1.As our opening page states, Mark Twain warned that "Whenever you find yourself on the side
of the majority, it is time to pause and reflect." It is
likely that your parents warned you "not to follow the crowd," or your school
counselors warned you about "peer pressure."
The United States utilizes a democratic republic form of
government, which espouses the "majority rule" in many instances. For example,
when passing laws, Congress and state Legislators use majority voting. When
electing our officials, the majority rules. But, is our government
unethical?
This week's thread will look at two or three "examples" of
majority findings or rules.
We will bring new ones in
throughout the week, so be sure to visit back at least every other day and post
your thoughts.
Here is our first one for the week:
The great majority of
people seem to find nothing objectionable about the use of commercials in
children's television programming. Yet a distinguished panel commissioned by the
National Science Foundation found reason to disagree. After reviewing 21
relevant scholarly studies, they concluded:
It is clear from the available evidence that
television advertising does influence children. Research has
demonstrated that children attend to and learn from commercials, and that
advertising is at least moderately successful in creating positive attitudes
toward and the desire for products advertised. The variable that emerged most
clearly across numerous studies as a strong determinant of children's perception
of television advertising is the child's age. Research clearly establishes that
children become more skilled in evaluating television advertising as they grow
older, and that to treat all children from 2 to 12 as a homogenous group masks
important, perhaps crucial differences.
Do you think the majority view is correct in this case? What
difference would it make that a majority thinks this way?
Do you think the
use of commercials in children's television programming raises any ethical
questions? Do explain.
Do you wish to place evidence for what you say before
your classmates?
2.Personal struggles with one's own tendencies, desires, lusts,
and self-interest have placed people in conflict with other people and their own
communities farther back than any of us can read.? We read about the struggles
of others in history -- what about ourselves?? Yes, us!? What about our
experiences of being ourselves?
When we look back in history, we find people who are not so
different from us -- struggling with their human nature -- and trying to live
ethical lives in whatever way they can do so.? They aspire to live ethical lifes
and find themselves failing again and again.
St. Augustine? in the 5th Century held that although we feel
free to make choices in life, our true nature as human beings includes a
persistent disregard for what is good. On this view, we are sinners whose only
hope for redemption lies in the gracious love of a merciful deity. Whatever I do
on my own, Augustine would argue, is bound to be wrong; whatever I do right,
must be performed by God through me.
St. Thomas Aquinas in the 13th Century brought Aristotle?s
theories back into ?vogue,? soon after St. Augustine?s death (if 800 years is soon,
that is.)? He allowed humanity to have a bit of secularity along with faith, and
his ethics allows for a Natural Law which can be found in the heart of
man.? Please be sure to listen to our Saints' Debate on the lecture tab
before working in this thread.
So, here we are in the 21st Century with all the
sophistication and technology of the age.? Does this account of human nature fit
well with your own experience of human action? That is, do you observe (in
yourself and others) an inclination toward evil instead of toward good?? Bring
in examples of scenarios which bolster your view, or which tend to bring your
view (or others) into question.
Source: http://www.studentoffortune.com/question/2269137/business-ethics
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