Year 12 IB Extended Essays 2017

Undoubtedly there is an evident gun culture in Chicago; proven by the gun violence and

gang related statistical reports, demonstrating a ‘right to bear arms’ has been taken beyond a

manageable level. The motives for having guns truly has developed with time, and some may

suggest the laws should be re-evaluated. Despite Hobbes, Marx and Locke’s arguments for

armed citizens, they fail to answer what happens when both chaos is evident at state and citi-

zen level. It seems that an utilitarian outcome for Chicago would be to decrease gun violence

dramatically regardless of the possible national outcome of a more tyrannic government. The

aim for the best outcome in America has completely disregarded the means of how that is

achieved. It can be suggested that focus is needed more on the inhumane happenings within

the country; a more deontological perspective may be needed. Ironically the US government

fails to uphold its citizens right to overthrow its own government. Certainly the absolutism of

Immanuel Kant is best not to be adopted, as control is needed to be held by every individual.

However acting against gun violence crimes remains an urgency, concluding that a form of

gun control is ethically essential.

Through the situation in Chicago it can be determined how ethics are not absolute but part of

a relative spectra of theorems. The fact that gun homicides are made of of predominantly gun

suicides (Appendix D) is a quintessential acknowledgement to be made. Whilst 762 people

were still killed in Chicago (Sanburn, 2017 ) statistics seem to be inconsiderate of other fac-

tors, such as definitions of homicide. Acting upon the problem of gun suicide versus gun vi-

olence would require different approaches. Guns are a factor in self-harm and harming others,

but suicide can achieved by many non-gun methods creating other issues of concern. Without

delving into politics, solutions to the issues in Chicago are hard to find when focusing on too

many details at once; it is a complex dilemma. Therefore it should be considered that the state