...Yet unlike Hester, Dimmesdale does not view his act as an act of passion, rather he sees is as a heinous sin that violates the basic tenets of his religion. Because of this, Chillingworth serves as Dimmesdale’s accuser. Hawthorn describes Chillingworth as having the power to summon “...a thousand phantoms-in many shapes, of death or awful shame, all flocking round about the clergy-man and pointing with their fingers at his breast”(132). Here, Hawthorn describes Chillingworth’s power to inflict immense emotional guilt upon Dimmesdale. His presence serves to remind Dimmesdale that he acted sinfully and is deserving of punishment. Since Dimmesdale himself believes that his sin warrants religious retribution, Chillingworth assumes the persona of the Devil. Hawthorn describes how many villagers believe that his medicinal fires stem “...from the lower region, and were fed with infernal fuel”(120). Chillingworth’s religiously diabolical personification represents Dimmesdale’s internal guilt and shame over him crime. Despite his passion, Dimmesdale recognizes that his affair with Hester was ultimately a violation of his religion, thus morally wrong. Chillingworth serves to personify Dimmesdale’s guilt and to add additional...
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...Ethical Dilemma – Samouel’s Greek Cuisine Joshua has spent several hours researching his portion of his team project. His job is to collect secondary data. The conflicting information that Joshua has found is still considered secondary data even though it is not from a reputable firm. Secondary business data can be very helpful in determining the correct business path for a company to go in. The data, though conflicting should still be incorporated and explained in his research findings to his group. The data is from a government -sponsored website and may be very valuable. Joshua should stay late and examine the quality of the data he has found on the conflicting website. He needs to look at the reliability and the validity of the data that is presented. Who is the information being provided through and how was it collected, and is it free from bias? What was the data in the study originally collected for and does that influence the outcome. The information is from a government sponsored website so there is some credibility in the source. I do not feel that Joshua should ignore this research in his findings. If Joshua feels that he does not want to include this data he should talk to his group and explain why he feels it is not relevant. It should not be hidden from the findings if it has a role to play in the research and can help the restaurant’s performance in the future. There is a value in secondary research and when it is used appropriately...
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...Alex Erebor 2/1/10 An Analysis of Natural Law and Morality Human beings are undoubtedly the most sophisticated life forms on Earth. We are capable of many remarkable feats, but the one attribute that separates from other life on Earth is the ability to rationalize and reason. Because of this, humans have been able to form a society in which our activities are judged to be right or wrong. This phenomenon is known as morality and is only existent in human society. As expected, when dealing with such advanced life forms, it becomes quite difficult to determine what actions are just and which are immoral. Also often there are exceptions to each rule, which further clouds our ability to differentiate between the two sides of the spectrum. Therefore, a closer analysis of natural law and its protocols is needed in order to gain a better understanding of the unwritten rules and logic behind them that form our society. According to Dr. Alfonso Gomez-Lobo of Georgetown University, there is a list of basic goods by which we live. These commodities, more or less, are intended to be universal to all human beings, as they are essential for healthy human function. This list includes life, family, friendship, work and play, experience of beauty, theoretical knowledge, integrity, and depending on who follows this list, religion often appears as a disputed, subjective good. Perhaps one of the more intriguing questions discussed concerning this compilation of goods is what exactly makes...
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...John Wayne Gacy Summarize the case, including a description of the offense(s), the investigation, and the outcome (such as the trial and sentencing). Analyze the psychological history or path that took the criminal to commit his or her crime(s). Describe the psychological, behavioral, environmental, and cognitive factors that you believe led to the offender’s criminality. Consider the various theories we have discussed in class including the psychoanalytic/psychodynamic theory, the behaviorist/social learning theory, the cognitive/social cognitive theory, and the humanist and interactionist theories, and provide examples. The goal here is to provide an analysis of the psychological history or path that took the criminal to commit his or her crime(s). Explain the impact of social, psychological, and biological theories of aggression on your chosen criminal’s behavior. Describe the crime typology. Did the offender have a personality disorder that might have played a role in the criminal behavior? If so, explain and provide examples and supporting references. Discuss the laws that are in place for protecting individuals with mental disorders. Describe whether your case study was a homicide offender or sexual offender. Discuss the typology (i.e., single murderer, serial murderer, spree murderer, mass murderer, child molester, or rapist). If applicable, discuss whether your offender was given a competence to stand trial evaluation, or was found to be not guilty by reason of...
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...Explain the difference between moral absolutism and relativism (25) There are two different ways in distinguishing whether something is right or wrong within ethics. Absolutism is a deontological theory, which determines whether an action is intrinsically right or wrong. Whereas relativism is a teleological theory, which determines whether an action is right or wrong based on the outcomes of the action, on its consequences, this is linked with situation ethics and consequentialism. They are two different ways in approaching ethics. Absolutism is a moral command that is objectively and universally right or wrong for all people, in all times, places and cultures. It can be said to be deontological and so something is either right or wrong intrinsically (in itself) and therefore consequences have no bearing. Whereas, relativism is a subjective theory and believe that all truth is relative and dependent upon the values of an individual or society or even situation. Relativism is a teleological approach and therefore takes into account the consequences of a situation. Therefore there are many differences between moral absolutism and relativism. An example of absolutism would be the Ten Commandments, that Natural Law portrays, which are absolute, ‘do not murder’, as this is a law that applies to everyone. Therefore an absolutist would say that it is always wrong to murder in every, and any situation. In contrast, a relativist might argue that in some situations, given the outcome...
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...Don Marquis, a philosopher makes a non-theistic argument for the immorality of abortion. What primarily makes killing wrong is neither its effect on the murderer nor its effect on the victim’s friends and relatives, but its effect on the victim. The loss of one’s life is one of the greatest losses one can suffer. The loss of one’s life deprives one of all the experiences, activities, projects, and enjoyments which would otherwise have constituted one’s future. Therefore, killing someone is wrong, primarily because the killing inflicts (one of) the greatest possible losses on the victim. This is one of the most hotly contested topics in today’s society. People adopt different viewpoints on this which include: • Abortion is wrong whatever the reasons • Abortion is permissible if the woman’s life is at risk • Abortion is acceptable for a variety of reasons Your opinion on whether abortion is acceptable or not very much depends upon your set of values. If you feel that it is a woman’s right to choose then you are likely to favor the ‘pro-choice’ stance. But if you argue that the fetus has rights and should be treated the same as any other human being then you will adopt the ‘pro-life’ stance. Opponents of abortion cite several reasons for their opposition which include the killing of an innocent human being, the fetus’s right to life, the responsibility of the woman towards the fetus and respect for all forms of life. There are people who are against abortion on principle...
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...To what extent is ethical language meaningful (35 Marks) The analysis of ethical language is called meta-ethics and what Meta-ethics does is look at the meaning of the language that is used in ethical statements and it includes questions about whether those statements are true or false or whether those statements are just expressions of emotion and if it is the truth then is it the truth for everybody or just a select few depending on society and culture, Meta-Ethics Is broken down into two sections and they are called cognitive and non-cognitive and these are two different perspectives on the meaningfulness of ethical language. Cognitivism involves a view that states moral knowledge is possible and therefore all ethical statements can be meaningful because they can be proved whether they are true or false. Non Cognitivism on the other hand involves the belief that there can be no ethical knowledge because ethical language and statements give no factual information and therefore they are not as meaningful as they are not subject to the true or false test and this approach suggests that they are just expressions of emotion and prescriptive recommendations. The naturalistic fallacy is a form of ethical non-naturalism and it was devised by G.E Moore and Moore believed that the term “good” is a simple term like “that’s yellow” and it couldn’t be defined and he also believed that we couldn’t prove moral statements through the use of evidence, Moore also believed that the only...
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...Should the words 'under God' be removed from the pledge of allegiance? I. Introduction II. Ethical a. First argument i. The phrase “under God” was not introduced into the Pledge of Allegiance until the 1950’s when Americans were afraid of the communists taking over. Do we really want to continue a tradition founded in fear and discrimination? ii. Con b. Second argument iii. The term ‘under God’ can be viewed as exclusive of other beliefs. As a country founded on religious freedom, shouldn’t we respect all beliefs? Isn’t ‘one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all’ more appropriate and just as powerful? iv. Con III. Moral c. The pledge of allegiance reflects America’s civic culture. v. By saying "under god" is not referencing a certain religion or making this a religion statement. ii. By definition the word "God" has ties to religion. According to webster's dictionary God is "the perfect and all-powerful spirit or being that is worshipped especially by Christians, Jews, and Muslims as the one who created and rules the universe : a spirit or being that has great power, strength, knowledge, etc., and that can affect nature and the lives of people : one of various spirits or beings worshipped in some religions." d. The Pledge of allegiance is not mandatory vi. Everyone has the right to freedom of speech and can opt to leave out...
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...Business Ethics 560a | Test Unit 5 | | | | Take Home Test –Business Ethics for Healthcare Institutions, 1.Describe the Tripartite Ethics Theory by answering the questions below : * What is the primary decision criterio for each of the following theories ? a.Utilitarianism – The primary decision criterion for utilitarianism is if a decision or act would lead to the greatest good for the greatest number of people. An example would be a patient is on the waiting list for an organ and as a result decides to make a sizeable donation to the hospital..Because of this donation the hospital will benefit tremendously and as a result the patient’s status on the waiting list changes. One large problem with Utilitarianism is that it justifies things that are clearly immoral if such act produces a maximization of consequences. Utilitarianism can be used to justify punishment or enslaving a small group of people if such acts produce a maximization of consequences .But such an act is clearly immoral regardless of how fruitful they might be for the greatest number. c.Virtue Ethics.- Virtue ethics is a person rather than action based: it looks at the virtue or moral character of the person carrying out an action, rather than at ethical duties and rules, or the consequences of particular actions. Based upon virtual ethics a person’s character would come into play when deciding on consequences for any inappropriate actions. The decision criterion here would be focused on the...
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...Are You Buying a Term Paper or Selling Your Soul? DeVry University The Ethics of Plagiarism There is much debate about the practice of students buying term papers and essays. Some students do not feel wrong in doing so. But more than just the easy payoff for not doing the work involved for the course, students not only cheat themselves out of the learning experience but they also cheat the author of the work. Ruggiero (p.19) states, “Once ideas are put into words and published, they become intellectual property”. Plagiarism is a form of theft and is a fraudulent in that it “is passing off other people’s ideas or words as one’s own’ (Ruggiero, pg.19). Plagiarism deceives the reader by allowing them to believe that the paper is a work of original thought. The dilemma of whether to buy a term paper or not would depend on how the person contemplating the action felt morally about it. Rules Based Approach For a fellow student who wanted to buy a term paper I would use a Rules based approach. I would appeal to them that cheating is wrong period. Rules about plagiarism are put in place for a reason, not just to protect “intellectual property “ (Ruggiero, p. 19), but to help students from the pitfalls of failing the class or the “dishonor and disgrace” (Ruggiero, pg.19) that would follow. I would implore them to decide to do the right thing because it is the right thing to do. The ability to follow the rules does not just apply to academics. When an employer sees...
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...History has shown life's mercilessness with the strongest surviving. In this game of survival, dishonorable tactics are used to climb the ladder swiftly with aspirations of attaining the pinnacle of power. Honesty and morals must be a mere memory if personal profits are to be achieved at a rapid pace. As a result, corruption and ruthlessness grows variably with the desires and cravings that haunt a person's psyche. Both Macbeth and Lord of the Flies give insight to the fact that greed engulfs people into malicious tyrants with the characters that are portrayed within these two novels. Thus, Jack, from Lord of the Flies and Macbeth, from Macbeth have both shown the world a crucial lesson that power and ambition are the root of all evil, as they carried out unethical action to achieve and maintain their respected goals. Each author, with immense captivation, portrays his respected characters with noble beginnings unadulterated of any corruption. Ambition has not yet overwhelmed the minds of these two respected characters, which therefore, gives them a chaste disposition. Jack from Lord of the Flies is introduced to the reader in a "holy" aura with the description of his choir; " Their bodies, from throat to ankle, were hidden by black cloaks which bore a long silver cross on the left breast" (Golding 21) Conveying religion into Jack's first emergence shows the likely innocence encompassed in the boy's life prior to crashing on the island. The induction of Macbeth also renders an...
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...above it. That facet alone places it in a class all its own. Everyone must yield to its magnitudes. Yet, in all its magnitude there is no moral obligation to obey the law. We are faced with tough decisions day in and day out. There are many deciding factors that aid us in our decision making. One major factor is our moral judgment. Morality may differ from one individual to the next, but the desire to live by them remains the same. When obeying the law comes into play it does not inflict, by any means, whether this moralistic trait determines your duty nor does it dictate cause to obey the law. Your moral duty is loyal to your own wellbeing and what in your own mind is best for your own person. Even if what you are doing is to benefit others your own person is being satisfied, and yes in some cases this may involve not obeying the law. And in many cases whether you obey the law or not the law does not change. So therefore your obligation to it in reality has no value to it, only to yourself and your own wellbeing. The law will not suffer consequence if not obeyed only the one not obeying it. We obey the law out of rational thought not morality. If you are a licensed driver passing through a reduced speed zone in a school district you will slow down and not speed not out of moral duty, but out of rational thought that I may hit a kid if I drive too fast or I may get a ticket, but whatever...
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...Ethical Concerns in Computing: Robot Ethics Ashley Ramos INF 103: Computer Literacy Cathy Johnson November 26, 2013 From a cash register to driverless cars, technology is all around us whether we like it or not, and it is only going to continue to grow. The more technology advances, the more we can do or use it for, and the more concerns it raises. When a computer was first introduced, we weren't thinking about if it could tell right from wrong, we were thrilled that we had a machine that could do somewhat complex calculations. As technology advanced these issues of morals came into play. The first person to look into ethics and the issues that go along with it was James Moor (Bowles, 2013). Since then it has been a highly debated topic that continues to grow. There are many different ethical issues involving information technology, some of which are mentioned in our textbook. Just like with any personal data (Social Security Numbers, bank account information, etc), we expect this information to be kept private and only give it out to who we believe to be trusted people. "Privacy of that data and the importance of ensuring that only authorized people know certain things about other people's lives." (Bowles, 2013). Another issue mentioned in the textbook is the accuracy of our personal information that is entered into the various systems. This information is only as accurate as the human typing it in makes it. Because digital information is so much easier...
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...Bioethicists ask these questions in the context of modern medicine and draw on a plurality of traditions, both secular and religious, to help society understand and keep pace with how advances in science and medical technology can change the way we experience the meaning of health and illness and, ultimately, the way we lve. Bioethics is multidisciplinary. It blends law, philosophy, insights from the humanities and medicine to bear on the the complex interaction of human life, science, and technology. Although its questions are as old as humankind, the origins of bioethics as a field are more recent and difficult to capture in a single view. When the term “bioethics” was first coined in 1971 (some say by University of Wisconsin professor Van Rensselaer Potter; others, by fellows of the Kennedy Institute in Washington, D.C. ), it may have signified “biology combined with diverse humanistic knowledge forging a science that would set a system of medical and environmental priorities for acceptable survival.” However, ensuing elaborations stressed the vital interrelationship among humanistic studies, science, and technology. Utilitarianism:- Deontology: - Deontology is an alternative ethical system that is usually attributed to the philosophical tradition of Immanuel Kant. Whereas utilitarianism focuses on the outcomes, or ends, of actions, deontology demands that the actions, or means, themselves must be ethical. Deontologists argue that there are transcendent ethical norms...
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...1. Complete the following statements by filling in the blanks with either “moral” or “nonmoral”: a. Whether or not dumping should be permitted is a _moral question. b. “Are dangerous products of any use in the third world?” is a _nonmoral scientific_ question. c. “Is it proper for the US government to sponsor the export of dangerous products overseas?” is a _moral question. d. Whether or not the notification system works as its supporters claim it works is a _nonmoral factual question. e. “Is it legal to dump this product overseas?” is a _nonmoral legal question. 2. Explain what dumping is, giving some examples. Does dumping raise any moral issues? What are they? What would an ethical relativist say about dumping? Dumping, according to Mother Jones magazine, refers to the practice of exporting to other countries products that have been banned or declared hazardous in the United States of America. Agreeing to Wikipedia Encyclopedia, it defined dumping as the act of charging a lower price for the like goods in a foreign market than one charges for the same good in a domestic market for consumption in the home market of the exporter. This is often referred to as selling at less than "normal value" on the same level of trade in the ordinary course of trade. Under the World Trade Organization (WTO) Agreement, dumping is condemned (but is not prohibited) if it causes or threatens to cause material injury to a domestic industry in the importing country. The United States...
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