Question

Can a utilitarian argument (the greatest good for the greatest number should be sought) in favor of DNA testing in the Dominican Republic be mounted? What could it look like?

Answer 1

can a utilitarian argument (the greatest good for the greatest number should be sought) in favor of DNA testing in the Dominican Republic be mounted? What could it look like?

Utilitarians believe that people should do what maximizes the greatest good and the best consequences for everyone affected while avoiding consequences that are intrinsically bad . In addition, utilitarianism supports the idea that people should judge what is right and wrong based upon consequences that are reasonably foreseeable .Therefore, a utilitarian argument could be constructed to support DNA testing in the Dominican Republic accordingly:

In this case, Major League Baseball has, over the last few years, been inundated with a major identity fraud problem that has put the league, its franchise teams, and its players at risk. In recent years, the league has discovered that an increasing number of prospective players in the Dominican Republic have falsified their identity and birth dates in an attempt to improve their chances of entering the major leagues .As a result, Major League Baseball has suffered due to bad scouting and financial investments in pursuing players having false identities. The league has also been at risk of having the reputation and credibility of their teams come into question; this could potentially cause negative effects amongst the league’s stakeholders including its financiers, fans/consumers, and employees (The Firm’s Stakeholders, n.d.). This could result in the loss of league /team financing, fan support, and subsequent declines in profits from decreased game attendance and team paraphernalia sales. In addition, its franchise teams have become frustrated with the prevalence of this problem. And furthermore, the players have also put themselves at risk of losing their contracts and facing legal ramifications due to their lying about their identity and age.

All the while, Major League Baseball, and its teams have been vigilant in responding to this identity fraud issue by implementing a solution that will preserve the credibility and financial health of Major League Baseball and all of its stakeholders. For one, DNA testing allows major league teams to confirm a prospect’s true identity specifically when further proof/clarification is warranted. And by performing DNA testing prior to signing players and issuing bonuses in the Dominican Republic, the league will be able to ensure that their investments are being appropriated to players whose identities and ages have been confirmed and validated. This will also help Major League Baseball ensure that they are scouting and signing the most valuable prospects whose development and likelihood of playing on major league team longer is more promising. In addition, confirming identity and age through DNA testing will ensure that team members and coaches will know the true identity of the people with whom they are playing; security concerns will be mitigated in the process. And ultimately, using DNA testing to address this identity fraud problem will aid the league, its teams, and its players in preserving its credibility in the eyes of its financial backers, fans, and consumers; this will translate into the league also being able to maintain high profits and good financial health. And finally, performing DNA testing to intercept identity fraud will also benefit the players by extending the opportunity to avoid losing their contract and facing legal consequences down the road if the fraud was not uncovered before they were signed to a team. All in all, implementing DNA testing as a means of counteracting identity fraud in the Dominican Republic will clearly work in the best interest of Major League Baseball and all its stakeholders.