It has been claimed that an action is morally good only if it benefits another person and was performed with that intention; whereas an action that harms another person is morally bad either if such harm was intended or if reasonable forethought would have shown that the action was likely to cause harm.
Which one of the following judgments most closely confirms to the principle cited above?
Passage deals with morally good action for helping others or with that intention and bad action for harming others or with a forethought for likely harm was given. It, however, doesn't overlaps between the two schools of thoughts. What if good action was intended but instead bad happens or vice-a-versa?
(A) Pamela wrote a letter attempting to cause trouble between Edward and his friends; this action of Pamela's was morally bad, even though the letter, in fact, had an effect directly opposite from the one intended. - WORNG. Exactly what passage says but turns in direction it never covers. We don't know what if opposite happens of the intended action.
(B) In order to secure a promotion, Jeffery devoted his own time to resolving a backlog of medical benefits claims; Jeffrey's action was morally good since it alone enabled Sara's claim to be processed in time for her to receive much-needed treatment. - WRONG. Totally different action, intention and results are considered.
(C) Intending to help her elderly neighbor by clearing his walkway after a snowstorm, Teresa
inadvertently left ice on his steps; because of this exposed ice, her neighbor had a bad fall, thus showing that morally good actions can have bad
consequences. - WRONG. Red flag is consequences. Even if Teresa forethought, it is difficult to establish the timing(which we are concerned though) of neighbor's fall - the fall could not have foreseen, it can happen with or without forethought. The word inadvertently helps us to solidify our reasoning that this option is wrong.
(D) Marilees, asked by a homeless man for food, gave the man her own sandwich; however, because the man tried to talk while he was eating the sandwich, it caused him to choke, and thus Marilees unintentionally performed a morally bad action. - WRONG. Two actions are there which cause the option to go in direction not covered in the passage. Man's actions is also a contributor for his choke.
(E) Jonathan agreed to watch his three-year-old niece while she played but, becoming engrossed in conversion, did not see her run into the street where she was hit by a bicycle; even though he intended no harm, Jonathan's action was morally bad. - CORRECT. A forethought was missing thus causing harm to the child.
Answer E.
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