Abbey Smith
Exercise # 1
Ethics for Decision Making

INTRODUCTION TO THE STUDY OF ETHICS The 20th Century, an age of electronics, nuclear fission, daring surgery, wonder drugs, computers, and space travel. Will we, the people of the 20th Century be remembered as having lived in the golden age when man finally stuck his finger into the heavens? Will we be remembered because of our scientific breakthroughs and medical gifts that we have given to man? Will we, indeed, be the century of progress?

Do recall, in addition to all of our scientific breakthroughs, 20th Century man must stand responsible for two world wars which were the most destructive in the history of mankind, innumerable police actions, the near extermination of a nation of people, and a century that has been marked by starvation, over-population, deprivation, and extermination.

With all of our scientific breakthroughs, with all of our great accomplishments, we must accept the truth that this century will also be remembered as one that cynically denied human values while allowing brutal aggression against human rights.

What, then, do you think history will remember? Will we be remembered because of our great technological strides, or will we be remembered as a century filled with turmoil, of war? Though we brag about our technology, it is likely that our grandchildren will look back upon us as we have looked back upon our grandparents. Our rockets, computers, and medical breakthroughs will appear as clumsy to our grandchildren as did the claims of our grandparents relative to the steam engine, the flickering gas light, or the cotton gin.

Let us not be too impressed with the technological giants we have made. Our descendants will create their own giants, and they will be of greater power, to them at least, and more prestigious. And if they will not be impressed with our science and