Everyday Ethics

It is inevitable that as certain scientific claims are brought to light, corresponding ethical questions follow.  For example, if it were suddenly discovered that all mammals are without question highly sentient creatures that have complex emotional response systems as well as traits that could only be called “consciousness”, the moral debate over the appropriate treatment [...]

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Here, as promised, is the third and final installment in our analysis of the ethical obligations of the San Diego Chargers to their injured star, Shawne Merriman.  Thus far, we have discovered that looking at consequences did little in helping us to resolve this question, while considerations regarding contractual obligation were helpful, but still unclear.  [...]

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Our previous article examined ethical questions regarding the current injury situation of San Diego Chargers linebacker Shawne Merriman.  Specifically, we asked whether an evaluation of potential consequences could tell us whether the Chargers should allow Merriman to play, and if there are any ethical concerns with doing so.  We found that there are some significant [...]

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Most people strive toward some measure of personal success.  This can be quantified in a variety of ways, depending upon what sorts of goals are most important to you.  A lesser number of people also strive to live ethical lives, and this too can be variously defined.  Finally, a select few wish to be both [...]

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 For those who are unfamiliar with the topic at hand, Shawne Merriman is an all-Pro linebacker for the San Diego Chargers.  During the preseason, Merriman sustained significant injuries to two ligaments in his knee.  He has been advised by five different specialists to have immediate surgery to repair the damage, which would force him to [...]

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A currently popular trend in moral psychology is the attempt to incorporate empirical findings about moral decision making with our efforts to construct solid moral theory. This makes some sense. If we are going to try and give people a theoretical basis for making moral decisions, we should probably know something about how [...]

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I am disturbed by the fact that, upon discovering my disbelief in things like sin and hell, people are compelled to ask what motivates me to do the right thing and strive to be moral.  Contemporary American culture assumes a strict connection between religion and ethical conduct, but this connection is not always a healthy [...]

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The graduate students at Colorado State University polled themselves during the 2008 Spring semester to determine how many of us qualify as atheists, theists, or agnostics. The numbers came back with an even split between atheists and theists, five each, and three agnostics. Most of the theists had some agreement on what the [...]

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The relationship between the environmental movement and the philosophical discipline of environmental ethics is long-standing and, I believe, potentially harmful.  It is not surprising that asking philosophical questions about environmental problems owes its roots to a more general concern for the natural world that is not necessarily philosophical in nature.  However, the connection between these [...]

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