This week I will be writing a blog on the article 'Apple boss 'disappointed' by new Indiana religious law' found on the BBC's website. Here's the link http://www.bbc.com/news/business-32096052
Upon reading the article it sounded as though many celebrities and others were outraged by the passing of this bill. The article made me dig a little deeper into the bill and according to an article by The Weekly Standard, "Indiana's RFRA does not grant a license to discriminate. First of all, the state of Indiana, like 28 other states, has never prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation at public accommodations. Even without such laws in most states, discrimination doesn't commonly occur because the United States is a nation that is tolerant of gay people and intolerant of bigots."(Mccormack, Pg. 2) The whole situation to me brings about the issue of equality, which as stated from the text, "Fundamental Equality is the concept that people should be treated equally by their governments and their legal systems: No special privileges; just an entitlement to respect and consideration as human beings." (Rosenstand, Pg. 338) The article by The Weekly Standard shows that this may be an issue of the media making a mountain out of a mole hill, but if it is as advertised by the BBC article it can be seen as an injustice.
References:
Mccormack, J. (2015, March 27). Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act, Explained. Retrieved March 29, 2015, from http://www.weeklystandard.com/blogs/indianas-religious-freedom-restoration-act-explained_900641.html?page=2
Miller, J. (2015, March 27). Apple boss 'disappointed' by new Indiana religious law. Retrieved March 29, 2015, from http://www.bbc.com/news/business-32096052
Rosenstand, N. (2013). The moral of the story: An introduction to ethics (7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Sunday, 29 March 2015
Saturday, 21 March 2015
Module 5 Ethics in The News
Here is the link to the article I will be blogging about this week.
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-31976567
The article discusses Monica Lewinsky and how she was the first to ever be cyber-bullied. We all remember her infamous scandal with President Clinton. What led me to choose this article was my wondering of why after so many years she was making headlines again. She tells us the reasoning within the article and it's a good reason. With cyber bullying ever growing, I doubt that it will ever go away. It is compelling though to see that Monica Lewinsky is in turn finally speaking out against the people who were lobbing the insults at her all those years ago in the first ever case of cyber bullying. Although one may try to argue that it is their freedom of speech to conduct this cyber bullying John Stuart Mill would argue against it I feel. Mill stated in regards to personal rights, "if you are not harming anyone else, you have the right to be left alone."(Rosenstand, pg 338) The act of these people providing written insults and bullying for the world to see on websites is causing the victim harm, and an act that should not be 'left alone'.
References:
Wakefield, J. (2015, March 19). End online humiliation says Lewinsky. Retrieved March 22, 2015, from http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-31976567
Rosenstand, N. (2013). The moral of the story: An introduction to ethics (7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Sunday, 15 March 2015
Module 4 Ehtics in the News blog
Here is the link to the article I will be blogging about for this week. http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-ouch-30948179
Lizzie Valesquez has had a tough life, being born with Marfan and lipodystrophy diseases. The posting on youtube by somebody intentionally bullying her by labeling her "The World's Ugliest Woman" did not make her life any better. The video had been watched over 4 million times. Rosenstand (2013) states "According to the utilitarian calculation, a great number of people may be hugely entertained by the immense suffering of one or a few."(pg. 244) Over 4 million people watched the video and made crude jokes and comments about this poor girl at her expense. The entertainment they received at her expense is and example of the utilitarian view. I commend her parents though for raising her to look positively and not giving into to the comments she viewed from the youtube video as she has shown great resiliency. With this, in turn the negative views and comments she's received have empowered her to pressure congress into passing an anti-bullying bill as well as provide inspiration for over 7 million people with her speech from the popular Ted talk. Applying the utilitarian approach again it could be argued that with her suffering it has also led to the many being also inspired through her resiliency.
References:
Rosenstand, N. (2013). The moral of the story: An introduction to ethics (7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Hawkins, K. (2015, March 14). 'Online bullies called me the world's ugliest woman' Retrieved March 15, 2015, from http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-ouch-30948179
Lizzie Valesquez has had a tough life, being born with Marfan and lipodystrophy diseases. The posting on youtube by somebody intentionally bullying her by labeling her "The World's Ugliest Woman" did not make her life any better. The video had been watched over 4 million times. Rosenstand (2013) states "According to the utilitarian calculation, a great number of people may be hugely entertained by the immense suffering of one or a few."(pg. 244) Over 4 million people watched the video and made crude jokes and comments about this poor girl at her expense. The entertainment they received at her expense is and example of the utilitarian view. I commend her parents though for raising her to look positively and not giving into to the comments she viewed from the youtube video as she has shown great resiliency. With this, in turn the negative views and comments she's received have empowered her to pressure congress into passing an anti-bullying bill as well as provide inspiration for over 7 million people with her speech from the popular Ted talk. Applying the utilitarian approach again it could be argued that with her suffering it has also led to the many being also inspired through her resiliency.
References:
Rosenstand, N. (2013). The moral of the story: An introduction to ethics (7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Hawkins, K. (2015, March 14). 'Online bullies called me the world's ugliest woman' Retrieved March 15, 2015, from http://www.bbc.com/news/blogs-ouch-30948179
Saturday, 28 February 2015
Here is the link to the article I will be blogging about this week. It is in regards to the murder of Boris Nemstov's murder.
Boris Nemstov was the leader of the opposition party against Vladimir Putin. He feared his vocal opposition to President Putin's policies on Ukraine could get him killed. With this occurrence, I feel that President Putin could be considered a leading factor to being behind the murder by Western leaders. President Obama and other leaders have called for a prompt, impartial, transparent investigation. Even after they find out who the killer is, the article alluded that the mastermind behind the 'meticulously planned' killing will be hard to find. Given what we know about ethics and morals thus far from this course, it is safe to say we can view the track record of Mr. Putin and safely say that it isn't the best. Given that Mr. Nemstov spoke out against and lead a party that is openly against President Putin's views on Ukraine, it's clear that he would have the motive to want to murder him. With the rest of the Western World watching how President Putin conducts the investigation and even how this changes what is happening Ukraine will be very interesting. The morals and ethics shown by the President of Russia is constantly in question and evaluated by the UN. This isn't the first time someone opposing President Putin has gotten murdered. If President Putin is found to be the mastermind behind Boris Nemstov's murder he needs to be brought to justice. Maybe my need to want to see him brought to justice is parallel to those that view Mystery and Crime shows. These shows personify the battle of good vs. evil. As stated by the text, "what makes this genre so compelling is that evil acquires a face: the face of the bad guy. And when that person is caught, sentenced, or killed, the greater formless threat of Evil seems to have been vanquished for a while too." (pg. 84) To me I may perceive President Putin as that "bad guy" that needs to be caught.
References:
Rainsford, S. (2015, February 28). Putin pledge on Nemtsov murder. Retrieved February 28, 2015, from http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31672940
Rosenstand, N. (2013). The moral of the story: An introduction to ethics (7th ed.). New York: McGraw-Hill.
Sunday, 22 February 2015
Ukraine Crisis
Here is the link to the article I will blog about. It is mainly in regards to sanctions that may be imposed on Russia in response to the crisis in Ukraine http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-31567126
In the article the U.S. is close to administering serious sanctions against Russia. Mr. Kerry accused Moscow of "craven behaviour" in its support of the rebels, undermining a ceasefire. When looking at this current situation in an ethical standpoint, one may bring about the argument similar to the findings found in the Stanford Prison Experiment. Is this another case and point of good people losing to an environment of evil? Do the rebels feel that with the support of Russia they have an authority figure that will take the blame even though the rest of the UN condemns the rebel actions and allows them to act in such an unruly manner? Even as this current crisis developed, Russia clearly supported a separatist movement and it brings the wonder as to whether this is fueled by the Russians or if these people are truly capable of committing such heinous acts on their own. In the name of their freedom to join Russia. (i.e. Malaysian civilian plane shot down by rebels)
In the article the U.S. is close to administering serious sanctions against Russia. Mr. Kerry accused Moscow of "craven behaviour" in its support of the rebels, undermining a ceasefire. When looking at this current situation in an ethical standpoint, one may bring about the argument similar to the findings found in the Stanford Prison Experiment. Is this another case and point of good people losing to an environment of evil? Do the rebels feel that with the support of Russia they have an authority figure that will take the blame even though the rest of the UN condemns the rebel actions and allows them to act in such an unruly manner? Even as this current crisis developed, Russia clearly supported a separatist movement and it brings the wonder as to whether this is fueled by the Russians or if these people are truly capable of committing such heinous acts on their own. In the name of their freedom to join Russia. (i.e. Malaysian civilian plane shot down by rebels)
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