Everyday Ethics

As economic woes reach new heights here in the United States, having a good credit rating is increasingly something to be proud of.  The importance of credit is often framed as a practical issue, one that we all reasonably ought to care about.  What I want to talk about here is the connection between appropriate [...]

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     As an environmental, tree-hugging dirt worshipper, I am often baffled by people’s utter lack of concern for environmental issues.  It seems that most people are blissfully unaware that we require clean air, water, and soil in order to survive, and that we do a lot of stuff every day that makes these resources dirtier [...]

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     In an era when the Los Angeles Catholic Archdiocese has agreed to a settlement of $660 million dollars with the numerous victims of sexual abuse at the hands of their clergy members, it only seems fitting to discuss the relationship between religion, ethics, and behavior.  There is a simple yet significant point to be [...]

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Modern society has a somewhat puzzling view concerning treatment of animals.  Pet animals are seen as de facto members of our families, yet the very same animals are also used for research, product testing, and agriculture.  Most people spend very little time thinking about the reasons for the relationship that humans have with animals, and [...]

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     It’s always fun to go back and read your own work.  I often look back at articles that I have written and wonder “why did I say that?” or “that doesn’t even make sense.”  Occasionally, I impress myself, which is fun.  And sometimes, I am forced to admit a deficiency in my own writing, [...]

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It is a commonly held belief that it is very natural for men to look at other women with a degree of sexual interest despite their involvement in a monogamous relationship.  This activity is often rationalized as “just being a guy” or some other cliché statement.  I do not know if this practice is common [...]

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In a recent article, we discussed the role of philosophical rhetoric in moral deliberation, and the way in which both of this election’s presidential candidates demonstrate some positive and negative attributes in their rhetorical styles.  But we haven’t said much about why the very nature of rhetoric is so frustrating, and can sometimes play a [...]

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Morality seems like the sort of thing that involves individual action.  We ask questions about what individuals ought to do, or how persons ought to be treated.  However, the role of communities in ethical deliberations should not be understated, and our own ethical decision-making can be enhanced by thinking about the ways that communities might [...]

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As a graduate student at CSU, I’m a pretty busy guy most of the time.  In addition to multiple classes and working on a thesis, I also tutor undergraduates in philosophy, work as a teaching assistant for a world philosophies course, and I’m working on PhD applications.  On top of all that, I maintain this [...]

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