King 1

Scott King
Mr. Hiltbrunner
UC-410
20 November 2015
UC-410 Assessment
In the hypothetical situation in which I encounter a Utilitarian as well as a Kantian and
share my theoretical desire to sell one of my kidneys to help ease the pressure of my student loan
debt, I suppose they would have very different responses.
The first individual I confront with my predicament is the Utilitarian, who I suppose
would support my decision to sell my kidney. The Utilitarian would agree because as far as hes
concerned, the greatest numbers of people are attaining happiness, utilitarianisms universal law.
By donating my kidney, I will be happy for the burden of student debt will be lifted off my
shoulders. After all, I only absolutely need one kidney, and so selling off the other is possible as
it is technically expendable. The bank and government will also be happy with this decision, as
my student loan debt that I owe each is being paid forward. Additionally, the recipient of my
donated kidney will be happy as he or she can maintain their life due to accepting my muchneeded kidney. If my kidney is donated for the purpose of research, then the scientists would be
both grateful and happy as well as they have another subject with which to conduct their studies.
As far as the Utilitarian is concerned, I believe he would be supportive of my decision as it
presents an every-body-wins scenario.
If I were to encounter a Kantian, I believe he would be much less approving of my
decision to sell my kidney. For a Kantian, to determine the morality of an action, one must act
accordingly with the categorical imperative. The categorical imperative asserts that we should act
only on that maxim whereby we cannot simultaneously will that the action should become
universal law. In the act of selling a kidney, many would find much controversy. Although selling

King 2
my kidney to help pay off my student loan debts may be proper reasoning for me, others might
sell their kidneys for wrong reasons. As a healthy male with a burdensome debt, my health can
afford the absence of a second kidney. However, that is not to say that I may have health and
kidney difficulties in the future, in which the second kidney is necessary for my survival. In this
hypothetical scenario, now as opposed to looking to sell my kidney, I am in search of one that I
may not even find. Selling my kidney as a young, healthy male may seem like a good idea for
me, it may not be proper for older or younger generations to do the same. Due to this fact, the act
of selling my kidney cannot be applied to universal law and consequently is immoral in the
Kantians view.
Each individual, the Utilitarian and the Kantian, would present interesting arguments to
my moral predicament. However, ultimately I would have to side with the Kantian as kidney
donations risks outweigh its benefits.