It seems like every time I check the headlines online or in a newspaper or a magazine there is another media-screaming story about terrible breach of good ethics by a person in politics, by a military member, by someone in a college institution or by a corporate personage.
Many people seem to love knowing all there is to know about these scandals. Media empires are built on milking them for all they are worth.
While I am enjoying getting to know the books again, a lot of questions about the current state of our society have popped up.
Often I want to ask the perpetrators a question that my three-year-old grandson, Jude, asks us when we are acting in a way that seems strange to him.
"Whatcha DOIN'???"
I suppose I am thinking about all this in a certain way because I am spending a lot of time preparing to teach a college course: PHIL 330 (Ethics).
If there are enough students, I will be teaching again on the Air Force base where I was stationed after seven months of training as a brand new 2nd lieutenant during waning quarter of the last century.
If there are enough students, I will be teaching again on the Air Force base where I was stationed after seven months of training as a brand new 2nd lieutenant during waning quarter of the last century.
Philosophy, ethics and metaphysics are cerebral pursuits. So beware. Even the titles of the required texts for the course might give you a headache. They are:
Aristotle's "Nicomachean Ethics"
Immanuel Kant's "Groundwork on the Metaphysics of Morals"
John Stuart Mill's "Utilitarianism"
While I am enjoying getting to know the books again, a lot of questions about the current state of our society have popped up.
Quick.
How would you describe the accepted ethics of the majority of people of the 21st Century United States?
"Off the deep end?"
"What ethics?"
"No problem?"
"What ethics?"
"No problem?"
"Who cares?"
For some people it seems that our society has become increasingly more openly permissive of activities and attitudes that the grandparents of the Baby Boomers found anti-social and even illegal. Others seem to believe in an "anything goes" way of life.
Long harangues from people quoting many different sources will afford you lists of reasons to back up what they profess. And like a lot of other issues in our polarized society, other "talking heads" will defend the other point of view.
But even all the way back to Aristotle and the philosophers from whom he descended, there were ideals that described the ethics of society.
And then there was reality that was obvious in the behavior of certain people.
And then there was reality that was obvious in the behavior of certain people.
Would you like to keep exploring what ethics really are?
What does it mean when people act out against whatever they profess to believe?
What are the consequences to individuals when they act in denial of their beliefs?
What are the consequences to families?
What are the consequences to corporations or institutions?
What are the consequences to governmental public policy on every level?
What are the consequences to society?
Shall we begin a discussion?
What does it mean when people act out against whatever they profess to believe?
What are the consequences to individuals when they act in denial of their beliefs?
What are the consequences to families?
What are the consequences to corporations or institutions?
What are the consequences to governmental public policy on every level?
What are the consequences to society?
Shall we begin a discussion?
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