Ethics during Coronavirus Pandemic

What are the ethics around the coronavirus? What would the different ethical theories have to say about our rights and responsibilities, both as individuals and as a society, in these times? Is hoarding egoistic or just selfish? What virtues are required and what vices should be avoided? Social distancing seems like an obviously utilitarian practice, but what about the economy? What does it look like to treat other people as ends in this situation and what is and isn’t universalizable as a maxim. Is there a risk to our civil rights with curfews, quarantines, racial and social stigmatization, and general mass hysteria? How can you care for yourself, your friends and family, and others?

Authors and journalists are filling the internet with ideas about what we should do and how we should behave in these times. Do research. You will find that, consciously or not, many authors are working from a basis of one of the ethical theories you have studied. Don’t just look at the egoistic, “how do I survive this” articles. And avoid weirdos’ blogs, etc.! Find examples of ethical claims made in accordance with the theories we’ve learned.

Don’t read yourself into paranoia. Take a step back when you need to and get some perspective. But take this seriously, it is important.