Moral Reasoning/Lucky You

Although Mark and Larry did not know one another, each of them was pleased to receive an invitation to an upcoming cocktail party. They each drove themselves to the party, enjoyed themselves, had too much to drink, and recognized they were somewhere between buzzed and blitzed by the end of the evening. Nonetheless they each decided to drive themselves home, and each of them ran right through a red traffic light they didn’t seem to notice. Luckily the intersection was clear when Larry sped through it. He continued to drive home, got himself into bed, slept off his hangover, and thought nothing further about that night. Mark had a different experience. Unfortunately, a small car carrying a family was passing through the intersection when Mark sped into the intersection and smashed into that car. Although Mark survived with minor injuries, two people in the other car were killed and two children were severely injured.

How can we compare the moral status of Mark and Larry? What punishments or reparations seem fair? Could any atonement be sufficient? Should Mark and Larry be treated differently? Why?