Thursday, March 17, 2011

Fukushima 50: Duty and Honor


An elite squad of 70 or so technicians and engineers are struggling to avert disaster at the Fukushima Daiichi power plant in the worst nuclear industry crisis in Japan's history. They are known as the Fukushima 50. They work under threats of radiation sickness, fires and explosions since they became the sole occupants of that risky area. TEPCO (Tokyo Electric Power) has not released much information about its elite team. Five have already died and two are missing.
We only know that they are trying to cool overheating reactors and storage pools to avoid disaster. We also know the conditions they are working in:
"They are working in hot, cramped conditions, clad in white, full-body jumpsuits and working in shifts to prevent contamination and exhaustion. They are equipped with respirators and torches, and when radiation doses rise tohazardous levels, as they did on Wednesday morning, they must be ready to take refuge in safer areas of the complex. The operation has already taken its toll. Eleven people, including members of the Japan Self-Defence Forces, were injured in a hydrogen explosion at its No 3 reactor."
David Brenner, the director of radiological research at Columbia Service, is reported to say that "In many ways they are already heroes... They are going to be suffering very high radiation exposures." And Michiko Otsuki, an employee at the nearby Fukushima Daini plant said: "The people working at these plants are fighting without running away. Please don't forget that there are people who are working to protect everyone's lives in exchange for their own."
@nekkonekonyaa twetted yesterday: "My dad went to the Nuclear Plant. I never heard my mother cry so hard. People at the plant are struggling, sacrificing themselves to protect you. Please dad come back alive".
And the daughter of a Fukushima 50 volunteered wrote an email saying, "My father is still working at the plant -- they are running out of food…we think conditions are really tough. He says he's accepted his fate…much like a death sentence…"
Meanwhile, 500 bone marrow transplant centres across 27 European countries have been put on alert to treat nuclear power station workers whose lives may be threatened in the battle to avoid a meltdown. The European Group for Blood and Marrow Transplantation offered to treat 200 to 300 patients if necessary.
"After a person has been radiated, you have three to four days before they're on the cusp of severe complications," said Ray Powles, chair of its nuclear accident committee. "At that point, they could be put on a flight to Europe if Japanese facilities are overwhelmed."
More on this here, here, and here.

Are these men heroes - we do not know if they are women in the team - or are they simply doing their jobs? Are they morally required to do what they are doing? Is it part of their professional responsibilities like soldiers do?

7 comments:

  1. These workers are absolutely heroes. They are sacrificing their health and the well being of their families in order to save the lives of millions. I would argue that while they are not morally required to do what they are doing, they are acting in accordance with the principles of Utilitarianism and Virtue Ethics. I do not feel that these men have a binding obligation because of their chosen profession to work on this project. It seems to be the case that given this option, these brave workers have chosen to be there at the plant using their expertise to help put an end to this crisis, rather than watch their collogues fight it without them. What these workers are doing is extremely honorable because it is something that is not necessarily morally required, yet it is risk they are willing to bear for the safety of others.
    -Brad Johnson

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  2. The Fukishima 50 is certainly a group of heroes. It is important to remember that these men are VOLUNTEERS who are willingly laying down their lives for their country, family, and friends. It is true that their specific knowledge and experience in their professions can help resolve the crisis. This might make others think that they feel morally obligated to help the radiation issue so they are not genuine heroes; however, I disagree. These men had a chance to back out when they were asked to help, but they didn’t. They are being 100% selfless in volunteering and have even accepted that they will most likely die in the hazardous conditions.

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  3. I agree, I think these men are heroes, they are risking their lives and health in order to prevent future distress for their country. I don't think they are morally required to do this but they are doing it because it is the right thing to do. They are the most qualified for the job and while they could just as easily say no and leave and would suffer no consequences because of the state of chaos of their country, instead they have chosen to stay and risk their lives and for that they are selfless and brave, the very definition of a hero.

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  4. These men are absolute heroes. These courageous acts of bravery deserve notoriety because the men involved are clearly going beyond the call of duty. As the article mentions, these men are technicians and engineers who likely would never face such treacherous conditions in a normal days work. However, in the face of such a natural disaster, these men have truly shown their selfless nature and dedication to the cleanup effort. In my opinion, these men have demonstrated that they are heroes due to the fact that their behavior is beyond a moral requirement. Risking one’s life for the welfare of others shouldn’t be viewed as a moral requirement; it is a noble choice.

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  6. As everyone has already said, these men are heroic. They saw it as their duty to help their country reach a safer environment. Were they obligated to respond to this disaster? No, but they saw all the trouble that can arise if they do not step up and take actions. I do not say that they were morally obligated to act, but these men may have seen it as their moral obligation.
    The fact that they are willing to risk their lives for their family, friends and fellow citizens is truly heroic.
    -Randi Orzano

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  7. If these men aren't heroes, than i don't know who is. These men can easily walk away from this and never look back. But instead they are dedicated to making their land safe. Their virtual ethics response to this situation is very inspiring and I could not see myself in this situation. These men are brave in every aspect of this situation. This is definitely a case of men saving their country because the pride they have is so strong for their country and could not see it get any worse.

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