Blog #5

   The movie "Gone Baby Gone" talks about consequentialism and ethical absolutism.
The Police Captain, Remy,  and Lionel all follow consequentialism. They think that after choosing something and analyzing the consequences they can judge what decision is more ethical.The Police Captain, Remy,  and Lionel come up with a plan to kidnap a girl named Amanda from a drug addicted mother, Doyle would then retire from his job and take care of this little girl they view this as an ethical choice in their own head. Lionel sees Heleen as a terrible mother undeserving of having Amanda so he passes judgement and believes that kidnapping Amanda and giving her to Police Captain Doyle would be more then suffice to take care of her niece.Consequentialism is the view that morality is all about producing a great outcome from the given problem.
   Ethical Absolutism is when and act is the same regardless of context,such as, a kidnapping will always remain unethical even if the consequence is amazing.In the movie ''Gone Baby Gone'' Patrick, the main character is seen to have ethical absolute values. He knows that Amanda will most likely have a better life with Doyle,but kidnapping her was the wrong thing to do whichever way the consequentialism characters view it. Consequentialism and ethical absolutism can be very controversial at times.For instance, A guy pulls a knife out on someone and they start fighting, the victim manages to grab the knife and ends up stabbing the antagonist. Consequentialism would believe that he used self defense and he is still alive making him a very lucky person,While ethical absolutism would just brand him as a murderer.
   In the movie "Gone Baby Gone" the predominant type of value was consequentialism. Patrick was the only absolutist, therefore the movie sees that most people would have chosen Amanda to be left with Doyle. After making his decision to send Amanda back to her mother, Patrick's girlfriend leaves him because she too believes in consequentialism. Patrick thought that Heleen might have a chance of changing due to the traumatic events but the ending shows she is still the same. Patrick lives with his decision and decides to babysit Amanda and check up on her from time to time because Heleen won't change. The movie shows a Ethical Absolutism answer with a negative consequence.