Archive for September, 2010
Self Defense: a parable
Sarah was on her lunch break, enjoying the sunshine as she sat at a table in the park, reading a novel. Right in the middle of a particularly enjoyable paragraph, she was interrupted by a young man. “Excuse me,” he said with a perfect smile. “My name is Hank. I’d like to give you this.” [...]
In: Essay · Tagged with: parable
Is Murder Sometimes Justified?
Statement A woman who is horribly abused by her spouse might be pushed to the point where she has to kill him in his sleep. Q1 Analysis If you would consider this murder, and you believe murder is always wrong, then this is a Q1 violation. Q2 Analysis If you would blame someone for trying [...]
Should Companies Worry About Anyone Other Than Their Shareholders?
Statement A public company’s first and only responsibility is to its shareholders. Q1 Analysis This is a Q1 violation if you think that companies have any responsibility to their customers, employees, neighborhood, or society in general, and may be a violation if you think that certain public companies are exceptions to this rule. Q2 Analysis [...]
Is Socialism Better than Capitalism?
Statement Socialism is fairer than capitalism and should be preferred. Q1 Analysis So long as "socialism," "capitalism," and "fairer" are all defined rigorously and consistently, this statement does not violate Q1. Q2 Analysis This is a complicated statement to analyze with Q2 because it involves a number of concepts (socialism, capitalism, fair) and assumptions (that [...]
Is Accumulating Wealth Moral?
Statement There’s nothing wrong with trying to accumulate wealth.* Q1 Analysis This statement may violate Q1 if you believe that people with wealth have a responsibility to use that wealth in certain ways (by giving to charity, charging their customers less, or paying higher taxes, for example). Q2 Analysis This may be a Q2 violation [...]
Should a Dead Person’s Wishes Be Fulfilled?
Statement The needs of the living take precedence over the wishes of the dead. Q1 Analysis This statement does not violate Q1 unless you might demand that someone’s last wishes be carried out regardless of the situation. Q2 Analysis This statement does not violate Q2, but you should consider under what conditions the needs of [...]
Can Public Information Be Private?
Statement I shot a great video of people using a marker to draw funny pictures on this drunk girl who passed out at my party and am going to post it on YouTube. Q1 Analysis This is a Q1 violation if (among other things) you think that: Someone’s image shouldn’t be published without their permission, [...]
Should I Keep a Secret?
Statement If you promise to keep a secret, you should always keep it. Q1 Analysis This is not a Q1 violation unless you think there are some things that should not be kept secret. Q2 Analysis This is a Q2 violation if there is anything you would not want someone else to keep secret. Discussion [...]
Are Little White Lies Okay?
Statement As my daughter was getting ready for a date, I told her she looked beautiful even though she had a pimple on her neck. Q1 Analysis This is a Q1 violation if you believe that lying is always wrong or you believe that you must always be completely honest with your child. Q2 Analysis [...]
