Abstract This paper examines the positive impact technology has had in many areas of life, such as the environment, transportation, business, communication and health. Associated problems, such as pollution and the threat of bioterrorism are also discussed.
From the Paper "Technology has made a positive impact on the environment. Advances have made it easier to build buildings that are stronger and last longer. These buildings also do not put deadly pollutants in the air as some constructions did as little as 50 years ago. Buildings in the United States have climate control and make working more comfortable for people. The buildings also have weigh rooms so those employees can exercise at their work place. The digitized systems allow employees to count calories as they work out."
Abstract This paper presents a discussion on gossip, particularly why gossiping is so popular and how it affects people and society. Additionally, this paper addresses various ways to prevent gossip. The paper is based on the book by Rabbi Stephen Wylen's "The Power of the Word" and other scholars wishing to decrease the amount of gossip spoken. The paper looks at gossip as a social need yet also shows its damaging effects on society.
From the Paper "Dirt, mudslinging, hearsay and tittle-tattle are words synonymous with gossip. Encarta defines gossip as conversation about personal or intimate rumors or facts, especially when malicious; informal and chatty conversation or writing about recent and often personal events. Rumors are closely related to gossip in that rumors are usually gossip that is spread and repeated about a person's intimate details. According Robin Dunbar author of Grooming, Gossip and the Evolution of Language, gossip is a natural part of the human species, as apes and monkeys, humanities closets kin used language to keep up to date on the happenings of friends and family, just as we do. Dunbar believes that we need conversation to stay in touch, and we need it in ways that will not be satisfied by teleconferencing, e-mail, or any other communication technology. From a religious perspective Rabbi Stephen Wylen suggests in his book The Power of the Word that "idle gossip and malicious speech are the most frequent and pervasive sins of ordinary life" he believes people either consciously or unconsciously ?persist in patterns of speech that disrupt relationships, create unhappiness, and even endanger lives.? However one chooses to rationalize gossip it has become so imbedded into American culture that oftentimes we cannot decipher mere gossip from news."
Abstract The writer of this paper raises pertinent questions regarding free will, freedom of choice and subsequent responsibility for actions. On the other end of the scale, the writer claims that everything in our lives has already been preordained by previous cause/effect relationships.
From the Paper "The most important and the oldest philosophical question is perhaps of free will and determinism. Do human beings have free will, or are our actions pre-determined? The term 'determinism' is mainly used by many philosophers for accounts of our human choices and actions that make them into effects of causal sequences. Sequences of such a kind as to raise a question about the freedom of the choices and actions. Determinism so understood has a limited subject matter, our lives and ourselves."
Abstract This paper analyzes business ethics in a global marketplace by comparing the practices of various companies. The writer discusses the claim that a new social conscience has dawned, an informed public demands that all of its concerns ? ethical as well as economic ? be met.
From the Paper "The good faith of the public is an often-underrated factor in corporate success. Take the case of Sears Roebuck. Not wishing to go the way of Kmart and other corporate giants who have recently found themselves in Chapter 11, the management of Sears has implemented a program that is dedicated to attaining the highest possible level of corporate ethics. As with any successful ethics plan, the Sears plan starts at home. Happy employees are as essential to a successful business as satisfied customers. A contented workforce projects a positive corporate image. Upbeat employee attitudes are carried over into their dealings with the public. They provide better service, are more considerate and attentive, and more responsive to their clients? needs. A well-served customer is a loyal customer, returning to the same company time and time again."
Abstract This paper examines the theory that humans do not create conditions of their free will, instead they experience positive and adverse experiences because of the society we live in and the environment that we are surrounded with. It uses as an example the movie "Indecent Proposal" where a man desperate for money allows his wife to spend one night with a billionaire in exchange for one million dollars and discusses why such an offer is legitimate in the norm of today's society.
From the Paper "From the idealist point of view this incident should not have occurred in the first place, and the reason why Robert Redford offers them a million dollars is because he wants to help them out that is to say he is altruistic rather then lecherous. From Woody Harrelson's perspective, he does it because now the society he lives in and the social norms allow him to decide to believe that the money he and Demi Moore will get out values the emotions she has or the morals she has to sleep with another man when she is already happily married."
Abstract There was much opposition to the U.S. bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in 1945. This paper examines some of the political opposition, firstly and initially by Truman. It then looks at the opposition of three scientists - Leo Szilard, Albert Einstein and J. Robert Oppenheimer. The many military generals and politicians' oppositions are also listed.
From the Paper "Contrary to the images displayed by World War II propaganda, the atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki were widely criticized, not only by 1960's radicals, but also by many influential figures of the conservative establishment, scientists, and those in the highest ranks of the military. These people, in addition to countless citizens and political officials, considered the use of the atomic bomb to have been militarily unnecessary and morally repugnant based on the information available to them in the summer of 1945."
Abstract The paper examines several texts where the term justice is explored. The paper discusses how justice is perceived in Plato's "Republic" in an argument between Socrates and a man named Glaucon. It shows how Aristotle goes further in "The Nicomachean Ethics" to say that justice involves the elements of virtue. Other sources explored include the article "Is Tolerance Enough? The Catholic University and the common good" by David Hollenbach on the idea of justice and the Catholic Church, as well as a speech given by Reverend Bliss Brown in September, 2001 entitled "Stretching Your Views".
From the Paper "Justice is a commonly used term, but what does it actually mean? Justice is more than a belief, it is a way of life. Justice is a hard term to understand, and that is why these four different perspectives on the idea have been assembled. Each will be examined thoroughly in the pursuit to understand the true meaning of justice. Justice is more than an act it is how a person is composed. The idea of justice is comprised of many components, each of which is an integral part of the final concept. Justice is best practiced in an environment where it could be understood and followed."
From the Paper "Advances in medicine and biology offer great possibilities for future medical procedures and for entirely new procedures such as genetic splicing to create new forms of life for good or ill. These new possibilities bring with them great responsibility and require that experimentation and development in biology be conducted following ethical precepts. The issues raised are not simple and are not easily answered, making it all the more vital that critical thinking be developed and applied to issues of bioethics. Cloning is only the newest scientific advance to raise such issues, but it is an issue we need to consider carefully and an issue that cannot be decided on the basis of first impressions alone. It raises questions of ethics and morality, and it poses a threat to our sense of self and of our own uniqueness and autonomy. Human cloning is not yet possible.."
From the Paper "Capital punishment is immoral and has not been proven to be effective. It is immoral because it denies the basic principle it is meant to uphold (that human life is precious). In addition, the evidence referenced in this study shows that the death penalty does not deter individuals from committing crimes for which they night be sentenced to death. The death penalty is also unfairly applied, based on race and socioeconomics, among other factors. The only argument which can still be effectively pressed by pro-capital punishment forces is that it is an effective retributive action against those convicted of capital crimes.
With respect to the question of deterrence, Radelet and Akers report on their efforts "to determine if there is consensus among expert criminologists on whether the death..."
Examines the freedom of the press vs. ethical reporting, code of ethics, the role of court, examples of questionable ethics, invasion of privacy and coverage of celebrities. Includes an outline.
2,250 words (approx. 9 pages), 10 sources, 1999, $ 79.95
Abstract "Freedom of the Press is a phrase given high value in the American system, but it is not an absolute. Freedom of the Press is found in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and the courts give great importance to this amendment when considering competing rights.
From the Paper "Freedom of the Press is a phrase given high value in the American system, but it is not an absolute. Freedom of the Press is found in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and the courts give great importance to this amendment when considering competing rights. Still, there are cases where the courts find that the press goes too far, and the public often believes this is true. Unethical behavior by the press is behavior that goes against a fundamental and protected individual right and that does so by breaking one of the elements of the currently adopted Code of Ethics. Recently, the Society of Professional Journalists held a meeting in Arlington, Virginia at which those attending the convention voted on a new Ethics Code. The code contains the four principles seen as most important in ethical behavior for journalists by this group..."
Abstract Examines the founder's religious and ethical commitments, her concept of success and how she applied them to her cosmetics business
From the Paper "Mary Kay Ash was explicit about the values which guide her life and her business. She considered a belief in God to be the foundation of all life activities, including business activities, and she believed that her business helped other women to be better people. In this essay, the intent is to examine her religious and ethical commitments and examine how she applied them to her business.
Religious and Ethical Commitments
Mary Kay Cosmetics, as the name indicates, is a company similar to Avon in that it relies on door to door sales of beauty products to women in their homes. The women who are employed by ..."
An examination of the ethical, medical, social, economic and legal issues of active and passive euthanasia as well as the roles of family and patient and physicians.
2,700 words (approx. 10.8 pages), 18 sources, 2000, $ 95.95
From the Paper "Euthanasia has become an important issue in the protection of human dignity. It has been in the news a great deal lately because of the crusade of the so-called "suicide doctor," Dr. Jack Kevorkian, who has "assisted" in some 17 or 18 suicides over the past few years, all of people who were facing some debilitating and painful degenerative disease. As medical science becomes more adept at prolonging life, but not necessarily at making that life valuable, euthanasia becomes an option to be considered by those who suffer, those who love them, and those who are charged with their care. Euthanasia comes from two Greek words meaning "good death" or "happy death," and the term refers to any action that brings a painless death to a person suffering from an injury, disease, or the ravages of age."
From the Paper "Introduction
Until recently, ethical behavior in business was not a formal topic of discussion in most business schools. In today's highly litigious society, however, business professionals and business students are coming to realize that sales and profits are no longer sufficient factors, in and of themselves, on which decisions can be based. Instead, it is vital that decisions take into account ethical issues. Ethics come into play within organizations because decisions are made not by nameless and faceless companies, but by individuals within those companies who have a set of ethics on which their decisions are based. Companies can protect themselves and their employees by putting place a code of ethics which can help guide behavior by employees within the business. This research examines an ethical situation in a business and considers..."
Abstract This paper looks at different types of suicide and examines how
in each case, the individual controls the means and moment of their death. It shows how suicide is motivated by universal human needs and how dissatisfaction with life seems to prompt all suicides, even those that reek of martyrdom and egoism. It examines the effect of religious and cultural beliefs which can lead to mass suicides of cult groups and discusses euthanasia or assisted suicide.
From the Paper "Combined with powerful psychological forces, these prevailing spiritual beliefs can make suicide seem attractive. Especially in a culture that does promote a sense of entitlement to constant fulfillment and happiness, grief and other uncomfortable emotions become difficult to deal with. Without adequate coping mechanisms, a person who suffers from depression or any sense of dissatisfaction could choose to give up on life rather than endure the downs with the ups. Our Prozac-popping culture devalues pain and misunderstands the potential power of pain to stimulate growth. Suicide is seen as an understandable, albeit unfortunate, solution to psychological discomfort."
Abstract The Faerie Queen, an epic poem by Edmund Spenser is a lengthy piece of work consisting of six parts that was completed in 1590. This paper discusses the allegorical theme of "holiness and virtue" in the poem and since this is represented by the Red Cross Knight it focuses on his character. It shows how the Red Cross Knight is out on a mission to save the world from sin and that "truth" and "holiness" themselves have to face temptations and attractive evils in order to show the "vulnerability" of humans to sins.
From the Paper "The bloody (bloudie) cross that the knight wore on his breast is a direct reference to Jesus Christ from whom he derives his ?Holiness.? However, the Red Cross Knight is not Jesus himself, since unlike the Lord himself he is not able to resist the temptation of the "Garden of Eden" and thus represents the fallibility of human beings. While under the evil spell of the woods, he is tricked by the magic of Archimago into believing the "Truth" (Una) as unvirtuous and falls for the deception and temptation provided by Duessa, the witch."
