Should Parenting Require a License
Should Parenting Require a License?
Crystal Mathews
SOC120: Introduction to Ethics & Social Responsibility
Instructor: Russell Tompkins
September 12, 2011
Should Parenting Require a License? Raising a child is probably the most important thing a person will ever do in life. Yet we constantly hear stories of child abuse and neglect. What makes a good parent? Is it the money you earn? How about fancy schools? In liberal societies many people decide whether or not they wish to become parents. One of the key questions in making this decision is, what kind of parent will I be? Parenting skills range from excellent all the way to nonexistent. Do you think people with low parenting skills have the right to have children? This has been an issue for years. Many people argue that in order to have children one should require a parenting license. Others say that it’s in-just to require a license for something that is “our right”. There are many different ethical theories such as utilitarianism that would say you should require a license to parent, but an alternative perspective much like ethical relativist say having children is up to one's own ethical standards. You cannot end a life. Depending on your beliefs, this is free to a bit of leeway. Abortion, euthanasia, or what have you. Murder is very clearly a big no, and manslaughter is a mixed bag, usually left at the discretion of a judge and/or jury. Whether it is to protect yourself or others, accidentally or deliberately, knowingly or otherwise, ending life is not allowed. In the cases where it is, war, policing, etc., the ending of a life is fraught with psychological and emotional problems. So if ending life is such a big deal, why is starting it treated so liberally? A person can never pick who they want their parents to be, so why should they have to suffer the consequences of individuals who may not even want to spend an entire evening together, never mind a lifetime? Due to biological
Crystal Mathews
SOC120: Introduction to Ethics & Social Responsibility
Instructor: Russell Tompkins
September 12, 2011
Should Parenting Require a License? Raising a child is probably the most important thing a person will ever do in life. Yet we constantly hear stories of child abuse and neglect. What makes a good parent? Is it the money you earn? How about fancy schools? In liberal societies many people decide whether or not they wish to become parents. One of the key questions in making this decision is, what kind of parent will I be? Parenting skills range from excellent all the way to nonexistent. Do you think people with low parenting skills have the right to have children? This has been an issue for years. Many people argue that in order to have children one should require a parenting license. Others say that it’s in-just to require a license for something that is “our right”. There are many different ethical theories such as utilitarianism that would say you should require a license to parent, but an alternative perspective much like ethical relativist say having children is up to one's own ethical standards. You cannot end a life. Depending on your beliefs, this is free to a bit of leeway. Abortion, euthanasia, or what have you. Murder is very clearly a big no, and manslaughter is a mixed bag, usually left at the discretion of a judge and/or jury. Whether it is to protect yourself or others, accidentally or deliberately, knowingly or otherwise, ending life is not allowed. In the cases where it is, war, policing, etc., the ending of a life is fraught with psychological and emotional problems. So if ending life is such a big deal, why is starting it treated so liberally? A person can never pick who they want their parents to be, so why should they have to suffer the consequences of individuals who may not even want to spend an entire evening together, never mind a lifetime? Due to biological
References: Bernard G. Prusak. (2010). What are parents for?: Reproductive ethics after the nonidentity problem Cassidy, L. (2006). That many of us should not parent. Hypatia, 21(4), 40-57. Retrieved from http://muse.jhu.edu/journals/hypatia/v021/21.4cassidy.html Lafollette, Hugh (1980) pp. 182-97Retrieved 9/5/2011, 2011, from http://www.hughlafollette.com/papers/lic-par.htm Mosser, K. (2010). Introduction to ethics and social responsibility. San Diego, Bridgepoint Education, Inc National child abuse statistics | childhelp Retrieved 9/5/2011, 2011, from http://www.childhelp.org/pages/statistics Westman, Jack. (2001) Licensing Parents: Can We Prevent Child Abuse and Neglect.