Current ethical problems of modern society in the context of the fight against the Coronavirus epidemic

Abstract

The article reveals the main ethical problem of balancing freedom and security, which has become particularly acute in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The author highlights some other significant issues facing both individual states and the entire world community: the problem of choosing "who to save first", "save the economy or the people", as well as several moral and ethical problems related to individual responsibility of each person for the life and safety of fellow citizens. The article provides an overview of the main scientific theories ("Freedom is good, but security is better" by T. Hobbes, correlation of freedom and security by Ch. Montesquieu, the categorical imperative in ethics of I. Kant, the utilitarianism of I. Bentham and J. S. Mill, and the "trolley problem" by P. R. Foot) concerning the ethical problems faced by humanity in the "epoch of coronavirus". Special attention is paid to the views of modern foreign philosophers and sociologists (P. Singer, J. Everett) on global society's comprehension of the "a new reality" that has emerged as a result of the global economic shutdown and the unprecedented introduction of mass isolation and quarantine measures. The author analyzes from the point of view of ethics the actions taken by governments in different countries to ensure the safety of citizens and the guaranteeing of the basic right to live at the peak of a pandemic. The article notes the ambiguous nature of these measures, which can have far-reaching consequences for society and humanity.