Option 1—Male Circumcision and Children’s Rights

Consider the following case:

MC is a practice found world-wide. It is found among Muslims, Jews, Christians, and followers of African religions as well as in secular communities, and there are various reasons given for the practice. Over the last 10 years there has been a drop in this procedure across Canada and the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons does not recommend it.
Suppose some parents take their infant son to see a physician in Canada with a request for the procedure. Assume that these are new immigrant parents from a culture in which male circumcision is the cultural norm. How should we balance in this case respect for diversity of beliefs and cultures with a concern for the patients’ best interests? Each of the following ethical values and principles can be applied to this issue:

1. Beneficence—the welfare of the patient, or patient interests
2. Respect for cultures and religious faiths—cultural and religious sensitivity
3. Parental rights—the right to shape their children’s lives as they see fit: is there a limit here?
4. Human rights: what rights are being violated, if any?
5. Professional integrity and competence—the right of healthcare professionals to offer services that agree with their own codes of ethics

A) What action might each item justify ethically? For example, if one thinks of the issue in terms of the welfare of the patient, one might think it would be best for him if…..If one wants to show cultural sensitivity one might argue… If one looks at the issue from the point of view of the parents, one might argue… If one looks at the issue from the point of view of human rights violations, one might argue… If one looks at the issue from the point of view of the physician and their codes of ethics, one might think he/she should…. Somewhere in this section briefly explain MC and reasons given for it.
(Section A: Write 450 words).

B) What do you think the physician should do?
* Compare and contrast the case of MC with FC, saying how they are similar and dissimilar; and then after this exploration say what you think the physician should do in the case of MC.

**Think of at least two significant objections to your position—What could someone say in response to your view and how would they defend their view? Respond to the objections, thus tightening your position. So, for example, say “Someone might argue against my position that I am being culturally insensitive but I think this is not true because…”
(Section B: Write 450 words).
In your paper you must refer to “Rationalizing Circumcision” by SK Hellsten (course webct) and the stance of the BC College of Physicians and Surgeons on male circumcision. You can refer to narratives, such as a narrative of an adult male who had the procedure as an infant. Such a narrative could be used to support or challenge your perspective. Another good source is the film Whose Body, Whose Rights? Examining the Ethics and the Human Rights Issue of Infant Male Circumcision which you can watch on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W0kr6BiVZMM Part 1; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSAjpzpF6qM Part 2.
You should refer to at least 5 sources in total in your paper. (This 5 can include readings assigned in the course, such as the article by Hellsten).

Remember this is a paper in philosophy and critical thinking; an appeal to culture or religion does not constitute in itself an argument. You may side with a view based on religious or cultural reasons but you need to provide ethical arguments and refer to ethics vocabulary in defending this view.

** Your essay should have a brief introduction (a few sentences) and a brief conclusion (a few sentences). Your entire essay (without the reference section) should be approximately 1000 words. Marks will be deducted if you go more than 150 words under or over the word length. Please put a word count on your first page; do not include a title page. In your introduction get to the point immediately about what you will be up to step by step in the paper. Your conclusion should briefly sum up what you have argued and shown. The paper will be marked according to completeness, clarity, organization and persuasiveness. Please make an appointment with myself or our teaching assistant Mona Lee if you need help.

Marking grid final: A) 10 points B) 10 points C) Introduction and conclusion—3 points D) Works cited page—2 points totalling 25 points