, and that we should use them. The Anti-Vaccine group believes that vaccines are a bad thing, and that we should not use them. Each group has their fair share of good points. In the standpoint of who’s winning that could go to the Pro-Vaccine group, they currently have more support in society and most people believe that vaccines are safe. But number do not always mean something is right, the Anti-Vaccine group can not be discredited just because they have less support. The Anti-Vaccine group has their fair share of valid points on the issue. The middle ground in-between these two sides is pretty clear, the option to opt-out of vaccines that might be mandatory, while would be a big win for the Anti-Vaccine group it still has yet to happen. The best solution would be to make vaccines mandatory in a way

“Opting out of vaccinations puts public health at risk and could lead to a resurgence of dangerous diseases” (USA Today 1). If parents decide to not vaccinate their children it may pose a risk to the public as well as their child. It is still debated that a parent should or should not have the right to decide whether their child is vaccinated. Parents should not have the decision to vaccinate their child or not because by not being vaccinated death is likely, the disease is easily transmitted to a child who is not of age to be vaccinated, and it is necessary to keep the public healthy.

Vaccines have decreased the mortality and suffering caused by infectious diseases. People who refuse to vaccinate take advantage of the large majority of people who do vaccinate, free-riding off of their immunity. As more people refuse vaccination, herd immunity starts to fail and this puts everyone at risk.” A great amount of people in the world who accept refusal of vaccinations as a right. Believing vaccinations pose danger and seem unsafe, some parents choose not to vaccinate their children. They do not realize if their children do not get vaccinated they may acquire an infectious disease that may not only make them sick, but could potentially kill them; also, it could infect other family members or other people in the community, and consequently produce an outbreak of the

A recent controversy has been, whether parents should or should not be permitted to opt their children out of required vaccinations. Parents should not be able to opt out of required vaccinations because they are beneficial and can cause serious risks if not taken. In “Refusing Vaccinations Puts Others At Risk”, Ronald Bailey remarks that parents are putting others at risk by not vaccinating their children. In the article “The Return of Measles”, Seth Mnookin stated as well, that by opting out of vaccinations, others can be put in jeopardy. Although there is also another side of this controversy with people who believe parents have a right to opt their children out of vaccinations. In an excerpt from “Vaccinations and Free Will”. Jeffrey A. Singer implies that people cannot be forced to have their child receive a vaccination. Finally, in “The Science is Not Settled”, Sandy Reider claims that vaccinations cause further harm than good. While Reider and Singer claim that parents should be able to opt out, it is clear that parents should not be able to opt out because it places others around them in danger.

The big issue is, does the government have the right to mandate immunization? We mandate that a child has to be in a car seat, that they can’t use alcohol, tobacco or drugs so should we mandate preventative protections. This is the ethical question, does the medical field, or the government have the “right” to force a parent to give their child immunizations for disease that can be prevented? This will be discussed for years and no matter what the decision is there will be people on both sides of the issue. Some will say that the government needs to “force” parents that will not take proper “care” of their child to immunize them or penalize them. Then the other side of the issue will say, we have rights and it is not the governments concern to force immunization. Whether you agree or disagree, the child is the major concern in the discussion. They have really no say in what happens, and they are forced to follow whatever their parents feel is the correct direction to follow, an infant cannot say “I want the immunization” or “I do not want the immunization” and the parent that feels that the immunization causes autism or some other type of disease or their religion is against immunization or other medical care have their rights and they are allowed to express what they believe is

Vaccination has strongly integrated into modern medicine, and several generations have grown up without being exposed to epidemics of rubella, whooping cough, measles, etc. However, during the recent decade an anti-vaccine movement has emerged, powered by the complaints and claims of parents in on the internet and videos associated with the supposed specific effects of vaccines. Many mothers choose not to immunize their kids, or refuse from certain vaccinations.

The advances in medicine, such as the discovery of vaccines has presented a tremendous impact on health, and prevented future epidemics. Despite its incredible benefits, the amount of parents choosing to refrain from vaccinating their children continues to increase. This controversial topic began in the early 1800s as a reaction to the widespread smallpox vaccination. The public’s reaction led to the study of vaccines, which has shown that failure to vaccinate would put people at a higher risk of contracting diseases. A risk that parents are willing to take because of their deep-rooted beliefs, which claim that vaccines harm more than they help. Parents should not be able to opt out of vaccines for their children because they are threatening

In Kant’s Fundamental Principles of the Metaphysics of Morals, Kant discusses morality to revolve around imperatives that remain true and applicable to all situations. Categorical imperatives are rules that must be followed regardless of one’s personal desires which may exemplify greed, power, money. Kant recognizes that these “abilities and traits can become extremely evil and destructive if the will behind these gifts of nature and the character they produce is not good” (13). Kant’s moral principles are based on a priori concepts that are based on reasoning and investigations. A priori reasoning encourages people to act out of duty with the reasoning that people do actions that reflect those duties.

Kant meaning of a “categorical imperative” indicates an outright, unlimited prerequisite that must be obeyed in all conditions and is advocated as an end in itself. Yes I agree that there are some actions that are unethical universally. Some of these actions would be things like murder, stealing, assault, and poverty. All of these actions are harmful to other individuals and the public. The benefits of disregarding the context of an action when evaluating whether it is ethical is the ability to use Kant Humanity formulation of the CI theory, which makes it easier to judge if a scenario was ethical or

The number of individuals who are unvaccinated or infected in the United States has increased (Sun). Vaccines recommended for children are crucial and result in fewer health risks and greater healthy lifestyles. Proponents agree that vaccines are safe and effective, while opponents disagree and believe that vaccines create more negative outcomes than positive ("Should Any Vaccines..."). Opponents attempt to influence and persuade the majority of individuals to stray away from their viewpoints relating to the encouragement of vaccinating children. The rising percentage of children and parents who reject immunization and protest safe vaccines indicate less triumph for sufficient immunization for the population. There are many detrimental risks that affect unvaccinated children, and supporting childhood vaccinations profoundly benefits each parent and child.