Year 12 IB Extended Essays 2017

Abstract The topic of gun control in America has been a popular debate of many. Despite a large per-

centage supporting more gun control or rather action against gun related crimes (Appendix

A) there has been little action to change gun laws. Interestingly, arguments against gun con-

trol focus on gun control being inoperative, rather than other legitimate reasons such as ‘the

right to bear arms’. This essay investigates the philosophical approaches to gun control to

explain and evaluate the entanglement of utilitarian and deontologist approaches to the mat-

ter. Although it would be assumed that stricter laws would result in less pain for the greater

good, this essay proves that may not be the case, especially when looking at the fundamental

ideas of the second amendment. Certainly the gun law debate may never reach one conclu-

sion. However understanding the situation through philosophical theories can be of assis-

tance, when keeping an open mind, forming opinions and acting forwards into the future; or

rather clarifying the fundamental morals that humans share and apply in this kind of di-

lemma. Relying on statistics can result in unjustifiable arguments, especially with media gov-

ernment censorship playing a role in accessible information. For each statistic and argument

there is another that counters. In this paper it is aimed to not delve far into politics but to

draw attention to the reasoning of philosophical theories and the extent in which they can be

applied. Two main classical philosophical ideals, utilitarianism and deontology, are part of a

spectra of thinking that can be applied; between both, relative conclusions can then be made.

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