Ethics Class, Monday, 2-4pm

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara's face is tight and drawn as she addresses the class.

"For those of you who heard about Friday's class - we're not talking about that. If you wish to talk to me in my office hours you are very welcome to although they will be slowplayed liek woah, because I'm single parenting this week. However, I would appreciate it if we could keep in-class discussion today on the topic at hand.

"The topic, such as it is, will be chosen today by you, not by me. Here's what I want you to do:

"Raise an ethical issue. Give us your opinion on it. I don't mind what you choose - there are hundreds of issues we haven't touched on yet in class. Go wild. Have some fun with it, if you want to, just make sure there is an ethical question to be addressed. Respond to another person's raised issue with your opinion - beyond just 'I agree'. I'd love to see you all engage in some proper debates with one another, and I'm quite happy to give extra credit for people who engage in multiple debates."

Comments

Re: Class Discussion

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

John ponders for a quick moment.

"How about someone abusing their power under the auspices of teaching? Specifically, making light of action that have happened to someone, very emotional actions, to be used in a class exercise?"

Re: Class Discussion

[miss-monochrome.livejournal.com]

[Chiana attempts to hide a smirk the question, impressed that somebody had the mivonks to say it.]

Re: Class Discussion

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

[hey! no smirking in my direction! :P ]

Re: Class Discussion

[master-of-fear.livejournal.com]

"Or, conversely, the Ethics of denying other students a mature, philosophical environment in which to discuss Ethical questions?" Jonathan asks John not even slightly confused by the amount of 'John' in that sentence

Re: Class Discussion

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

"Establishing and maintaining a professional, mature environment to discuss ideas among consenting, emotionally stable individuals is something to strive for in an ethics class, or any class with much discussion and heated arguments. Or potential for. And," John said to Jonathan, unconsiously echoing John from the Friday class, "consent is something that can only come from a sound mind."

I see your Jonathan and raise you two pair

Re: Class Discussion

[master-of-fear.livejournal.com]

"And what constitutes a sound mind in your opinion? Despite being minors, we are thinking, rational people that have to make decisions everyday. Consenting to discussion? By beginning to speak aren't you consenting to a discourse?" Jonathan asks?

I've got nothing. Assume I said something witty [here]

Re: Class Discussion

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

"Well, it'd be someone who was capable of rationally choosing right from wrong, with the intellectual capability to make that choice and the emotional stability to make that choice. Where that line is, specifically, I don't have an answer. There are some 10 year olds that I'd put my life in their hands, and some 50 year olds I wouldn't trust to water my plants, in the sound mind way, anyhow. Scratch that. Can't think of a better metaphor."

John pauses to breathe. "And beginning to speak or to not speak doesn't necessarily give consent because we're always communicating, even with just body language." John squares off to Jonathan.

SCORE! I see your [witty] and raise you [snark]

Re: Class Discussion

[wannabelawyer.livejournal.com]

"I'm all for not abusing power in any form. Pretty much any time you're going to feel the need to use the word "abuse" I think you've gone over ethical line. But I also think you need to have intent to do harm, or it's not so much abuse."

Re: Class Discussion

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

"Well, sometimes it's not as blatent as 'I like to kill kittens' or something. Sometimes it's just as innocent as feeding a stray, who produces 3 litters that you take to the vet. ANd the vet can't find homes, so... It's not always cut and dried like that. Gray. Very gray. And metallic."