During World War II, Nazi scientists used concentration camp inmates as subjects

Question

During World War II, Nazi scientists used concentration camp inmates as subjects in several experiments. For example, to learn more about how long downed German pilots could survive immersion in the frigid North Sea, 300 camp inmates were forced to suffer submersion in tanks of ice cold water for long periods of time. Many of them died during the experiments.

Discuss whether the medical data – data that could potentially save hundreds of future lives—should be available to scientists and physicians. How would a utilitarian most likely respond to this issue?

Explanation / Answer

I would go with the Kantian ethics in this situation and not provide the medical data to stop any such experimentation in the future as killing people to save people in future is absolutely immoral. However a utilitarian will most likely respond to this issue by handing over the medical data as for him; a moral action is one that maximizes utility, or happiness, for the greatest number of people.

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