Drake's Theory Of Moral Status In Downton Abbey

The Declaration of Independence states, “we hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.” But, what does equal mean in the eyes of morality? Going back to Immanuel Kant and Jeremy Bentham, the study of moral theory is an attempt to provide systematic answers to questions about what to do and how to be (Foundations I notes). However, in order to answer the question of what to do, one must first answer the question of whose morality matters. In this essay, I explore theories of moral status in order to understand and describe what factors influence the lower-moral status of Drake, a character within the television show Downton Abbey. In doing so, I will identify enduing themes between the show and a JAMA article, “The association
In the show, Drake’s sociopolitical and socioeconomic status determined his lower-moral status. Dr. Clarkson made this point clear by telling Isobel, “we would be setting an impossible precedent when every villager could demand the latest treatment for each new cut and graze.” However, in contrast to the other characters, Isobel believed that Drake’s life mattered. For her, Drake’s social status as a farmer did not mean that he should receive inferior medical care. This point relates directly to a theme also found within the JAMA article, i.e., that there is a correlation between life expectancy and economic status. More specifically, that “life expectancy increases continuously with income” (Chetty, 2016, 1762). In the show, those whose income was high were willing to let Drake die (except for Isobel). A second theme, was the correlation between social cohesion and income inequality. While Isobel showed social cohesion (as did Dr. Clarkson after he agreed to do the procedure), the Countess and the Earl failed to think about Drake’s